Page 27 of Irresistible Second Chance

I rolled down the window, “You scared me! What do you want?”

He opened the door and slid in next to me, “Where are you going?”

“I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “Why are you in my car?”

He shrugged, “That’s a good question. I don’t know.”

Sighing, I addressed the elephant in the room…or rather in my house. “Did you know she was going to be here?”

He nodded. He knew without asking that I was referring to my mother. “Mom told me.”

“And it didn’t occur for you to tell me.”

“You weren’t speaking to me, remember?”

“Now you’re just being petty.”

“No, I’m not,” he said his jaw tight. He then blew out a breath, as if to calm himself. “Listen, I’m not here to argue.”

“Then why are you here?” I didn’t know why I was so angry. He wasn’t the one I was mad at.

“Because you need a friend tonight…and for better or worse…that’s me.”

He was right. I took a deep breath, feeling as if I were about to cry at any moment. I didn’t cry over her anymore. I hadn’t since I was a child. I didn’t want to start now but seeing her again brought up so much pain. And that pain sat heavy in my chest. I didn’t know what to do.

I said that to Chris. He responded, his voice gentle and calming, “How about for now, you just drive?”

I took a deep, steadying breath back in and did just that. I drove. We rode in silence, for minutes, then hours. The whole time I was deep in thought. My mom’s presence there had really shaken me. I don’t know why. I figured it was because emotionally I wasn’t doing so well, and her presence was the straw that broke the camel’s back per se. First Mark had left me, then Chris reappeared back in my life. I pretty much single-handedly messed that up, and then she showed up.

“I just want things to go back the way they were,” I said in the silence of the car.

“Nothing’s ever that simple,” Chris said.

I sighed, “I know.” I looked at Chris then, the dark shadows concealing most of his face, “Do you think she’s gone by now?”

He shrugged. “I’m sure she is.”

He didn’t judge me. He didn’t make me feel silly for my reaction. I knew then, I probably wouldn’t have made it through the evening without a complete meltdown if it weren’t for him.

When I pulled back up to my place, the lights were off. I looked down and saw a text from my sister, “I’m sorry.” It simply said. I wasn’t angry with her. I loved her. She didn’t understand why I felt about Mom the way I did. I didn’t try to explain it to her. She’d always had hope that mom would change and that she would get better. I didn’t.

I don’t know when the tears started, but I felt wetness on my face and then felt Chris’ hand on my shoulder. “Come on,” he said his voice strong, yet soft. “Let me help you inside.”

I let him lead me, allowing myself to do something I didn’t do often, mentally lean on someone else.

He unlocked the door for me. And helped me inside.

“I’ll call you in the morning,” he said.

“Ok.”

His hand was on the door when I surprised myself by saying, “Actually, do you think you could stay?”

“I’m not sure if that’s the best idea,” he said.

“Please.”

He looked at me then, his eyes searching mine before he simply said, “Ok.”

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