Page 51 of Irresistible Second Chance

Mark ran forward, grabbed the toaster over and proceeded to leave. “I was just trying to help,” he said with his usual haughty tone. I despised that tone. How I lived with that tone for so many years, I would never understand.

I closed my door hard behind me, reached for my phone and instantly dialed Chris’ number. It was then that I noticed the missed call from him.

“Dammit,” I said. He must have called while I was fighting with my sister. I called him back, but the phone just rang and rang.

Frustrated, I threw my phone across the room and slumped down on the couch. I had really messed things up now.

Chapter 14

“Have you considered therapy?” Robin suggested as she stared at me from across my desk. She had shown up at the office that morning to drop something off to Robert and had come across me in the lobby looking miserable and depressed.

“Didn’t you have work today?” I asked her.

She nodded, “Teacher workday, so I got off early. Elle is spending the day at the shelter with Max, so I’m free as a bird. Not that I’m saying family life has tied me down. Actually, it’s quite an adventure. Never a dull moment. In fact, I can’t remember the last time I slept.” she laughed.

I liked her self-deprecating humor. “And no, to answer your question I haven’t considered therapy.”

“Why not?”

I shrugged, “I tried it in the past. It’s just not for me.”

“Have you tried sound therapy?”

“I don’t even know what that is.”

“That's the perfect reason to try it!”

I didn’t even know how I had gotten into this conversation with her. When she had found me in the lobby, I had greeted her, and she had made a face and remarked that my aura looked a little muddy.

She had then followed me to my office and demanded to know what was going on. Not having anyone else to talk to, I found myself telling her everything. Robin was really easy to talk to. She didn’t judge. She just listened. It was easy to see why she and Robert were so close. Robin was great. I sort of wish I was a free spirit like her.

“You should try sound therapy, or you could just try apologizing to your sister and explaining everything to...what’s his name again?”

“Chris,” I said moodily. “And I tried apologizing to my sister. She’s not answering her phone and she’s avoiding me. She even blocked me on social media.”

“Yikes.”

“I know!”

“And what about Chris? Your one true love.”

“He’s not my one true love,” I spit out refusing to think about her statement. “He’s just a guy---”

“Who you’ve loved most of your life?” Robin finished for me. “That’s how Jake and Sara were. Jake loved Sara for years, but Sara hated Jake for years. It was all due to a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding that was totally Robert’s fault. Don’t tell him I said that.”

“I won’t,” I said already forgetting what she just said. I was too focused on my own problems,”Chris isn’t taking my calls either. He won’t let me explain. Everyone is shutting me out.”

“That sounds really lonely.”

“It is!”

“Maybe you should talk to a friend.”

“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?” I snapped.

Robin bit her lip, “Umm...Sydney, don’t take this the wrong way, but we just met not long ago. You do have other friends, right?”

I stopped to think. And then embarrassed said, “I don’t make friends easily. I’m kind of a loner.”

---