Page 30 of Dance with Me on New Year's Eve

SawyerRox4:No. Far from it.

CastGamer55:I’m so sorry. You deserve better. I hope you know that.

The tears were streaming down my face now, and I had to grab a tissue from the end table to blow my nose.

I felt seen.

I never, ever felt that way.

The intensity of feelings coursing through me was overwhelming, and I tried to swallow the thick lump in my throat.

SawyerRox4:I know it … in theory. Not sure I truly believe it though

CastGamer55:I can understand that.

SawyerRox4:Thank you. You have no idea how much this means, your understanding. Your acceptance.

CastGamer55:You’re welcome, Mindy.

CastGamer55:So, your parents: have they lightened up at all on the criticism over the years? I’m assuming you’re an adult now.

SawyerRox4:I’m an adult, yes, lol. Probably something we should’ve established months ago, haha

SawyerRox4:Anyway, my parents … my dad is OK, but he rarely communicates his thoughts and feelings, so I have no idea what he’s thinking usually. Really passive-aggressive. Mom, on the other hand, is still really hard on me all the time.

SawyerRox4:I actually had a really bad call with her a week or two ago, and she gave me a hard time about lots of things

CastGamer55:Sorry to hear that. Do you want to talk about it?

SawyerRox4:Not really. I’m trying to tell myself I’m over it … I don’t orshouldn’tneed my parents’ approval for anything. But again, it’s one of those things I believe in theory but maybe not in practice, you know?

CastGamer55:I get it. More than you know.

Should I ask him what that meant? I set the laptop on the couch and padded over to the kitchen to get the half-eaten sandwich I’d stored in the fridge and then refilled my water bottle.

Why did you ask something so personal? Now he’ll probably balk and shut down the chat.

Then again, I just revealed somethingsuperpersonal.

Ah, worth a shot.

I ignored the doubting voice in my head as I returned to my computer and typed the question before I could think about it too much.

SawyerRox4:Care to swap depressing stories then?

CastGamer55:Well, that sounds like fun.

SawyerRox4:That’s me, always a riot!

CastGamer55:I don’t like self-deprecating on you, Mindy. You often do that. I wonder if you think people don’t notice?

SawyerRox4:Eh, maybe … but you’re deflecting. Please, tell me a story about your troubled past, if you have one, so I’m not feeling weird being the only one…

I watched as the three dots indicating he was typing appeared and disappeared several times. Was I being too pushy? I stuffed a large bite of the sandwich in my mouth and started chewing, only to nearly spit it out when I saw his next message.

CastGamer55:My father left when I was young. Left my mom, all of us. He went on a trip with friends and then called to say he wasn’t coming back.

SawyerRox4:Oh my :0 ... That’s heartbreaking. I’m so sorry, Danny.

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