Page 4 of Return to Us
I walk over, squeeze her hand, and smile. “Thank you, Mom.”
She sighs. “I’m trying, sweet girl.”
“I know. We both are.”
“Go on now.” Mom kisses my cheek. “I love you.”
“I love you too.”
For all the things that my mother has struggled through, giving love has never been one. My father leaving her was a blow she never recovered from. Winnie and I knew that my mother was doing her best. She loved us and did everything she had to in order to make sure we survived. Her heart was broken, but all we saw was strength.
My father, on the other hand, is a piece of shit. He walked away from his daughters without a second glance.
I get downstairs in time to see the headlights shining through the window. Delia made it in fewer than ten minutes, which is somewhat impressive.
Since I’ve been back, she’s the only person outside of my family who I’ve allowed to see me. The first few days were terrible because I was in so much pain and the bruising was awful. As all of it started to heal, it became more of a protective shell. Staying here meant I didn’t have to explain what happened.
I could pretend this was just an extended vacation.
As soon as I’m in the car, my hands tremble as fear starts to grip me.
Delia reaches over, taking both of them in her hands. “You’re okay. We’re just getting breakfast on a random Tuesday morning.”
I release a deep breath and force a smile. “It’ll be fine.”
“Yes. It will.”
I do the breathing exercise, and Delia backs the car up. Thankfully, she doesn’t give me time to work myself up too much as she drives toward town. I close my eyes, allowing my thoughts to center on the techniques I’ve been learning the last few weeks.
The drive doesn’t take very long to get to the diner since we are not considered to be on the wealthy side of Willow Creek Valley. Those houses are far away from the center of town. Which is not where Delia and I grew up. We’re fromthatside of town. The one the rich kids avoid at all costs because they don’t want to be seen with us.
However, there was always one boy who never treated me that way. Regardless of his parents absolutely hating that we were together, Grayson Parkerson didn’t care. He loved me even though my mother worked at the grocery store, cleaned rooms at the inn, and then at the bar just to cover our bills. He didn’t see rich or poor, he just saw me.
Well, if he could see me now.
Last I heard, he was married and had a beautiful little girl, running one of his family’s inns somewhere in the country.
I sure showed him.
I could always ask Delia, but we made a promise not to ask a question we really didn’t want the answer to, and I definitely don’t want to know this one.
Leaving him was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, but I saw what our future would be after his mother told me I’d never be a part of their family. He would leave me, so I left him first, and it broke me in half.
Delia parks the car and turns to me. “All right, let’s go get some food, I’m starving.”
Inhale. Five, four, three, two, one. Exhale.
I repeat that three times and then nod. “Okay, let’s go.”
We enter, and sure enough, Ms. Jennie is still working as the waitress. “Well, if it isn’t Jessica Walker! As I live and breathe, my God. You are just as beautiful as the last time I saw you.”
I smile as her warmth fills the space around us. She’s always sweet and loving. I doubted the woman had a mean word to say about a soul. “You are the best part of this town,” I say with a smile.
“Vernon!” she yells over her shoulder toward the kitchen. “You come out here and see who came for your famous breakfast.”
Her husband peeks his head out of the door. “Hello there, Miss Jessica.”
A sense of calm settles over me as I realize that I had been worried about a town that loved me and wished me well as I ran away to avoid having my heart broken. “It’s good to see you, Mr. Vernon.”
