Page 88 of Crash
“Us?”
“Yes. What do you want to do about us?”
She paused, grabbed her cup of water, and took a small sip while she mulled over her answer. She didn’t know how this was going to go.
“I’m not sure…” she started saying but stopped at his crestfallen expression.
“I don’t know how it would work with me being in the city and you in Willowbrook. I’ve never been in a long-distance relationship before.”
“Long distance?”
“Yeah…?” The word came out as a question. She watched as Griffin chewed on a shrimp as he gathered his thoughts.
“Would you consider moving to Willowbrook?”
She tilted her head in consideration. The idea of moving to Willowbrook didn’t terrify her like she thought it would. She’d briefly entertained the idea before she fled town to be closer to her father and sister. If anything, she missed the small town with its friendly neighbors and the walkable streets. She would love nothing more than to go back.
But what of my career?
There was no job for her in Willowbrook. At least, none she could find.
What would I do with my time?
“I think…it is a good option. I would love to move back…at some point.” She paused. She knew her next words might hurt him, but they needed to be able to talk to each other. About their worries and fears. About their dreams and their future. If they didn’t learn how to communicate with each other, they were bound to fail.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to leave the city or my job yet. There’s no clinic in Willowbrook that I could work at. What would I do there?”
“You could work for me like you have been until you figure it out.” His answer came quick, as if he’d been thinking about this for a long time.
“That’s true. You do need help around the shop.” Her joke fell flat between them.
“What would you have done if you didn’t become a nurse?” he asked, the question coming out of nowhere.
“I guess I’ve never really thought about it,” she admitted reluctantly. She finished the rest of her dinner, deep in thought, taking the time to consider what her future would have looked like if she hadn’t decided to be practical and become a nurse. Job security was important to her at the time.
“I’ve been thinking a lot about my parents,” she started. “I used to want to be a writer when I was younger, but it didn’t seem like a realistic dream, so I went with the practical one. I love what I do. I love helping people, but…the time and dedication it takes to do my job has taken a toll on me,” she finally said. “If I had the time, I guess I’d want to write a book about my parents. Only…I’d like to give them the ending that they should have had. Before…cancer took her.”
Tears blurred her vision at the memory of her late mother and her ailing father. She couldn’t believe she’d left him behind without even saying a word about her departure.
What kind of daughter leaves their dying parent behind?
She needed to go back and spend whatever time she still had left with him before it was too late. Screw Ruth and her implications. She didn’t want money from her father. All she wanted was time. Time was running out the longer she stayed away.
“I need to see my father.”
“You can stay at the apartment or at my place. I know Rover has missed you a lot.” Griffin rubbed the back of his neck as if he were embarrassed.
“Rover has missed me, huh?” She smiled brightly.
“Yeah. The big oaf hasn’t been able to sleep at night without you warming his bed at night.”
“Oh, so now I’m warming his bed?” She chuckled.
He stifled a smile and hid it behind his hand. Rubbing his bristly jaw. He shaved it earlier in the day. Shemourned the loss of his bristles. She rather liked the feel of them between her thighs.
“I’ll think about it. How…How is my father doing?”
“I checked on him before I left. He’s hanging in there. He asked when you were coming back. He probably blames me for you leaving.”
