Page 29 of Feels Like Falling
“Sounds great,” she says with a smile that lights me up from the inside out.
We work in silence, each getting our respective horses saddled up and ready to ride. Marist is excited, his black coat shining in the sun as I lead him out of the barn. He’s younger than Sadie, but unlike our sweet girl, Marist is a rescue we took in a few years ago.
“Ready?” I ask as Ellison comes up on the side of me looking like a dream on the back of Sadie.
“Oh, my goodness, such a handsome boy!” She coos the words at Marist, and even though it’s obvious, I can’t help myself.
“Thank you.”
“Uh-huh.” I’m surprised she stays upright with how hard she rolls her eyes. “Let’s go, Max, my girl wants to run.”
“Then lead the way.”
13
ELLISON
My phone rings with the theme song for Cruella DeVil and I cringe just like every person in the movie when the villain comes on screen. Every cell in my body begs me to ignore it, but if I do, it will only be worse when she calls back.
I don’t need worse, so I swipe accept and press the speaker button.
“Hello, Mother.”
“For a moment there I thought you were going to make me leave a message.” She sniffs and I roll my eyes. Sheri Ann Mills might live by the rulethe higher the hair the closer to Jesus,but there isn’t much holy about my mother.
“I was in the other room and heard it ring,” I lie easily, knowing she doesn’t believe me for a second.
“I still don’t know why you didn’t stay at the house. It’s ridiculous to stay in something so…menial when you can stay at home.”
My childhood home itself is stunning, but it’s beautiful in the way a magazine spread makes a house look and not because it’s warm and inviting. It has been through extensive renovations over the years, wiping away any traces of simpler or happier times.
“I don’t need all that space. Besides, the cottage is closer to the school.”
“And that boy.”
My fist tightens around my water bottle as I try one of those deep breathing exercises I learned when I went to those three yoga classes back in Savannah. It’s no use, and my good mood from the night before starts to wane.
“Montana isn’t a boy, Mother, and he’sstillmy best friend. I don’t know why you dislike him so much, but we’re not kids, and if you don’t have anything nice to say about him you can keep it to yourself.”
She huffs indignantly like we’ve never had this conversation before.
“Well, let me know when you’re free, and I’ll make a reservation for you and Dustin at the country club.”
“Did you not hear me before I left Savannah?” I say, my voice rising with every word. “I willnevergo out with him. I don’t care that you think it was a misunderstanding. He tried to put his hand up my skirt after I told him to stop. He deserved more than a punch to the face.”
“You broke hisnose, Ellison.” She breathes disapprovingly like I was the one who’d gone too far.
It’s probably a good thing she can’t see the smile spread wide across my lips right now. Montana had wanted to murder Dustin, but once I wrestled his keys from his hands and told him how I’d thrown a punch just like he’d shown me, Montana had settled down.
“And he deserved so much more.”
My mother is silent, and I have to pull the phone away to make sure the call hasn’t dropped because this is a first.
“Then I’m sure I can find someone more suitable for dinner.”
“No, no dinner. No lunches, no trips to the country club, Mother. I am happy not fitting into your world, so please stop forcing me into it.” My phone buzzes with an incoming text and it could be one of those scam “your package couldn’t be delivered” things, but it doesn’t matter because I’m latching onto it like my life depends on it. “Oh I’m getting another call. We’ll talk soon; tell Dad I said hi!”
I click the end button before she has a chance to respond and don’t feel the least bit bad about it. I played their game for too long, and I’d lost so much of myself. I wouldn’t let it happen again.
