Page 54 of Sin Bins and Second Chances
My arms cross in front of me, and I lean back in my chair. Oh yeah, she clearly has a type. Dad was a cattle rancher, that’s what our family does. This is too similar. I can’t help but give my mom a look, she’s shaking her head at me.
“And what are your intentions with my mother?” I turn back to Finn O’Brien.
Grandpa chokes back a laugh.
“Daisy!” My mom groans.
Ethan chuckles next to me.
“It’s a simple question, mom.” I stare at her and hold back the laugh. I already know how serious they are because I can see she’s not wearing the ring my father gave her anymore. She removed it before she went on her trip. The fresh start she needed; she certainly found it.
It’s weird to think of her with someone else, though. But—I want her to be happy. She was right before. Neither one of us was truly living. We were just existing here on the ranch.
I don’t want to be somewhere else. It didn’toccur to me before how lonely it might be for her. The everyday reminder of being here without my dad. It’s been seven years. I want her to be happy.
“I plan on marrying your mother, if she’ll have me.”
My mom smiles next to him. I can see the look in her eyes, she’s in love.
It’s been a couple of weeks since I’ve been back home from the hospital, but it wasn’t until now that I finally got to meet Finn. She’d been going on and on about him. Like, non-stop.
“I see. I’m just wondering why you haven’t asked her only daughter permission.” I tease and bite back my smile.
“Is that a thing with you Americans?” His Irish accent comes out strong.
“No, but I made you question it, didn’t I?” I laugh.
My mom already let me in on how serious they were. She’d informed me life was too short, and it was time for her to move on. We had a long discussion about her moving to Ireland to be with him. It wasthatkind of serious.
It was weird to think my momwouldn’t be here. We had a good cry together about it last night as she started packing up her things. She confessed that the house and ranch hadn’t felt like home in a long time for her.
It was only weird because this seemed fast. But, I suppose, it honestly wasn’t. Her foot was halfway out the door a long time ago, just waiting for the next adventure. Just like she’d told me, we’re not getting any younger. We have to take advantage of every opportunity. It’s better to look back and laugh at the crazy decisions we’ve made than to have an ever-growing list of what ifs.
It was at this moment that I realized how fast things were about to change. My whole family was sitting at this table. This was the time I would look back on and remember.
I sit back quietly as Finn continues to go on about my mom and the first time he saw her. My aunt and grandma join the conversation with them. He talks about the amazing things about her, things I already know. It was his genuine smile I appreciate, and his kind eyes.
My mom deserved the world.
The evening continued with more conversation, laughter, and a rowdy round of Farkle. Theweirdness crept in when we all left my grandparents, though.
Walking into my house and realizing it’s just that, mine. It looks the same as it has my entire life. Except for the small stack of boxes in the front room, my mom was grabbing in the morning to ship to Ireland.
She didn’t want to take anything besides clothes, a handful of pictures, and a small collection of random things she’d had in her room. It never occurred to me before how little the house represented us after my dad’s death. We never made any changes. We weren’t ever ready to move beyond the past.
Mom didn’t even want to stay here. She was staying at the town motel with Finn. Change is happening everywhere, and it fills me with dread. I’m afraid of getting stuck in the past.
“Daisy.” Ethan comes up behind me, wrapping his arms around my middle. “You’ve been staring at that pile of boxes for five solid minutes.”
I lean back on him. “Everything is going to be different,” I admit.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he whispers.
“Promiseme.” I spin around his arms and looked up at him through my lashes.
He grins down at me, that half smile that makes me melt. “I promise I will do everything in my power to keep us tied together.”
“Yeah?”
