Page 62 of The Secret We Keep
She huffs. “The one and only. So, you’re not the only one with a sad story, new girl.”
I drop my head but muse to myself. Sarah’s probably wondering who the hell I think I am, acting like my problems surpass everyone else’s. I want to tell her that if it wasn’t for my dad being ridiculously overbearing about this, then we wouldn’t have met, and I wouldn’t genuinely feel okay about being here for the first time.
How did you know it was my birthday?
Paddy
Seeingtheredbusdrive past, I get out of my car parked outside Morgan’s house. It’s a little after six in the evening. I had expected to be near the city by now, but she’s worth the wait.
When Morgan eventually walks around the corner, onto her street, she sees me and stands still.Fuck, she’s gorgeous. Wearing casual clothes with her hair tied back, high on her head, she looks so natural. So utterly perfect.
With a shake of my head, I remember the reason I’m here. I grab the flowers Mum assured me that Morgan would like and slowly make my way towards her.
Her feet match my pace until we’re eventually standing in front of each other.
“These are for you,” I say nervously, holding them out, feeling ridiculous. “Apparently they’re your favourite.”
“Says who?” Morgan takes the sunflowers from my hands, lifting the bouquet to her nose. Her eyes close, and she visibly relaxes, shoulders dropping as the weight of the day seems to lift off her.
“Mum saw your mum earlier. Asked her what you liked.” I give a shrug like it’s no big deal. But it is. I’ve apologised to this girl more times in the past three days than I have to anybody in my lifetime.
When her eyes open again, she’s looking straight at me. “Thank you. You didn’t have to.”
“We both know I did.”
Her head drops in silent agreement. “I’m sorry too. I didn’t stop the kiss either.”
The next beat of my heart hits a little harder. She can’t seriously think I’d be apologising for kissing her? “I’m not sorry for our kiss, Morgan,” I tell her honestly. “I’m sorry for what I did to your brother. Even though he deserved it.”
She doesn’t agree with me, but she looks towards her house with a slight wobble of her head as she contemplates my statement.
“I have this too.” I pull out a card from my back pocket.
“What is it?”
“It’s what you give when someone has a birthday,” I remark playfully.
She eyes me sceptically. “How did you know it was my birthday?”
“Well, when I told Mum that I was planning on swinging by your place tonight, she asked if I had a card. Naturally, when I told her they don’t sell apology cards, she reprimanded me for missing your big day.”
“It doesn’t matter, I don’t like a fuss being made,” Morgan says shyly.
I feel like a total arsehole for missing it. Because I can tell how much my small gesture of flowers and a card means to her. Morgan looks down again at the sunflowers, a faint hum escaping her when her head tilts to one side.
“It does, curly fries. Just like it matters that you had your first day at work today.” Again, Morgan looks at me with suspicious, narrowed eyes. “How’d it go?”
She chuckles. “Like how I imagined. But it wasn’t all bad, I suppose.” She double takes like she’s been hit by something. “Wait, how long have you been waiting here for?”
I look down at my watch like I need the reminder. “A little over an hour.”
“Anhour?” Morgan questions with disbelief. “You waited for an hour out here just to give me some flowers?”
I don’t tell her that I’d wait years for her if I had to. I don’t want to make her uncomfortable. The truth, as scary as my recent realisation might be, is that’s exactly what I think I’ve been doing my whole life. Waiting for her. “Because it’s the right thing to do. Plus, if it makes you feel any better, I spoke to Jerry and apologised to him.”
“You didn’t?”
I grin. “No, but I would have if he was in. Fortunately for me, your dad answered the door.”
