Page 239 of Steeling Her
The sound of crickets tell me I’m not alone out as I listen to the night. I sit there and begin to think over the conversation I just had with my dad. It got heated, but I’m hoping he finally understands that he never should have inserted himself between me and Carter.
But it’s in the past. I’ve got to live in the present, in the now.One day at a time,I reassure myself.
I stare up at the black sky with specks of light dotted across it. The moon aligns itself with the stars. The brightness of it contrasts heavily with the inky background of the night. I see a star above my head over to the right side as I hang further out the window. I hold on tight to the ledge so I won’t fall out. I watch it twinkle back and remember the time that Carter told me it’s not the star that’s twinkles, it’s due to the Earth’s turbulent atmosphere. Something that I could never forget.
After remembering the fun little fact she told me, I smile and chuckle a little. She was always a little nerd and never tried to hide it from anyone. She has a whole bank of knowledge in that mind of hers and I love her for it.
As I watch the star twinkle back at me, I smile back and say, “Good night, Carter.” I climb off the window sill and shut it behind me as I lock it. I draw the curtains close and slip off my clothes to get into my new bed, hoping the mattress is up to par. Knowing my mom, it most likely is.
I allow my body to sink into the mattress and, just like I expected, it’s perfect for a good night’s sleep. There is just only one thing that I’m missing.
Chapter Forty-Seven
Have I Lost Her Completely?
Nick
I am just laying here—in complete silence—listening to the pots and pans banging off one another in the far distance of the kitchen. My mom is hustling and bustling around to make breakfast. I could even hear her on the phone with an old friend who is a nutritionist, asking what’s the best breakfast she could make for a professional athlete.
The thought of her going out of her way to make sure I get my protein and nutrition makes me laugh. She had always been bending over backwards for me from the minute I was born.
She is a caretaker at heart and will always look after anyone she knows. She’s a talker, too, she can talk herself into or out of any situation you could think of. So, she has connections.
I’m up at 9 AM sharp. I can hear her feet patter up and down the hallway as she makes her way in and out of the kitchen.Bright and early, like always.
I just get the funny feeling that she misses me.
I miss her too.I always have, even when I was in college.
I lay on the bed with my arms over my stomach and the sheet loosely wrapped around me. The cool air from the air conditioner blows over my exposed skin while the sheet keeps me at the right temperature.
I’ve been told that I’m a walking furnace, so I like the cold.
I’ve decided to make the most of my last day here. Even though it was a short trip, I knew I had to come. I was able to mend what I needed, or at least tried to. It didn’t go so well yesterday, but at the same time, I feel the weight finally lift off my chest.
I got to say what I’ve been feeling for so long to my dad who meddled in my relationship, so mission accomplished. I’m just hoping it got through to him and he can look me in the eye once more.
I’ve been disgusted for so long, and I’m tired of carrying that weight.
Forgive, forget, and fix.
Move on. Move forward.
A soft knock on the door catches my attention. I know it’s my mom trying to see if I’m awake. So, I push myself up from the bed and answer, “Come in.”
But just as the door opens, I soon realize it’s not my mom—it’s my dad. “Hi,” he greets me and enters the room, leaving the door open behind him. Walking further and further into the room, he stands at the foot of my bed and rests both hands on his hips, shoulders square and eyes staring straight at me.
With a silent question of a raised brow, he continues with the reason behind his visit.
“Can I show you something?” he asks me and I nod in response. He moves towards the open door then stops. “I’ll meet you downstairs,” he says over his shoulder and continues to walk away.
For the next few minutes, I spend the time getting dressed while thinking about the million and one possibilities of what he wants to show me, but I just couldn’t pin it down.
I raise myself off the bed after tying both laces and walk out. I close the door behind me and catch a small frame standing by her own bedroom door.
“Where are you going?” Ellie asks quietly.
“I’m not sure yet,” I reply, “somewhere with Dad.” I continue walking but I know that look on her face. It’s the same face she gave me when I told her that I’d be back five years ago.
