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Me:
Not great. But thank you for asking
Gray:
If there’s anything you need, I’m here
I want to tell him everything. How scared I am. How I don’t know if I’m doing the right thing, but I have to for my family. And if he really is moving to Alaska, or somewhere even farther away, that’ll just break my heart even more. I don’t even want to know.
I haven’t even told him I’m leaving Boston yet. My heart breaks just a little bit at how hard this situation has quickly become.
Me:
I can’t tell you what that means to me. I wish I could turn back time
Gray:
Things will get better, they always do
Just hearing his words makes me feel better, like I’m not so alone. I don’t even know anyone in this small little town, but I’m trying to see the silver lining. The most important thing is I’m there for my dad. Patrick has also been in touch and is putting a little more effort in. Wonders will never cease.
Being around my dad again is going to be no mean feat, and all my energy needs to be preserved for that.
I lay back in the bubbles and sigh. I’ll give myself tonight to remember everything wonderful about my mystery man, Gray. I’m allowed this. It’s my one indulgence.
Me:
I hope so
Gray:
I’m going to bed. I’ll text you tomorrow. Sleep tight x
I love that he tells me that. It feels like I’ve known this man forever, not for one night and three weeks’ worth of random texts.
Me:
You too x
I can’t think any more about Gray until I’m settled. It’s for the best.
We vacationed in Nashville when I was a kid. Me and my brother both loved it.
Mom and Dad took us to The Smoky Mountains National Park, which straddles the Tennessee and North Carolina border, marked by steep mountain passes often blanketed in a gray-blue haze. I realize now that’s what his eyes reminded me of.
The memory of the sky on those vacations we took matched Gray’s eyes perfectly. My breath catches in my chest at the thought of it.
My dad moved to Tennessee five years ago to settle for a quieter life with my step-mom Linda. He and my mom divorced when I was in my teens, and for the larger part, remained on good terms. When Mom passed away a couple of years ago it left a huge gray cloud over me. We had our ups and downs over the years, but she was an amazingly strong woman. I miss her terribly. It definitely affected Patrick too, as he has been a closed book ever since. Maybe that’s why he is the way he is.
Dad and Linda have been happy for years. He set up his law firm in the quirky little town, and they’ve been there ever since. She was a legal secretary in her heyday, that’s how they met. She was working for the same firm. It was quite an office romance. I can’t quite imagine it, but she always tells the story and I love it each time. Though my dad can be tough, he has always had a soft spot for Linda. I think she keeps him grounded, and he’s way more mellow now he’s gotten older.
I’m looking forward to seeing them again and being closer.
I didn’t hesitate when Linda made it clear that dad needed my help. Family is everything to me.
Things were still difficult with my boss in Boston with him showing no respect to me, something my father warned me about many times. I’ve worked hard, but this business can be ruthless. So I’m not that sad about leaving my firm.
The fond memories I had of Tennessee on vacation as a child really made me feel ready for a change. So, I’ve decided to give it a try, even if just for a couple of years while we work things out. It’s early days.
