I cross my arms on the table and let my head fall on top of them, wishing I could be fully honest with her. “If only it were that simple. Everyone knows that I really, truly love Ben, right? Like no one thinks I’m faking or anything?”
She pats my hair in the soothing way most mothers would. “I know you’re not faking it. You love Ben, and he loves you.”
“Then why isn’t that enough?” I raise my head to level her with my pleading gaze.
“You are enough,” she says, her eyes softening along with her voice. “Just remember that, okay? You are enough.”
I nod, pushing back another chair from another table. “I’ll let you enjoy your Christmas. See you tomorrow.”
“See you soon.”
The cold air bites at my cheeks as I make my way back down Main Street, toward home.
Well, that was a total bust.
At least I got two cups of coffee out of it.
“Cam! Merry Christmas!”
I turn toward the toy store and catch Anna waving at me from the doorway. “Merry Christmas to you too!”
“I still can’t thank you enough!” she calls.
I wave off her thanks. “It was my pleasure!”
She waves again before ducking back into her store, which can only be open in case some parents majorlyscrewed up Christmas. Too bad for her that she has to work, but she didn’t look upset at all. She seemed thrilled to be there actually, and it helps warm me up, to think I had some small part in that.
Ben is waiting for me on the porch when I return. The cold is still bitter, but I sink into my favorite chair anyway.
“Rough morning?”
I slipped out of bed before he woke up, wanting to have some good news for him, but I can’t help but feel like this whole thing is a bust. I need to find a way to get Ben home, but I’m no closer than I was last night.
I let my head fall back against the perfect curve of the chair. “I was trying to figure out a way to get us out of here, but no luck, I’m afraid.”
“What changed your mind about going home?”
“I found the picture of your family.” I turn my head in his direction. “You don’t talk about them much.”
“You don’t ask.” There’s no anger or sadness or frustration behind the sentiment, just the simple truth of it. He sighs. “And honestly, after hearing about your family, I didn’t want to rub it in.”
“That you have a perfect family?”
He shrugs and reaches for my hand. “No family is perfect.”
“But you love them. You miss them.”
He squeezes my hand. “I do.”
“Then I’m going to find a way to get us home.”
“Hmmm.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means, I think the answer is right in front of you, sweetheart; you just have to be willing to see it.”
“Did everybody take an extra dose of cryptic pills today?Jesus.” I lace our fingers together, so he knows I’m just being a cranky bitch and I still love him.
