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Chapter 9
Mike
I tell Louisa I have to drive Miss Smith home, that she sprained her ankle and needs to rest. LuLu gives her teacher a hug and tells her she hopes she feels better soon.
Millie is grinning like a damn fool, and I have no doubt she hoped this might be how the night would end. "Here, let me get you two some Tupperware with dinner. I don't want you to rush back, Mike. Louisa is already planning on staying the night, and don't worry, I'll get her off to school tomorrow."
I shake my head at my sister-in-law, but in truth, I'm glad she's so forward thinking. She must have known right away what a catch Clementine is from picking up LuLu most days from school.
When I open the passenger door for Clementine, she tells me she appreciates the ride because she walked over tonight.
"Oh, honey, I'd be giving you a ride home even if your car was parked in this driveway."
She must know it's true because she doesn't argue. Instead, she just buckles her seatbelt and bites her pouty, pink lip.
"There you go, baby, just keep sitting there looking pretty, I'll get you home and taken care of really nice," I tell her.
She starts laughing. "You think I can take you seriously when you talk like that? Everything you says to me seems like another pickup line."
I chuckle. "Well, are they working?" I ask, but I already know her answer.
She just rolls her eyes, shaking her head, and I shut her car door.
Once in the driver seat, I look over at her and ask where she lives. She gives me her address and I start heading that way.
"You don't have to put the address into your phone?" she asks. "Impressive."
"You forget, Clementine, this town is where I was born and raised. I know this place like the back of my hand. I love it here, don't you?"
"I do. Today when I was walking around the farmers’ market, it was impossible to imagine a better town. And truly, I'd stay, but there aren't any job postings here. And since I'm finishing my degree, I'll have to make student loan payments in a matter of months, so it's not about not liking it here. It's more about necessity."
I nod, understanding, and it's a relief to hear. She's not running away so much as trying to be responsible. Taking care of herself. "I hear you and I think that's great, Clementine. You should be so proud of yourself. Finishing school, becoming a teacher. It's pretty incredible."
"Thanks," she says, looking over at me with a soft smile. "Honestly, I don't hear that often. My family isn't really a part of my life. They weren't exactly healthy people, and I had to cut ties with them when I started college. I didn't have to get tons of loans, because I qualified for lots of grants and scholarships and for that I'm really grateful. But when it comes to making sure and take care of myself, I'm kind of laser-focused. There's no safety net in terms of a family to fall back on. No mommy or daddy I can run to when things are hard."
I rest a hand on her thigh, squeezing gently. "You're stronger than you know, Clementine." I give her a sincere smile and I hope she understands how much I mean it.
"What about you, do you have family besides Mox, Millie, and Louisa?"
"For the most part, they're it. I have a few aunts and uncles here and there, but my parents died in a car crash, several years ago. For a long time, it was just Mox, me, and Louisa. Then, of course, Millie came along, and she really helped us all feel like a family. I don't think we realized just how bachelor-like we’d become. She cleaned our acts up pretty fast, and of course, they have a baby on the way now. So, the family just keeps growing."
"That's really wonderful. I bet Louisa is going to love having a cousin."
"Do you want a family one day?" I ask, looking at her.
She doesn't hesitate. "More than anything."
"More than a teaching job?"
"No... But honestly, I want both. I want to have a career. And it's not because I don't want to stay home with my kids, I do want that to some degree, but I want to know that I'm always going to be taken care of. I don't want have to rely on someone who might let me down."
"And that's happened a lot? People have let you down?"
"Yeah... and when that happens over and over, it can be hard to know who to trust."
I pull into the apartment complex where Clementine lives and put the car in park. "Well, you can trust me, I promise. I will not let you down."
Clementine looks down at her hands. "I believe you, Mike. The problem is, I'm afraid I might be the one letting you down."
