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This was wild.
We had some fun at the guy’s expense, but that brought them to Alley’s door, and I got to kiss Kace again so it was not only hilarious but also satisfying. And while I was having a blast, knowing he was just right outside was something I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“Earth to Teal.” Summer was waving her hand in front of my face with a smirk lining hers. “I’d like to say we get better and not so needy when it comes to our men, but I'm still crazy when it comes to Gyth so I can’t do that.”
“So you don’t think I’m silly?”
Laughing, she grabbed my hand and pulled me toward the kitchen. “Hell no, I don’t think that. Now come pick out which ice cream you want to eat while we watch a movie. Then later I will help you play a prank on Alley, it will be fun.”
I’d eaten too much pizza but I couldn’t pass up the ice cream. I wasn’t sure about pulling anything over Alley, the girl would for sure get me back. All in good fun of course.
“Ice cream you say. That is my third favorite thing right after Denver and Kace.”
“Amen, girlfriend.”
The night was filled with food, movies, dancing, pillow fights, games, and so much laughter. It was a blast and I thought for not the first time, that I couldn’t believe what I’d missed out on all my life, not having experienced that before. When I was younger I was shy and with the panic attacks as a teen, I didn’t feel comfortable.
Later life was just too hard and I hid away as much as I could. Not just from my dad, but everything and everyone. And once with Thad, there was no fun allowed or anyone in my life.
“What are you thinking about over there?” Gemma asked from across the room where she lay in a pile of pillows and soft blankets on the floor.
My sweet boy and Alley’s little girl were fast asleep in the baby room. Alley had a portable bassinet she’d set up for him in there and Embry was crashed on the floor next to them in a sleeping bag because she said she had to babysit. It was an adorable sight.
So, it was just us adults still awake. The night was about fun but I had been holding back a little from these ladies that when she asked I felt like I wanted to share.That’s what friends do, right? Confide in one another?
“Honestly, I was first thinking about how much fun this has been. But then my mind strayed to why I never did this when I was little, which then made me fast track into thoughts about the life I led after my mom passed.” My heart lurched. I missed her so much.
“With her death, my dad changed right before my eyes and when I ran away from him I met Thad.” I took a deep breath, so many emotions were slamming into me at once. “He made my dad look like a saint, which is an odd thing to say I know but it’s true. I may not have been able to have friends, go places, and have had my every move monitored, but that wasn’t the worst of it.”
A shiver raced down my spine as the memories of my life with him flashed through my head like a horror movie.
“I don’t know if I will ever be truly free of the damage his beatings and rape left behind, but I’m trying. And it’s that sweet boy in there…” I choked on a sob as I pointed down the hall toward the room where my son slept. “That made me get out, who has me working every day to believe we can have a different life, and who makes everything I ever went through worth it.”
A deep sigh escaped me and I closed my eyes. I’d come a long way and it was hard to go back. Letting the past back in was difficult but shoving it away didn’t make it disappear. It was always there. And I knew that it wasn’t over with Thad, but what did that mean? After what he’d already had done, what would be next? The unknown was something I feared, just as I did him.
I suddenly realized I hadn’t taken a breath and unloaded so much on the ladies, without thought, or stopping to let them speak. When I opened my eyes, they had all moved closer but I hadn’t realized it. Tears still trickled down my cheeks, but there wasn’t a dry eye in the house.
“I’m so sorry,” I rushed to add. “I didn’t mean to ruin our happy night.”
Jurnee reached out her hand, but she didn’t touch me. Then I watched each of the ladies put their hands on hers.
“We are here for you Teal, always. Just grab on,” she said softly.
Staring down at the cluster of hands, on four entirely different, but equally amazing women who brought me into their fold from the very beginning, there was no doubt in my mind about what I wanted to do. I grabbed on and thanked my lucky stars I’d found them.
“When you’re ready for the group hugs let us know,” Alley said.
I don’t know why but I giggled. They did love their group hugs but never pressed for me to participate, obviously picking up on my discomfort. But I was getting past that.
“I’m ready now.”
They all glanced at one another and then Summer said, “That’s tremendous. Shall we ladies?”
Before I knew what hit me they all squeezed in closer and four sets of arms came around me. It felt pretty good.
When everyone pulled back, Alley said, “And by the way. You didn’t ruin anything.”
