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I stood a bit. “You’ve talked to Jason?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Is he here now?”
“No, ma’am. He stopped by yesterday to pick up some things before he headed out. Said he was going on a trip.”
“Did he say where to?” I asked.
Katherine grimaced. “I think he mentioned France?”
“Our honeymoon.” Or what was supposed to be our honeymoon.
“Look, sweetie”—Katherine rubbed the back of her neck and lowered her brows—“I was really betting on you being the one this time. I’ve seen Jason with many different women. Many, many,many—”
“I get it. Jason used to get around,” I cut in. “What are you trying to say?”
“I’m just saying, it was different with you. He was different with you.”
I huffed at her words. They annoyed me for many reasons, but mainly because even though he had been different, he’d still left me. I wasn’t enough to make him stay.
I was never enough to make them stay.
“I wanted to be the girl who changed his life,” I confessed. My mind was having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that he had truly stood me up. Before in my relationships, I could see all the red flags—but Jason had seemed like he truly cared. This one had blindsided me.
“You did change his life.”
I rubbed the palms of my hands over my tired eyes. “I didn’t. If I had, I wouldn’t be here all snotty-nosed and teary-eyed. If I were the woman who’d changed his life, he would’ve been able to say ‘I do.’ But instead, he walked away.”
“Even if that is true, you still changed his life.”
“How do you know?”
“Because people can’t meet you and not be changed, Aaliyah.”
I smiled and thanked Katherine as I reached around to grab my key from my purse.
“Aaliyah,” a voice said from behind me, making me turn around in haste. I knew the voice the moment I heard it, and the sound alone made my heart sink.
“Marie, hi.” I breathed out as I looked into a set of eyes that had grown to mean so much to me. “What are you doing here?”
“Well, I was on a quest to try to find my son, but I just got word that he’s taking a mini-vacation to France for a while.” She frowned as she looked down at her hands and fiddled with her fingers. When she looked up, tears were flooding her eyes. “Oh, Aaliyah. It wasn’t supposed to go like this.” She covered her mouth and broke down into uncontrollable sobs.
It was an instant reaction of mine as I wrapped my arms around her. There I was, standing in the lobby, comforting the mother of the man who’d left me on my wedding day. I couldn’t help it; seeing anyone falling apart made me want to comfort them.
“He loves you, Aaliyah. I know he does,” she said, pulling away a bit. “Do you think you and I can have a word upstairs?”
I hesitated for a moment. I wasn’t sure I was ready to face a conversation with Jason’s mother. I wasn’t even ready to face myself and my heartache.
Before I could reply, Marie seemed to read the words I wasn’t able to express. “It’s fine, really. I’m sorry. I’ll give you your space. I want you to know you deserved more than what my son did to you. From the moment I met you, I knew you were something special,” she said.
“Thank you, Marie.”
“I know this sounds crazy, but do you think…” She sniffled, pulled out a tissue from her purse, and wiped her eyes. “Do you think you and I can stay in touch? Maybe still get coffee with one another? I know it sounds selfish, but in a way, I feel as if you are a part of my world.”
I felt the same way, yet the idea of seeing her any time soon seemed a bit too daunting a task. “I think I just need time, Marie. Honestly, this is all a lot to come to terms with. My mind is still spinning.”
“I understand, sweetheart. I won’t take any more of your time but do know you’re welcome to stay at this apartment as long as you need. I’ll make sure to keep Jason away to give you the time you need to move into a new place. But, I hope you know what my son did to you was cruel, and I do apologize for all the hurt he has caused you.”
