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ELLIE
I’m rushing to get home. I have just enough time to clock out at six o’clock on the dot, drive home, and quickly shower before our dinner reservation. As soon as I walk through my front door, my phone buzzes with a text message.
Mom:I’m with Mark right now. We’ll meet you at the restaurant.
I have an hour to spare before I have to meet my mom. My phone buzzes again but continuously, indicating a phone call coming through, not just a text message. It’s Rhylan.
“Hi,” I answer breathlessly.
“Hey,” he responds. “What are you doing? Why are you so out of breath?”
“I just got home,” I answer. “I’m heading out to dinner with my mom in a bit.”
“Oh, right. You’re meeting your mom’s boyfriend.”
“Yeah,” I answer, my voice somber.
“Are you okay?” he asks, sensing the sullen tone in my voice.
“Um…”
My chin starts to tremble. I’m still trying to process how my mom has moved on. The woman who I tiptoe around. Never talk about my dad’s death with, never able to process my grief. The woman who had forced me to grow up too quickly and be strong enough so she didn’t have to see me hurt. She has now moved on and left me behind. I don’t hate that she’s moved on and found someone new. I just wish she could have taken me with her. I long for the closure that I never got to have. Deep inside, I’m still that twelve-year-old girl, sitting in the hard plastic chair at the hospital, listening to my mom sob. I want to grab that girl’s shoulders in my hands and tell her it’s okay to move on and be happy.
I let out a deep breath, cleansing my thoughts so I can have an open mind about tonight. “It’s fine. I’ll be fine. I just need to get through dinner.”
“How about we do something after?” Rhylan suggests. “More milkshakes?”
I finally give a light giggle, mirroring his own through the phone. “That sounds like fun.”
I hear him clear his throat. “Well, you said you had to get ready. I’ll let you go.”
“Yeah.” I sigh, my chest heaving as I inhale deeply. “I’ll see you later.”
I hang up, staring at my phone screen, as I let the moment of relief that Rhylan knitted into my knot of nerves settle before I realize I’m actually going to be late at this point. I hop into the shower, nearly nicking my ankle while shaving my legs as I mentally decide what I’m going to wear.
Once finished, I pull the shower curtain back and step out of the tub wrapped in a towel, my hair dripping as the moisture lingers on my skin. I’m standing in front of my open closet, still not having decided on my outfit, when the doorbell rings. I quickly pad to the door and look through the peephole.
It’s Rhylan.
What the hell is he doing here?
I open the door ajar, just enough to pull taut the chain lock.
“Rhylan. What are you doing here?” I ask, peeking through the small opening.
“I’m here to take you to dinner with your mom and her boyfriend.” He smiles proudly. He’s dressed casually but clean. His fitted cotton jacket fits snugly, resting across his broad shoulders, while his jeans fit perfectly, elongating his legs and oddly making him look taller. His hair looks freshly cut, tousled to look sophisticated but playful.
“What are you talking about?”
His brows furrow. “Can you let me in?”
I swiftly shut the door and unlatch the chain lock to open it again. Rhylan pushes the door open wider, making his way towards the couch before he settles in and makes himself at home. Angus retreats from the kitchen, hopping onto the couch and nudging his snout into Rhylan’s hand as I still process that he’s here. Then I suddenly realize that I’m completely naked underneath the towel.
“Wait here. Let me get dressed, and then we’ll talk.”
“Sure, Angus can keep me company.” He casually drapes his arms across the back of the sofa and leans further back, drawing his ankle across his opposite knee. His eyes travel from the bottom hem of the towel, where it hangs across the top of my thighs, and back to my eyes. He smirks as I attempt to cover myself more with what little material I have.
I shake my head in disbelief, and I walk to my room, leaving Rhylan with Angus. I shut the door behind me, and panic sets in. He wants to meet my momandgo to dinner with me to meet her new boyfriend.
