AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I giggle. “No darling, I was a little older.” But what do I tell him? Everything?
I put my seatbelt on and turn the key in the ignition, scanning the parking lot for Jamie’s car, but it appears he’s already left. I proceed out of the lot and head toward home.
I need to call Susie, but I refuse to use my cell phone when driving Lucas. I pull into our apartment complex and park.. Lucas already has his seatbelt off and is waiting for me to open the door. As he gets out of the car, he asks, “Can I help?”
“Sure, buddy, here.” I hand him two of the light bags, and I grab the other four. We make our way up the stairs to our apartment.
We have a cozy place, two bedrooms, two and a half bathrooms, and a sweet bonus room upstairs. That is where we keep all of Lucas’s toys. His room is all decked out with Avengers© paraphernalia, and I tastefully decorated it in black and whitewashed white. It’s not much, but it is home.
Once I get all the groceries put away, I say, “Hey buddy, why don't you go upstairs and play. Mommy needs to talk to Aunt Susie for a minute.”
“Sure, mom,” he says as he leaves the kitchen and runs up the steps.
“No running, Lucas,” I call after him, knowing it will not do any good.
“Sorry,” he hollers down the stairs.
Boys. Sometimes I imagine he is exactly what Hawk would have been like as a little boy, and then I get glimpses of myself.
I grab my phone out of my purse and dial Susie. She answers on the second ring.
“Holy fuck, girl, you will not believe who I just ran into in the grocery store!”
“I do not know,” Susie replies.
“Jamie!”
“What?” She pauses, then adds, “You’re shitting me.”
“No, I most definitely am not. It was Jamie, and I am going over to his house tonight at seven.” Panic washes over me. What in the hell am I going to tell him.
As if she could read my mind and something I believe she can, Susie says, “Sam, tell him the truth. He deserves the truth, and maybe there is some hope left for the two of you. Don’t wait like you did with Hawk only to lose him.”
“It’s Gina,” I whisper into the phone.
“What?” Susie asks, confused.
“You said to be honest, and I believe that honest begins with you.” I take a deep breath and say, “My real name is Gina DeStefano.”
“Damn, girl, all this time I thought Sam was your real name.”
“I’ve learned how to lie with finesse, Susie, but the lying stops today. I need to trust that Ice took care of things, even though he said he would.”
“So you’re gonna be straight up with Jamie?”
“I am. I am going to tell him everything.” We are both silent on the phone as I take in what I have just agreed to do. It’s what I’ve got to do if I want any kind of future with Jamie. I gently grab my locket and hold it tight. “Can you take Lucas tonight?”
“Of course,” Susie replies. “You’ve got this, and I’ve got your back.”
“Thanks, hun. I need to get ready for this. I’ll call you when I get home afterward.”
I step out of the kitchen, and I can hear Lucas playing. “Lucas?”
He pops his head out over the balcony and says, “Yeah, Mommy, you talked to Aunt Susie?”
I smile. “Yes, sweetheart, I am. I wanted to let you know you will stay at Aunt Susie’s tonight. Mommy is gonna have dinner with her friend.”
“Yay! I love going to Aunt Susie’s!”
