AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I thought you went to Grace College all four years?” Brooklyn asked.
Aunt Faye resumed her pricing work, careful not to meet Mia’s gaze. “No, your father convinced her to change schools after that first year.”
Mia shrugged. “It saved me a lot of money, commuting from home instead of living on campus down in Indianapolis.”
It had also kept her away from temptation, she supposed. Was that why Greg had proposed to her as soon as she got back that summer? He’d said it was because he missed her, having dropped out of school himself to pursue his real estate license. Looking back now, though, she had to wonder.
Mia expected some kind of snarky comment from Del, who’d had reservations about Greg from day one. But for once she held her tongue, perched on a stool near the register, gaze unfocused over the store. Was she thinking back to those days, too? Back when they were all still learning to navigate life without their mother, and their youngest sister, Hannah, was still in town? The ache she knew would never leave tugged at her heartstrings.
It was time to change the subject before they all got melancholy.
“So, yeah, it was a big surprise to see him here tonight. But do I plan to call him? No, I think we’re as right as we’re ever going to be. Besides, what I should really do is get Brooklyn and me home. We’ve got a big weekend of tree trimming and house decorating ahead of us. Don’t we, sweetheart?”
Brooklyn forced a smile. “Yeah. Fun times ahead.”
Panic tugged at Mia. First the ornament-decorating event was canceled; now Brooklyn was acting like she no longer looked forward to their traditional Christmas activities. Was nothing sacred anymore? Goodness knew, Mia was having a hard enough time accepting that this would be the first Christmas Eve and Christmas morning without her daughter.
Oh, the joys of divorce.
“Careful, Little Miss Teenager,” Del said, giving Brooklyn a gentle nudge. “Your mom’s had a rough night. Maybe you could humor her and at least try to find some holiday cheer.”
“Fine.”
Finished with their stickers, everyone exchanged hugs and made their way to the back door. Once Aunt Faye was safely in her car, Del walked around to give her niece one last hug. Del shared one more with Mia as Brooklyn climbed in the car, then started for her big silver truck. Halfway there, she stopped.
“You liked him.”
Mia froze, her hand on her Equinox’s door handle. “What?”
“That’s why it hurt so bad when he was a jerk to you.” Del turned back to meet her gaze. “But something tells me there’s a whole lot more to the story than we know.”
“Del, I told you everything I know.”
Her sister nodded, gaze shifting to the streetlights beyond their back alley. “Would you have gone out with him, do you think? You know, if he hadn’t transformed into a mega jerk?”
“No.” Mia had pondered this very thing years ago. “I was already seeing Greg.”
“And if you hadn’t been?”
Mia laughed. “And what if the moon was made of cheese. Let it go, Del. I sure did.”
With that, she climbed in her vehicle and turned over the ignition.
“Mom, where’s your purse?”
She hung her head. One unexpected ghost surfaced from her past and her whole routine got out of whack. “Guess I left it inside. Hang on, I’ll be right back.”
Brooklyn frowned. “Why does everyone always keep telling me to hang on? It’s not like I’m going anywhere without you.”
Mia climbed out of her car, clueless as to where that had come from. One thing she knew for sure, though, was that no one could pay her to go back to being a teenager. No way. Too many insecurities and struggles to wade through while you tried to figure out who you were.
And too many moody boys who were sweet to you one minute and royal jerks the next.
Has Alex changed?she wondered as she located her purse. He said he’d been going through some stuff. Maybe she’d just caught him on a really bad day. Or maybe he’d grown up since then. Goodness knows, she sure had.
I sure didn’t show him that tonight, now did I?
Mia blew out a huff. She’d acted like a jaded teenager earlier, not the way she’d want him or anyone else to remember her. As much as she hated to admit Del might be right, giving him a quick call to apologize wasn’t such a bad idea. She made her way back to the checkout counter in search of his business card.
