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I’d cursed him out when she hated him, held her when she cried, and supported her when she took him back. In my mind, he didn’t deserve a toenail clipping of hers, let alone a second chance.
But she’d wanted the stability he provided and I understood that. Her home life was chaotic and she needed someone other than her best friend to comfort her in moments when it became too much.
He’s been the perfect supportive boyfriend since they got backt together, but I’ve got my eye on him and my knives sharpened in case he ever fucks up again.
I know in my heart that this reunion will be short lived. Carter is just too small-town for Thayer. Her dreams and ambition could single handedly power a small country and she has the work ethic to back it up. She’s going to change the world, and one day soon I know he’ll be in her rearview mirror. The rift between them caused by his cheating will only get more pronounced with her move to Switzerland.
I press call on my mom’s number. “Hey, mom.” I say as she picks up.
“Hey, honey. It’s so good to hear your voice. I miss you already!”
I try to ignore the guilt that eats at my stomach. My mom is my confidante, my biggest supporter, my best friend. It’s been her and me — and Thayer — against the world since the moment I was born.
She met my dad in a bar, a trucker on a pit stop in Chicago, and they spent the night together. When she learned she was pregnant, he simply got in his truck and drove away, never to be heard from again.
My mom works three jobs and sometimes sixteen hour days to make ends meet. She cleans homes and offices, and also works at the same restaurant I waited tables at. Even though we’ve struggled financially, she’s always provided an overabundance of love and optimism.
Leaving her was one of the hardest decisions I’d ever had to make. The enthusiasm I felt when I received the scholarship took a nosedive when I realized it meant leaving her behind. Ultimately, my mom wouldn’t hear of it — I was going and that was the end of it.
Like I said, my greatest supporter.
“Miss you too. We just landed and we’re waiting for our luggage.”
“How was your first international flight? Did you fall in love with your hot European neighbor?” She asks, wagging her eyebrows.
“No, mom. The man next to me had what he referred to as ‘travel heartburn’ and burped pretty consistently until I fell asleep. I’m just as shocked as you to find out the Hallmark movies lied, mom.”
“Well maybe you’ll meet someone in Switzerland.” She says hopefully.
Second only to being happy, my mom wants nothing more than for me to meet someone. She’s seen the change in Thayer since she’s been with Carter (pre-cheating, obviously) and she wants the same for me.
It’s not like I’m not interested, I just haven’t met anyone who’s stood out to me. A small part of me hopes I meet someone at RCA, but the anxious part of me knows I’m only there because of an academic scholarship. I’ll be expected to maintain a level of scholastic and personal excellence at all times, and that needs to be my focus.
But I don’t want to disappoint or worry her.
“We’ll see.” I say noncommittally
“I just don’t want you to be so wrapped up in school that you miss out on life, hon.”
“I know, mom.” And to appease her. “Maybe I’ll meet a French man who’ll take me to Paris.”
“If you do, you’ll have to call me from the top of the Eiffel Tower!”
???
After promising my mom that I would take advantage of the lower legal drinking age to have a drink, I hang up and rejoin Thayer who has both our suitcases at her feet. She looks annoyed.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I raise an eyebrow at her. “Nothing important. Carter and I argued, that’s all.” She wraps her arms around herself and looks to the side.
“I’m sorry.” I pause. “Does it help if I tell you the legal drinking age here is 18?”
She laughs. “God, yeah it does.”
We grab our suitcases and head for the exit that leads us to the arrivals section. As the doors open, I look out into the crowd of people, searching for someone holding an RCA sign.
In a colorless sea of people, my gaze catches on red hair. It stands out like the sun peaking out from behind the clouds after a thunderstorm. I lower my gaze and take in the sign she’s holding that says Walsh/Ward.
