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Pandora’s Box
BRANDT STAYED OUTSIDEthe front door until my parents came home, and Tessa stayed with Grady. I didn't leave the door until I heard my parents' voices talking to Brandt and then I dragged myself up and headed to my bedroom and straight into the shower. I was emotionally exhausted, and my wedding was two weeks away to a man I felt like I barely knew. I knew him with me, but I didn't know the Brandt before me, and it scared the crap out of me.
I threw on my pajamas and slid into bed just as I heard a light tapping on my door. "Come in." I wiped away the tears that were still flowing. My dad came in and sat on the edge of the bed. He put my purse down on the nightstand next to me.
"A fight?"
"I guess you could say that."
"Want to talk about it?"
I sat up and twirled my hair methodically.
"Just like your mom." He smiled.
He was staring at my nervous gesture. "Yeah."
"Brandt wanted me to tell you he was sorry."
"Thanks." I picked at the blankets nervously. "How did you know Mom was the one? I mean, how did you really know? Did you know who she was before you married her?"
He sighed deeply. "I knew the moment I saw her that she was the other half to my heart. There was this connection that's hard to describe. We let it sweep us up for quite a while before we actually got to know each other. I didn't learn everything about her nor her me before we got married, but that's what made our years that much more exciting. We were still discovering new things about our pasts and each other every day. Don't get me wrong. They weren't always good things, but they are what made us who we are and how we were with each other. You take the good with the bad, and you let your heart tell you what feels right and wrong. You trust in yourself."
My dad understood how to talk me down and what I needed without me having to explain. "Thanks, Dad."
"Anytime, kiddo." He got up. "I don't know what happened with you two tonight, but Brandt loves you, Bay. He's your heart's other half. I can see it."
"Me, too, Dad."
"Goodnight, honey. Every day is a new day, and tomorrow is no different."
After he left, my phone buzzed. "Hello. Wait, calm down. Okay. Where are you? I'm on my way. Don't move."
This was the first time Tessa had called me to pick her up, so I knew she had broken up with Grady. Today was going down in history as the worst day in the Stone family. I didn't even bother putting on clothes. I just threw my rain jacket over my pajamas, slid on my rain boots, and headed to the front door.
"Where you going, sweetie?" my mom inquired.
"Tessa needs a ride. Grady drank a little too much."
"I can go get her, if you want. You're already in your pajamas."
"No, it's fine. I don't mind."
"Okay, honey. Drive safely."
"I will." I pulled into the open spot in front of Brandt and Grady’s apartment, but Tessa wasn't sitting outside, so I texted her and waited for a minute with no response. Before I could get out to get her, my door opened, and Brandt slid into my car.
"Hey." His eyes begged for forgiveness.
"Hey, is my sister ready to go?"
"I have a confession."
My stomach tightened, and my heart screamed, 'No'.
"Your sister is fine. I asked her to call you. She said you wouldn't come unless she acted upset, but that part was her idea."
"What?" I was both relieved and dumbfounded at the same time.
