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“Wow, Mom. The swears. Impressive.”
She smirks. “Mama bear don’t play. We’re getting you into some therapy, and when and if you’re ever ready, we’ll talk about pressing charges. This little fuck will pay in some way, I’ll make sure of it.”
I reach across the table and squeeze her hand. “Thank you.”
“Always, pumpkin.”
Chapter21
Holden
Life isn’tthe same after Lennox leaves. It’s like a light she turned on inside me went out as soon as she left, and there’s no way of turning it back on without her here.
The days pass by slowly.
I quit my job at the computer lab. I have no desire to work there if Lennox won’t be there.
After a week of searching, I score a job at a video game store in the mall. I distract myself in the world of gaming and pick up as many extra shifts as I can.
It helps, but my days off are the worst. With nothing to do, I sit on the beach and think about Lennox.
My friends invite me to parties, to hang out and watch movies and eat pizza, but I say no to it all. I’d rather just be alone.
One day while I’m out sitting on the beach, I notice a guy teaching surfing to a group of people. Having never surfed before in my life, I figure why not? It’s something to distract me when I’m not at work.
I end up signing up for lessons and jumping into classes whenever my schedule allows for free time. Rhett takes me out one day and shows me a couple of pointers. He’s been surfing since he was little, a Florida boy born and raised. He should be out here teaching lessons; he’s that good.
As the summer slips by, I miss Lennox more, but I keep pushing it away. I’m keeping myself busy and wearing myself out to the point I pass out from exhaustion. If I’m not at work, I’m surfing. Only storms and nightfall keep me away, and those times are the hardest to get through.
With August right around the corner, only a couple of weeks are left before classes start. I want to see Lennox, but I’m afraid of how it’ll be between us. Awkward? Cool friends?
Will she go back to sleeping around and partying? Or is she focusing more on her life now?
So many questions plague me every day, but then I ask myself—why? Why do I care so much?
I know the answer, but I ignore it. Doesn’t mean the damn questions stop, though. Because no matter how much I ignore or deny, feelings can’t be stopped.
On a particularly hot night in August, my phone rings, and I’m surprised to see my mom’s name flash on the screen. I just walked into my apartment a couple of minutes ago, having worked all day, and I’m hungry and in need of a shower. But I answer it since she never calls, so I figure it must be important.
“Holden, hi. It’s good to hear your voice, son.”
“Hey, Mom. How are you?”
“Better now that I’m talking to you. I was hoping I could see you before classes start again.”
Her statement throws me for a loop. I haven’t been home since I left before my senior year. For every holiday, every break, and every summer, I’ve stayed here in Sierra Cove. Not once has she called me. An occasional text here and there with a hope to see you soon, but that’s it. Now she suddenly wants to see me?
“Uh, I’m not sure. It’ll be hectic getting ready for classes, and I’m working a lot lately.”
“Please, just come home for a weekend soon? I’d like to see you. It’ll only be you and me. I miss you, son.”
“We barely spoke the summer before I left. Now suddenly, out of the blue, you want to see me? What’s up? Is there something else going on?” I can’t help but be suspicious. The whole phone call and inviting me home is weird. We can’t just sweep everything that went down under the rug like it didn’t happen.
“No, I feel bad about how much time has passed. I want to work on our relationship. Life is too short not to speak to each other.”
“Yeah, well, family isn’t always blood, is it?”
She inhales sharply. I knew that question would piss her off, but I don’t care. She should know, coming from a home where she was adopted and raised by people she wasn’t related to. She should know family are the people who care about you and support you. Not force you to be someone you’re not. Not always related by blood. But she always had a chip on her shoulder about her past and never wanted to admit she was adopted. Instead, she pretends she wasn’t, that family by blood is the most sacred thing in the world, and nothing can break it.
