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Jillian
“Okay, sit down with me for a minute.” Heather grasped my hand and pulled me toward the small couch on the other side of the wall. It was more like a large loveseat than a couch, to be honest.
I followed along behind and sat down with her. She held both of my hands. “Are you all right? I can take you home with me if you need some time away from my son.”
That actually cracked me up.
But at the same time, it also made me cry.
It was one of those awkward laugh/cry moments. I wiped under my eyes. “Thanks, but I don’t need less time with Cash. I need more.”
She sighed, and I watched her eyes get all glassy. “If you start crying, I’m going to start, too. Are you sure you’re okay here with Cash? Just because he’s my kid does not mean I don’t know how difficult he can be.”
I blinked away my tears and squeezed her hands. “I don’t think he’s the difficult one in this relationship.” And just saying that last word made me all squishy inside. Knowing that I could finally admit to being in a relationship with Cash—gosh, it meant everything.
“Then you really do have blinders on,” Heather said with a grin. “He’s a pig. Leaves his clothes everywhere. And if he spills something—” her hand fluttered out to the side, “he just leaves it on the floor.”
I couldn’t help it.
My eyes filled back up with tears. “Heather?” I said, getting her attention. “I missed the clothes on the floor. And the spills.”
Heather sighed and used her fingers to brush away the tears on my cheek. “Oh, sweetie. You do have it bad, don’t you?”
I laughed and cried at the same time. “Yeah.”
She hugged me again. Her hand rubbed my back, and she said, “I’m so sorry about your mom. I wish you would have told me. I could have helped you guys out in some way.”
I held onto her tightly. “She didn’t want anyone to know.”
Heather nodded. “I know. And you did everything you could to protect her. But you’re not alone anymore. We’re here and we’ll help.”
Her arms were so comforting. It felt like she was absorbing all my crappy feelings and replacing them with happy ones. Cash’s arms did the same, but in a different way. His made me feel like I was made to be there.
Like I fit perfectly in the crook of his arm.
And every bad thought or feeling seeped out of me and into him.
“Thank you. And thank you for all you’ve done. There’s no way I can possibly pay you back for everything. But I’ll try my best.”
Heather moved back and swiped away her tears. “You’re not paying me back for anything. I did what I did because it was the right thing to do. And I love you. You know that already, though. Even if you dump my son’s ass—I’m still here for you. Day or night.”
We chatted for a while longer. And it was nice. She even insisted on making plans to visit Las Vegas and staying a few weeks.
The door opened, and a whoosh of cold air entered the cabin. Cash shut the door and his eyes landed on me. “You okay?” he asked in a very, very, very concerned voice.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
Heather huffed and stood up. “Did we text you to come back? You’re supposed to be out wrestling a moose.”
Cash looked at his mom as he unzipped his coat. “Couldn’t find any.”
She laughed and walked over to the small table. “Good, then you won’t be too tired to cook your mother some breakfast.”
I warmed up food for Heather while we all talked.
About normal, regular stuff.
The weather.
