AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The creases in his brow begin to smooth over as he looks away. “You’re right. I do want a different life for Maren. But whatever that life ends up looking like, I want her to be happy.”
“I believe I’m the man for that job, sir—making Maren happy. I know I am.”
He looks at me again. “Prove it.”
thirty-one
. . .
Maren
At Last
I’m steppingout of the shower when there’s a knock on the bathroom door.
“Yes?”
“It’s me.” Mom cracks the door open. “I was just going to say, why don’t we go grab an early dinner downtown? Maybe some shrimp and grits at Coast?”
Furrowing my brow, I tuck the edge of my towel into the portion wrapped around my torso. “I’m not sure I’m up for that.”
“Oh, come on. It’ll be good to get out of the house for a bit. And you need to eat, honey.”
“Mom—”
“Maren.” Mom opens the door a little wider. “You can’t wallow in tears forever. I know you’re hurting, but I promise this will make you feel better.”
There’s a prickle at the top of my spine. It’s kinda weird, Mom wanting to treat me to dinner out of the blue on a Tuesday afternoon.
Then again, it has been a week since I showed up asobbing mess on her doorstep. Doubtless she and Dad are getting sick of me moping around the house all day long. Tuck’s been sending me daily “care packages” in an obvious bid to lift my spirits. But the gifts just make me feel worse. If Tuck really cared, he would come see me.
He would apologize and explain himself and promise to never, ever hurt me again.
“I’m not hungry,” I say.
“You will be,” Mom presses. “Please? Do it for me? I’d love the company.”
Taking my brush out of the vanity’s top drawer, I sigh. “Fine.”
Mom claps her hands. “Oh, good. Why don’t you put on something nice? That cute maternity dress I got you from Target, maybe? And if we hurry, we can get whatever happy hour special Coast has today. Last time I was there, it was two-for-one roasted oysters.”
“Okay. Sure. Yeah.” I meet her eyes in the mirror. The prickle at the back of my neck intensifies. She looks... different. Happier, like her eyes are lit up in a way they haven’t been since I arrived.
Then again, Mom does love seafood. Oysters especially.
“Give me half an hour,” I say.
It hits me as I blow dry my hair and put on a little makeup that I haven’t really gotten dressed since I left Tuck’s house a week ago. Feels kinda nice, getting myself together. The striped body-con dress Mom got me does look cute now that I’m really showing.
I put on a pair of sneakers and waddle downstairs. Mom is putting on lipstick in the powder room.
Mom never puts on lipstick.
“Is something going on?” I blurt.
Mom just smiles, rolling the lipstick back into its shiny gold tube. “Don’t you look pretty.”
“You do too. But I feel like you’re getting really dressed upto go to Coast.” The restaurant serves some pretty excellent food, but it’s casual.
