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She reached beside her.
“I knew I’d need more than one,” she said. “Sorry, it’s a little on the warm side now.”
“That’s okay,” I said, taking a seat next to her on the porch swing.
I opened the top and took a sip. It was warm, and not my favorite kind–something very light–but it was worth it to sit next to Arya for a few minutes.
My fingers brushed hers as her hand rested on the swing between us. I felt electricity sizzle up my arm at the touch.
The evening was still very warm, and fireflies started blinking around us.
“Are you okay?” I asked. “I noticed you here, and you seemed like your mind was far away.”
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said and then paused. “Actually, I’m not fine. I had a weird day.”
“Tell me about it.”
“Well," she said, looking at me with apologetic eyes, "your mom came by the bakery.”
Ah, yes. So many weird things happen when my mother is involved.
“She was being a tad passive aggressive. And just plain offensive, honestly.”
I felt anger rising from the pit of my stomach. Arya didn’t deserve my mother’s wrath. She helped this family and did so much for us. But of course my mother would be petty and mean.
“What did she say?” I asked.
“Just little jabs. She just really cut to some insecurities I have. About being good enough,” she said, and I wanted to reach out and hug her and assure her that nothing was ever good enough for my mom. Arya was an amazing person and deserved everything in the world. But I stayed quiet and let her keep talking.
“She told me you and Regina were going to work things out,” she said, looking at me from the side of her eye.
What the hell?
“That’s ridiculous. She knows we’re not. You've heard me tell her the exact opposite.”
Arya sighed.
“She clearly knows something is up–or might be up–and was trying to warn me. It was her subtle way of telling me to back off.”
I couldn’t stand my mom going into Arya’s safe place and humiliating her like that.
“I’m sorry, Arya,” I whispered. “I meant it when I said I only want you. The only place Regina has in my life now is as Shiloh’s mom and as a friend who knows me really well. As Shiloh's mom, she'll always be in my life, but not in the way I want you to be. These past few weeks with you have meant everything to me.”
I stood up and leaned on the railing so I could look her in the eye.
“I’d never hurt you,” I said, taking her hand into mine.
“I’m not sure I could survive your mother’s wrath if we did end up together. I’m scared of her and what she can do to my family.”
Red filled my eyes, and I hated my mom at that moment. Why did she have to try to manipulate everything around her?
I sat back down and pulled Arya into a hug. I brushed her hair away from her face with my fingers and felt her take a deep breath. Slowly, her muscles relaxed into the hug.
“That was way over the line, even for my mom. But just know, she’s a bully who never really follows through with any threats. I’ve lived with her for years and she relies on intimidation. If it actually comes down to getting her perfectly manicured hands dirty, she’s not interested.”
I wiped the single tear that fell down Arya’s cheek.
“I couldn’t stay away from you no matter how hard I tried,” I said, pulling away so I could see her face. I needed her to know that I meant what I said. I needed her to see the sincerity in my eyes.
