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Sadness filled my heart as I glanced back over to Michelle. “You really think they didn’t go together?”
She gave me a frosty look. “Of course they didn’t. They want to pretend like everything is okay when it’s far from it. My mother claims they are staying away for me, so I don’t have to listen to them fight.” Standing, Michelle shuffled her feet across the floor as she headed to my bathroom. “Honestly, I’d be much happier if they’d just split up. Then, maybe one of them would stick around.”
I rushed to the bathroom. “Oh no! I got up first. Hall bathroom for you.”
Michelle’s jaw went slack. “What? You’re making me use the guest bathroom?” She tried to make a pouty face and failed.
“Stop making that face. It’ll freeze and stay that way.”
Rolling her eyes, Michelle moved her hands to her hips. “Seriously? You’re making me use the hall bath?”
With a nod, I replied, “Yep. Sorry!”
I shut the door and smiled. I knew she would most likely run into Mitch since his bathroom was out of commission with my father’s attempt at remodeling it. I should be keeping my nose out of their business, but I hated seeing them apart.
“Fine. I’m taking a quick shower then.”
“Don’t be long!” I called out. “Mom will have breakfast ready soon!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
After brushing my teeth and throwing my hair into a ponytail, I headed back into my room. Michelle was still gone.
My phone beeped with a text message.
Wyatt: Good morning, beautiful. How is your Christmas starting out?
Smiling, I walked to the window and opened the blinds. My heart fluttered in my chest.
It was snowing again. What a rare treat.
Me: Amazing! It’s snowing outside again! Will you be able to make it over? The roads look slick.
Wyatt: Yeah. I’ll head that way after spending some time with the folks.
Me: Okay, be careful, and I love you.
Wyatt: Love you, too, angel.
I quickly got dressed and headed out of my room, making my way downstairs to help my mom cook. Bouncing into the kitchen, I kissed my mother on the cheek. “Merry Christmas!”
With a giggle, she responded, “Merry Christmas! You’re in a good mood.”
Spreading my arms open, I did a quick spin. “It’s Christmas. It’s snowing. Michelle’s here with us, I found my dream-wedding shoebox, and Wyatt will be joining us soon. It’s an amazing day.”
She inclined her head. “What are you up to, Skylar? And what in the world is a dream-wedding shoebox?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I replied with an innocent smile. “My box, Mom! Remember I used to cut pictures out and put them in a box for my future wedding? I have a little planner in it with all my wedding wishes.”
With a chuckle, she lifted her brows. “That’s right. The dream wedding that will cost your father and me a fortune.”
Popping a grape into my mouth, I responded with a smile, “We have a few years to save. And, you never know, Mitch might be getting hitched before me.”
My mother’s brow quirked up.
“What?” I asked.
“Don’t meddle in their business. They need to work this out for themselves. You need to understand, they might never work things out, Skylar.”
I grabbed another grape. “I don’t believe that. I see the way they look at each other.”
“With daggers in their eyes?”
“Mom, it’s not that bad.”
Grunting, my mother shook her head. “I’m disappointed in him, Skylar. So, I can only imagine how Michelle feels.”
I’d done a good job at pushing aside what Mitch had done. It was only truly then, when I tried to put myself in Michelle’s shoes, I actually thought about how much he had hurt her.
“Would you forgive him?” I asked while resting my chin on my hand.
She placed another piece of bacon into the cast-iron skillet, and it sizzled.
Taking in a deep breath, my mother wiped her hands on her apron and faced me again. “It’s hard for me because he’s my son. I want to support him, yet at the same time, I want to slap him silly because we didn’t raise him to be that way.”
Her eyes filled with sadness. It had to hurt my parents as well to know what Mitch had done.
“But, taking out the fact that we are talking about your brother, I would forgive him.”
My brows rose. “Really?”
“I think so. The biggest issue I’d have is trust. That small bit of doubt that I assume would always be in the back of my mind until he earned it back.”
I nodded. “Trust is hard, isn’t it?”
Her expression softened. “Yes. Especially when it’s been stripped from you.”
My stomach twisted as thoughts of Charlie and what he had done to me popped into my head. I jumped when I felt my mother’s hand on mine.
“Are you okay, sweetheart?”
Forcing a smile, I nodded. Taking my new counselor’s advice, I thought of something that made me happy. Anytime thoughts of Charlie invaded my world, I would need to switch them off.
