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"When you next see him, sweetheart, tell him, alright?"
I clear my throat; my decision is made: "I will, I promise."
I hear Alex whooping again, making me and Todd laugh. "Alright, sweetheart, I've got to get back to work. I just called to change our meeting place for our date later to Sweet Treats. Annalise is staying open until 6 tonight, so I'll meet you there at 4:30. Give Momma Anderson a kiss for me."
I grin; I flipping love Sweet Treats; it's the best bakery. "OK, I love you."
"I love you too," I hear Alex say in the background, "LOVE YOU." I giggle as I hang up before my door opens again, and Sarah walks in. She shuts the door and raises a brow at me, crossing her arms over her chest, and I roll my eyes at her, knowing she wants to see if I've changed my mind about Jackson. "Todd thinks I should go for it." She grins wide, then also whoops because she knows I'll take his advice, making me laugh and shake my head. "But it has to be on the down low; Todd only has three weeks until the bank is transferred in his name."
She nods her head seriously. "Does he really think his father won't accept his life choices?"
I take a deep breath as I pick up my belongings. "No, I don't think he will; he's very set in his ways, that old man is."
She sighs and shakes her head as we leave the room together.
I notice Lucy glaring at me, and I roll my eyes again before ignoring her. I turn to Sarah and say, "I'll see you tomorrow." She nods and gives me a hug before I leave the practice. Momma should be home already. After I took over the mortgage, she quit her café job reluctantly. She returned to her normal hours, which meant today was her day off, plus she wouldn't work today even if they threatened to fire her.
I get to hers within ten minutes and smile, seeing my dad's Mustang in the driveway before I head inside. "Hey, momma, are we taking Dad's car for a spin?"
She chuckles from the kitchen, and I follow the sound. I walk up to her at the breakfast bar and kiss her cheek. "I thought it could do with some airing today." I grin at her words before I grab some coffee from the warm coffee pot. I sit next to her and place my head on her shoulder before I whisper, "Happy Anniversary, momma."
I feel her place a kiss on my head. "Thank you, baby."
We sit silently, drinking our coffee for a few minutes, before I look at her; her eyes are on Daddy's chair.
"You ready to go?"
She sighs and shakes her head before nodding, and I smile gently before putting my cup in the sink and grabbing the flowers. Momma locks up as I get into the driver's seat of Dad's jet-black Mustang. It was his pride and joy, after mine, of course.
Momma climbs into the passenger seat and smiles a little, making me smile. "This is yours now, you know?"
I chuckle. "I know. I saw the papers, and technically, it's yours still for another two years."
The lawyer showed me the papers after Daddy passed. The car's in Momma's name until I turn 28 or if she passes, which will never happen. She's my rock; if I lost her, I'd lose myself
.
She hums as I pull onto the road and head towards Daddy. I can feel my eyes watering, but I hold the tears at bay for Momma. She doesn't need me to be an emotional mess today; she needs me to be strong.
I clear my throat, hoping this will distract her, even if she starts planning my wedding. "Ink, well, Jackson came to see me again today."
Momma grins. "You finally gave in to him?"
I chuckle, "No, I haven't, although he did kiss me, and I might have kissed him back."
My mother's head whips my way, eyes wide, her grin wider, and I giggle, "I know, I know. Todd has told me I need to tell Jackson the truth, or he will."
She nods, "Good, because I was going to." I chuckle. "So, how was it?"
I shake my head. "It was like nothing I've ever experienced. It was like an electric shock to my system, and as soon as his lips touched mine, the whole world just faded.
I pull up to the cemetery and swallow before looking at Momma to see she's looking at me. "Don't let him slip through your fingers, baby." I nod, my eyes watering again, seeing the tears in hers before I squeeze her hand, and I rasp, "Let's go see Daddy."
She nods, her tears falling, before we grab the flowers, get out, and walk towards his grave, hand in hand. I stand back a little as she places her flowers down, a sob letting loose from her throat, and my tears fall upon hearing her anguish. Three years later, she lost her soul mate, and her pain is like it just happened; she only stays strong for me. I quickly wipe my tears as she whispers, "Happy 29th anniversary, darling. I m-miss y-you."
I shake my head and look away, not able to look at the pain on my Momma's face as she cries at my daddy's grave. After about half an hour, when she's calmed, she holds a hand out to me, and I step forward. I kneel, placing the roses on his grave, before I trace his name, "Hi, Daddy." I hear my mother sob at my whisper, and I grab her hand before we spend a couple of hours at his grave before I take Momma back home. She's inconsolable; every time we go to his grave, she's like this; it's why we only go for special occasions.
I help her to bed before kissing her head and saying, "I love you, momma."
