Page 6 of Smoke
“I’m sorry, Dawson. I should have listened to you.”
He took my hands in his and lifted them to his mouth for a kiss. “I’m sorry too, baby.”
“I promise to call you the next time I get off early.”
“Thank you, baby, that makes me feel much better.”
“Maybe we could look into getting me a car?” I asked. My grandmother had left me more than enough to purchase a new car. I hadn’t needed one when we lived in Alabama, but Strickland was much smaller and there were not as many opportunities for public transport.
“We can definitely do that, baby. Maybe this weekend, yeah?”
“Okay.”
Can we stay?
“C-can I still stay?” I asked.
Dawson chuckled. “Honey, you’re not going anywhere. If you’d actually tried to leave tonight, I would have gone with you. You’re far too special to me.”
I smiled at him. I was still a little shaky and hurt, but I felt a lot better once he explained where he was coming from. It was easier to see it was from a place of love now that we’d talked.
“I am sorry for how I spoke to you, Ashley. I was reflecting on the drive home and you were absolutely right for calling me on my shit. Disrespectful words and unkind tones were exactly what was pouring out of my mouth and I’m so sorry. There were better ways to communicate what I was feeling.”
“I don’t like to feel like someone is disgusted with me,” I admitted, twisting my soft comforter in my hands. “You were talking through your teeth at me, and you called me stupid.”
“I’m sorry I made you feel that way, sweet girl. I didn’t mean to make you feel like I was disgusted. I did say you were being stupid, but I meant in regard to your safety. I was trying to say your choices were stupid. I can also see how that would have hurt your feelings and I am so, so sorry. That is an example of how I should have thought over my words better.”
“It did hurt my feelings, but I accept your apology.”
“Thank you for communicating that with me. That was very brave.”
“I’m sorry I cursed at you and called you names.”
He stood and reached out, stroking my cheek. “It’s all forgiven, babygirl, though I’m sure Eloise will send you a bill for the swear tote.”
I laughed; she totally would.
“Cancel your Uber and stay here with me.”
Yay! We can stay!
Smiling at my Little’s excitement, I opened my phone and canceled the car.
Time to unpack.
Chapter Three
Smoke
“Do you see anything that looks like it would be yummy in your tummy?” I asked Ash the next morning at breakfast. I was trying to start some traditions with her and I thought that maybe going to breakfast together once a week would be a good place to start.
“I think I want the birthday cake pancakes with a side of bacon.”
I tried not to grimace at her selection of almost pure sugar. They put vanilla icing on top of the pancakes and then added sprinkles.
“What are you going to get? Oh! Let me guess. Oatmeal? Plain toast? Raisins? Are you going to order off the 55-and-up menu? Do you get a senior citizen discount?”
Blinking comically, I just stared at her with my mouth open for a few seconds. She couldn’t keep up the act and dissolved into giggles a few minutes later.
