Worst. Excuse. Ever.
Her lips twitch. “Hi.”
“Right. Glad we got that out of the way.”
“Did Hudson send you? To check on me?”
“What? No. No, he didn’t. But I wanted to stop by and make sure you were okay.” I rub the back of my neck. “How are you?”
“I’m…dealing. It’s getting a little stifling here, so I’m sort of glad Hudson asked me to move in when he did. I just need to…” She pauses, taking a shuddered breath. “I need to get away from here.”
I nod, understanding her in a way she can’t even imagine. Sometimes youdohave to get away from everything, from everyone, just leave and not look back. I get it. I’ve been there myself.
I see movement in the background. It’s Haley, and she doesn’t even stop to look at me. My eyes follow her, noticing how swollen her eyes are. She looks so dejected. I ache to hug her, to tell her it’s all going to be okay, but I also want to remind her how badly she screwed up with Rae, no matter how good of a place it was coming from.
Haley kept some rather heavy secrets from Rae her entire life, secrets she had no right hide. It wasn’t okay, and it still isn’t okay. There’s going to be a lot of begging and pleading in Haley’s future when it comes to Rae—and rightly so.
I don’t know all the details—it’s none of my business—but I do know that Hudson and Rae took a two-week break last year because of it. Now, they’re better than ever, so maybe stepping away is exactly what Rae needs to do.
“You just need a break sometimes.”
She nods. “A big break.”
“Not that I want to pry, but…”
Rae glances behind her, looking for Haley, I assume. Turning back to me, she takes a step closer. She lowers her voice as she says, “Haley’s taking this hard, but I’m just at that point, ya know? It’s been lie after lie for years. Years, Gaige. I need space. We’ve hit a wall. We haven’t spoken in over a month.”
Before I can stop myself, I’m wrapping my arms around her and pulling her in for a hug because I can’t handle the despair I hear in her voice. She hesitates for a moment then settles into my embrace. Glancing over her shoulder, I see Haley watching us. I can’t tell if it’s anger, annoyance, or sadness in her eyes; it’s almost a mix of all three. Is any of it directed toward me? I have no idea, and even if it is, I don’t care. This moment isn’t about sparing Haley’s feelings; it’s about helping heal Rae’s.
“You give really good hugs,” Rae says, pulling back.
I shrug. “I’ve been told that, but don’t tell anyone I did that. I’m very selective about who I give them to.”
“So I’m special, huh?”
“You’re okay.”
She snorts, reaching back to grab her bag and stepping out of the door.
“Want me to walk you down?” I ask.
She glances back once more, meeting Haley’s stare for just a brief moment. I can see the way Haley’s eyes fill with tears and watch helplessly as one streaks down her face. Rae sighs sadly and turns back to me, a fake smile on her lips. “Yeah, thanks.”
I grab her bag from her hands and we silently make our way down the short hall of her building and out the front door. I motion for her to pop her trunk so I can throw her bag in there. Sadness is hanging around her heavily but I can see she’s trying to push through. That’s the one thing I’ve always admired about her—the way she carries herself. No matter what’s going on inside, she always perseveres on the outside. Despite the weight that wants to drag her down, she holds her head high, her shoulders not hanging low in the slightest. If you didn’t know her, you would have no idea how badly she’s hurting on the inside.
But I know, and I’m so proud of the way she’s handling it.
She opens up her door, ready to climb inside. I call out to her, stopping her in her tracks.
“Can I be candid with you?”
She smiles. “I expect nothing less of you, Gaige.”
“You’re a damn fine woman, Rae Kamden.”
Her cheeks burn red; her eyes go big. “I… Thank you.”
“I just mean that I know you’re fighting some really hard shit inside you right now and the way you’re carrying yourself, the way you hold your head up, it’s commendable. I’m proud to call you my friend, Rae.” I motion my head toward her building. “Whatever’s going on with Haley and you, it’ll sort itself out over time—it always does—but I think you’re making the right choice in stepping away now. Sometimes you just need a breather. Believe me, I know—I’ve been taking one for years.”
