“I didn’t know where you had gone,” my mom adds. “I didn’t even know if you were in the country.” A laugh escapes her, but it’s strained.
My lips drop into a frown. “I’m sorry.”
“For what, honey?”
Where do I even start. “For going so far away. For not reaching out the past couple of years.” I swallow the gravel in my throat. “For leaving you that day.”
“Honey…” She shakes her head. “I don’t blame you for that. You needed to leave this place. I understand.”
“I should have visited, though,” I say, my voice quivering. “I should have come back and seen you.”
She lets out a sigh. “This place had bad memories for you. I understand why you wouldn’t want to come back.”
“Not anymore,” I say, glancing around the house that feels like my old home and a strange place all at once. “You really made a change here,” I tell her.
“I did,” she replies with a smile playing on her lips. “I made it my home.”
Michael returns with the lemonade, handing us each a glass before stepping away, giving us a moment alone.
My eyes shift toward my mom once Michael leaves. “You’re happy?” I ask her. I don’t care that she moved on, or that she’s engaged. I just want her to be happy for once.
The smile on her face tells me the answer, but she answers anyway. “I am.”
I nod, relieved. “And he treats you well?”
She lets out a laugh. “Yes,” she affirms, removing the boulder sitting on my chest. “Very well.”
“Good,” I say with a nod. “I’m happy for you.” I glance down, seeing the ring on her finger. “When’s the wedding?”
“Oh not for a while,” she says, waving a hand. “We’re actually thinking of moving first.”
“Moving?” I ask her.
“I might have changed some things, but the memories still linger sometimes,” she says, her slender throat swallowing. “We wanted a new place. With new memories.”
My brows dip at the thought of no longer having my childhood home. It’s… weird. But I know that she’s right. This place holds too many bad memories to outweigh the good ones, no matter how much has changed.
“So, are you staying around here?” my mom asks, with a hopeful smile on her face.
But my face drops.
Fuck.
I was so happy.
These past few days I have thought of nothing else but being with Gabi. Finally being able to kiss her, and touch her, and tell her I love her.
I was so happy that I completely forgot I’m leaving.
In two weeks.
I turn my head and lock eyes with Gabi. Her smile doesn’t reach her eyes, and it breaks my heart.
I swallow harshly. “No. I’m uh…” I shake my head, glancing back at my mom. “I actually live in London.”
She blinks. “Oh.”
“Yeah. I uh…” I rake a hand through my hair. “I’m going back in a few weeks. I have one more year left until I graduate.”
