Mallory,
You were sleeping so peacefully I didn’t want to wake you. My flight is early. I’ll probably be almost to Florida by the time you get up. Stay as long as you want, just lock the door when you go. I’ll see you soon.
Love,
Christian
She reread the note several times before sliding her legs over the side of the bed to begin the process of getting ready.Love, Christian. Surely, she was reading into it, but that one word took the sting out of waking up alone, even if she did feel strangeabout being in his apartment without him being there. After making the bed, she washed her face and threw on her clothes from the night before.
There was only one thing she could think of that she could do from the sidelines that could make things a bit easier for Christian once he was back. Looking at the time, she realized she needed to get going so she wouldn’t have an excuse to put it off for another day. She locked up behind herself and headed home to take a quick shower and change clothes. Knowing mornings were the best time to reach someone who worked nights, there wasn’t much time before she would risk waking them up.
Less than thirty minutes later, she double checked her phone to make sure she was at the right address. She took a slow cleansing breath before stepping out of the car. It was hard to keep walking when her sense of self-preservation screamed at her to turn around. In the past, she wasn’t strong enough to handle the confrontation. She was strong enough now, and it was time to finally move forward.
“Mallory?” Alyssa stepped out of the house, closing the door behind her. “Is everything okay? What are you doing here?”
Instant regret washed over her. She shouldn’t have shown up unannounced. “I was hoping to talk to my brother.”
Alyssa rested her hand protectively across her stomach as she turned to look at the closed door. “He worked last night …”
“I should leave,” she blurted out. “Can you tell him I’m sorry? That’s all I really came to say.”
She turned on her heel to make her escape, but was stopped by Alyssa who grabbed hold of her arm. “Wait. Don’t leave. He’s not asleep. I’m sorry for not inviting you in, I just thought maybe there was going to be a continuation of the morning after the wedding reception.”
“I’m really sorry about that, too,” Mallory began her apology.
“Wait,” Alyssa held up a hand. “Come in. It’s really none of my business. Blame hormones for me being a bitch.”
Her smile was so genuine that Mallory found herself smiling with her as they walked inside. Michael was lounging on the couch looking at something on his phone when he looked up in surprise.
“Sam—Mallory? What are you doing here?” He stood and walked over, looking at her as if she could be a mirage.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “Mom was sick. Dad didn’t replace Mom, and even if he did it wasn’t your fault.”
She looked up into blue eyes that matched her own. His hands were unexpectedly gentle when he gripped her shoulders. “What are you talking about?”
Mallory gave her head a shake, an attempt to clear her thoughts so she could make sense of what she needed to say. “I talked to Dad. I was wrong. Please forgive me.”
Without a word, Michael urged her to the couch where he sat beside her, keeping an arm around her shoulders. For such a big and intimidating man, there was nothing but kindness in his expression.
“Can you start from the beginning?”
She was aware that she still wasn’t saying things as clearly as she had hoped. “Dad didn’t talk to you?”
He sat back, crossing one leg over his knee. He was quiet for a long moment before he responded to her question. “Talk to me about what?”
She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Hearing the truth was one thing; repeating it was another. “Dad told me everything. Honestly, I am an asshole. What he said shouldn’t have made a difference. The way I treated you was shitty. Mom was sick. No one expected her life to end when it did, but she knew it was a possibility. She always told Dad she was worried for us since she was sick, and Dad had a dangerous job. He lovedSheila, but only married her as quickly as he did to honor Mom’s wishes.”
Michael sat stock still. Even after being away from him for as many years as she was, she knew he was digesting what she had said. He took things seriously. He took everything to heart. He always had.
“Mom was sick?” he repeated what she’d said as a question.
“She had a heart condition. I don’t think they were expecting anything to happen the way it did, but still. They were worried about where we would end up if something were to happen to her and then something happen to Dad on the job,” Mallory explained.
Michael uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “I can’t believe I’m just now finding out Mom was sick,” he muttered. “I mean, it doesn’t change anything, but still. I had no idea Dad was keeping things from us. Did Mom pick Sheila out? Because that would be a whole different level of weird.”
Mallory couldn’t fight the bubble of laughter that erupted from her. “Oh, god, I don’t think so. That would be super weird … but I didn’t ask how they met.”
“So, does this mean we can start over?” Michael asked, turning to face her. “I should have made more of an effort before, but I’m here now. I’m willing to start over if you are. Can you forgive me for not reaching out? I wish I could get those years back.”
