“I don’t deserve blanket forgiveness. I would just like a chance to get to know you. I want to know who you’ve become.”
“What if I say no?” Drew asked. She watched as Frank’s face twisted in pain. To his credit, Frank schooled his features quickly.
“If you don’t want me in your life then that’s your right. I’ll leave my number in case you change your mind and then I’ll leave you alone.”
“And what if I say yes?” Drew asked.
Frank brightened his smile wide. It chipped away something inside of Drew.
“Then we’ll move at your pace.”
“I’m not ready to let you all the way in.”
“I would never ask you to,” Frank lifted his hands, showing Drew his palms.
“So, we can go slow?” Drew asked.
“We can go slow,” Frank agreed.
“Maybe you could meet me for a coffee sometime?” Drew asked.
“I would like that,” Frank answered.
They stood in awkward silence for a time.
“I really like your art,” Frank smiled.
“I get that from you,” Drew admitted.
“Nah, I always just doodled. You’ve always been the artist.”
“You bought me my first art set,” Drew remembered.
“You drove your mother crazy leaving crayons all over the house.”
Drew’s heart swelled, this moment was more than she’d thought it could be.
“Okay, leave me your number and we’ll make plans for coffee,” Drew promised. The smile that spread across Frank’s face told Drew just how excited he was. Drew had always been good at leaving the past in the past where her dad was concerned. Now, she felt the long dead embers slowly warming back up where Frank was concerned.
Once Frank left, Drew’s eyes scanned Brooke’s store. Her eyes landed on Brooke like she was her horizon line. Drew went back to her cupboard and grabbed the rose tea. She turned quickly and walked straight to Brooke’s store.
Brooke was working behind the counter. Drew stood there watching for a moment. She took the sight of Brooke in for a moment before clearing her throat. Brooke turned, her eyes narrowing when she saw Drew. Drew’s heart tightened at the glare. Drew held up the box of tea.
“Do you want some tea?” Drew asked, plastering her best smile across her face. Brooke shook her head and sighed. She flashed Drew a smirk that let her know that Brooke was mostly teasing her. Brooke grabbed the tea and headed towards theback of the store. Drew walked to the highback chairs in the back of the store.
Brooke brought two cups of tea to the chairs. She handed a bright pink mug with a smiling flower on it.
“Thanks,” Drew said, she suddenly felt shy.
Brooke sat in the yellow velvet chair leaving Drew to sit in a purple one. Drew could tell her chair was at least somewhat popular with the kids that came to the store. There was a faint red line where marker had bled through while someone drew on the color sheets Brooke provided. Drew took a tentative sip of her tea, the liquid warmed her all the way down to her chest.
“Is this still something you’re willing to fight for?” Drew asked, resignation in her tone. She’d waited days to come back to Brooke to repair the damage in their relationship. It would be fair for Brooke to have changed her mind.
“I do,” Brooke answered. Her tone was firm without any wavering. Drew could only smile sadly. How often had she wanted a partner to be willing to fight for a relationship, to stay and work things out? Yet when Brooke had offered Drew had bolted.
“Then that’s what I want too,” Drew met Brooke’s eyes and saw that there were already tears beginning to fall from her blue eyes.
“I missed you,” Brooke choked the words out. Drew’s tears came more as a reaction from seeing Brooke in pain. She let the tears fall without trying to stop them.
