I groan and cover my face with both hands.My body trembles as I sink to the floor, crouching, head resting on my knees.I don’t move an inch.I just sit there, praying he leaves soon.
It takes a while before I dare to peek out the window again.My head rises slowly above the sill.Alan’s gone.His silhouette disappears down the street.I let out a long breath and finally close the window.
“Fenella,” my mom calls, knocking on the door.
I gasp.“Yeah, Mom?”
She steps inside, looking tired.She sighs and sits on the edge of my bed.“You came home early.”
“Sorry, Mom.I left you alone at the park.”I bite my lower lip, awkwardly leaning against the window.My hands hover there like I’m trying to hide the whole embarrassing Alan situation.I just hope she didn’t hear him shouting, but his voice was too loud to ignore.
“It’s fine.I’m used to doing things alone.”Her voice is soft, calm.
I drop my head.Guilt twists in my chest.I hate that I can’t come home more often, that she’s still living here by herself.I’ve begged her to move to New York with me, but she won’t leave this house.She has a thousand reasons, all stubborn ones.
“How much did we make from the bazaar?”I ask, tucking my hair behind my ear.
“Sixteen grand.Can you believe that?”She laughs.
“Was it all Alan’s money?”I ask quietly.
“Mostly, but not all.A couple bought my dinnerware set for thirty bucks before he came.”She exhales with a small smile.We fall silent for a moment before she asks, “Is Alan your boss?”
“I quit his agency,” I say.
“Because you didn’t wanna look like you were dating your boss?”she teases gently.
“Oh no, Mom, that’s not it.I’m not dating him.”I shake my head fast.
“Really?Then why’d he leave this ring box with me?”She pulls a red velvet box from her jacket and sets it on the bed.I just stare at it, too scared to touch it, like hot charcoal ready to burn my hand.
“You don’t like him?”she asks.
“I already have a boyfriend.Laird,” I say softly.
She goes quiet at his name.Her gaze lingers on me, then she sighs.“Some things never change.”She chuckles faintly.“So, where is he?He usually comes home the day before the Christmas Eve party.”
“They still do that every year?”I ask, glancing out the window at the Evans house across the street.
“His father loves showing off his success and his two sons.He invites half the neighborhood every Christmas Eve.”She rolls her eyes.“Didn’t Laird tell you when he’s coming back to Boston?”
I sigh and sit beside her.“There’s a big problem.”
I tell her everything.About Laird.About Alan.About the scandal.When I reach the part about the park this afternoon, my voice cracks, and tears start falling.
“Sorry, Mom.I can’t make you proud.”
“No, Fenella.You’ll always be my pride.”She shakes her head.
“But if you saw that ad—”
“I saw it.I think it’s funny.Creative, even.Don’t worry too much about it.”
“You saw it?”My eyes widen.“Oh my God, that’s embarrassing.”I cover my face with both hands.
“It’s okay, sweetheart.”
“It’s all because of Alan,” I say, my voice breaking.“He trapped me.And after all that, he says he’s loved me this whole time.I can’t—I just can’t accept it.”
