I nod. “I thought I was fine, but when I walked out of the building…I don’t know, I just broke.” Jake is alone now. Will he notice if I’m not there, lying beside him or holding his hand?
“What you’re going through is very difficult, Summer. It’s okay to break sometimes. We all do. Your ability to come out on the other side is what matters. Remember to be kind to yourself. You will get through this like you’ve gotten through everything else. One moment at a time.”
We talk for a few more minutes, Sarah reminding me to call her whenever I need to. I set Zander’s phone in the centre console after hanging up, and look over at him, but he’s staring straight ahead. Did I freak him out? Is he upset that I broke down? What is he thinking right now? I startto fidget in my seat, worrying as I bite my lower lip. Should I say something? What do I say?
“Sorry,” we say at the same time. He smiles sadly at me. “I’m sorry, Summer.”
I look at him in confusion. “Why are you sorry? I’m the one who broke down.”
“Yes, but I’m the reason you’re moving. I was so excited to find you and move you home that I didn’t comprehend how truly hard this is for you. Moreover, I touched you without consent and phoned Sarah. I don’t want to break your trust, Summer.”
“You didn’t break my trust, and I blame CPS for making me move. I’m glad you called Sarah. Sue's called her several times on my behalf. At some point, you may need to do it again. You did the right thing there. As for the touching, I would have said no if I was coherent, but I wasn’t and you didn’t make me flinch. Not sure why I didn’t react, but that’s probably a good thing.”
“So I didn’t irrevocably screw things up?” He asks with hope in his voice, looking over at me with glassy eyes.
“No, you didn’t. I should say sorry for my breakdown.” That must’ve been scary for him to witness. Sarah and Sue are used to me by now, but this is all so new for Zander.
“Absolutely not, Summer. Never apologize for something like that.” He’s resolute in his response. That’s a good sign. I still feel the need to apologize for my responses after more than a year, despite both Sue and Sarah telling me it’s unnecessary.
As we pull into the driveway, Sue comes outside and rushes over to open my door. “Oh, sweetheart, are you alright?”
“I’m okay now, Sue. Did Sarah call you?”
“Yes, she did. She also said you had a breakthrough.”
“What?” I ask, confounded, stepping down to the driveway and closing the door.
She nods to Zander. “He hugged you, and you were okay.”
I gaze over at Zander, who has also gotten out, smiling gently at me. “Yeah, he did.”
“You’re in excellent hands now, Summer. I’ll leave you to it. Please call me tomorrow if you need anything,” Zander says.
“I will. Thank you for everything.” He nods and gets back into the SUV, waving goodbye at the end of the driveway.
“Come on, sweetheart, let’s get in from the cold,” Sue says. She makes us a nice dinner, and we relax for the rest of the evening.
Chapter 15
The next morning I wake up to the smell of waffles. I open my eyes to see a steaming batch sitting on my desk with maple syrup and whipped cream. Smiling, I have a feeling Sue is going to go all out today. I devour my delicious waffles before quickly grabbing a shower. As I carry my plate downstairs, I discover Sue in the kitchen, surrounded by mixing bowls. “Thanks for the waffles, Sue.”
“You’re welcome sweetheart. I’m starting on the cookies. Want to help?”
“Sure.” I wash my plate and fork, then grab an apron. We spend the next several hours baking double chocolate chip cookies, brownies, and cinnamon rolls. We break for lunch around noon. We bought hearty salads to eat yesterday since we knew we’d be busy.
“Would you mind if Zander came by for dinner, sweetheart? I figure he could use a home-cooked meal before you two head out tomorrow.” That’s a nice idea, so I easily agree, and Sue texts him to come by at 4pm.
The rest of the afternoon comprises blueberry squares, white chocolate macadamia cookies, and chocolate chip muffins. We’re wrapping the last of the muffins when Zander shows up with a bouquet of roses for Sue.
“A lovely bouquet for a lovely lady,” he grins at her. “A little thank you for taking such amazing care of Summer.”
“Thank you, Zander,” Sue smiles in return. I think I see a blush tinting her cheeks, too. “I’ll grab a vase for them.”
“How are you today Summer?”
“I’m okay. Sue has kept me busy all day baking,” I say as I gesture behind me. There’s enough baked goods to feed an army, but we had fun, and I hardly thought about tomorrow.
“Wow, Sue was serious about sending you away with a ton of food. I hope you’re willing to share,” he winks, and I agree. Sue always intends for people to share her baking.
