Or what I’ll even be able to do now.
Because for the first time in my life, I’m not Mabel’s.
Mabel Riggins isn’t mine anymore.
Leaving, lost me my Firefly.
Thirty-six
Mabel
Staring up at the man who’s admission to me has broken my heart yet again, this time a whole lot worse.
This time,he’s shattered it.
“Firefly?” He asks me, reaching for my hand but I pull it away before he can take hold of it, just like Jimmy did only what felt like moments ago, but if I’m honest; I don’t know how long I’ve stood here. The noise ringing in my ears is becoming too much to bare, the panic attack rising from my gut and into my chest.
I look Maverick straight in the eye and shake my head. “Please, don’tcall me that,” I whisper out, choking back a sob.
All this time.
He left me, because of some fucking pictures.
I wrack my brain back to those first weeks of him being gone and do my best to try and pinpoint when or how these photos could have been taken.
Was I at home? The ranch?The bar?
Whatever these photographs are, they’re long gone. Who keeps hold of fake photos for thirteen years?
I shake my head again, turning my attention back to my family, because everyone standing here are my family, each one supported me through it all.
“Did y’all know?” I whimper out, doing my best to keep eye contact with each of them.
I look to my best friend, who’s been the biggest support to me since he disappeared.
“Jake?” I ask, as I watch his own heart shatter at what I can only presume is at the sight of me crumbling.
Jake shakes his head, tears forming in his eyes, struggling to look at me or his brother.
I look over to my second parents, the ones who wiped my tears away on so many occasions. Kay’s hands held tight over her mouth as she watches the admissions fall out.
“I didn’t.” She says, looking towards her husband who bows his head in shame and lets out a large sigh.
“I did.” Rhett finally admits.
A lump rises to my throat, as I try to swallow it down, a noise comes from me that can only be described asbroken.
I see everyone surrounding me, their lips moving but I don’t hear a single thing their saying.
I feel numb.
I feel disposable once again.
A jolt of electricity courses through me and I know Maverick is touching me somewhere.
I look down and see his hand in mine, but my body no longer feels like my own.
“Mabel, baby, please look at me,” I hear him say through the static, and as if on impulse, I do as I’m told.
