31
Rachel
Think about it, he said! Like I have been thinking of anything else. I tossed and turned all night, which really hasn’t been any different from any other night this month. He seemed so apologetic, and there was raw honesty in his eyes. His face still showed marks from the fight, making his vulnerability so much more intense.
Jade: Take him up on the offer.
Molly: No harm in it.
Trixie: Yep, let him make it up to you.
Traitors!They were on his side since that day at the café. My friends text me in our group chat as I lie on my bed, flicking through my textbooks. I shut the book in defeat, accepting the fact that I’m not going to get any studying done today.
Me: Maybe you’re right.
Molly: Aren’t we always.
Jade: You won’t be able to study with this on your mind.
Molly: Staring blankly at your textbook doesn’t count as studying…just saying.
Damn them and knowing me so well. Why did I even try to open that book? I look at it in disgust, like it’s the textbook fault, and spin my phone in my hand.
“Can we, Mommy?” Sam says, poking his head into my room. This is the fifth time he has asked me this morning, and it is only ten o'clock. I groan, rolling into a seated position and reaching out for my son to pull him into my lap.
“He said he wanted to take me, and I really want to go. He is the quarterback, Mommy. Of the Raptors. I watch him play on television with Pop, he’s a super star. Can you believe it? So can you ask him, pallleeeaaassseeeee!?”
I look into those puppy dog brown eyes, just like mine, and coincidently very similar to Randy’s. “Fine,” I give in. “I’ll text him, but he’s a busy man, and he might not be able to.”
“He said he would; here, I’ll unlock your phone,” he says, grabbing it off my bed. “Here you go,” he says, placing it in my hand and hovering over the screen. “Text him, Mommy, text him.”
I sigh and pull up his name.
Rachel: Hey, does the offer still stand to take Sam to the park?
“Okay, I sent it, but don’t get your hopes up he–”
My phone pings
“Is it him?” Sam jumps.
I look down at my screen. “Yeah, baby, it’s him and he said he would love to take us.”
Sam slides off my bed and jumps around my room excitedly, then runs for the door. “I’ll go get ready,” he says, almost tripping in his haste. “I’ll go find my ball!” he yells.
I sigh and fall back onto my bed, staring at the ceiling and the glow in the dark stars Sam and I put on there last year. Great, just great! Now not only do I have to protect my heart, I haveto protect Sam’s. I look down at my phone as it vibrates in my hand.
Randy: Pick you up in an hour?
Rachel: Perfect, thanks.
“Just perfect,”I sigh.
Me: You win! I texted him and he is on his way!
Molly: OMG OMG OMG
Trixie: Woohoo
