“Say something, Sin, I need to know you’re all right.”
“I am.” I break the silence with two words. He looks over at me.
“Would you just tell me what’s going on?”
“I can’t.” I don’t look at him. If I do, I’ll remember those pictures of him and her. They both lied to me, made me a fool. I trusted them. I trusted him most of all.
I haven't spoken to my family in years, and right now, all I want is to see my mother and father. We pull up outside my childhood home, and I take a deep breath. I don't know why we fell out, but after the accident, we drifted apart. They never approved of Cohen, and I am suddenly starting to understand why.
He turns off the engine. “Are you sure you want to do this?”
“I need time away, and the girls are on a break and haven’t seen my parents.”
I don’t want to tell him the truth, not yet, I have to figure all this out, away from him and the bitterness I feel.
“I’ll miss you, Sin. I want to be here for you through this.”
“Cohen, just let me do this.” His knuckles are white on the steering wheel. “Things will be back to normal before you know it.”
That seems to appease him, and he takes my hand, bringing it to his lips, placing a kiss there. How dare he touch me with lips that were all over my best friend? Did he think of me while he was fucking her, telling her how frigid I'd become?
I climb out of the car and wait on the curb while he drags my bags out of the trunk. He might as well make himself useful. We walk up to my parents’ house, not a word exchanged between us.
I ring the bell and wait. "You should go." I tell him. "They aren't your biggest cheerleaders."
He nods, placing a kiss on my cheek, just as my father opens the door.
"Mr. Lovell," Cohen greets.
"Cohen." My father's voice is cold. Then he looks at me, and he smiles. "Sweetheart." He exclaims, pulling me into his arms. The comfort I feel is overwhelming, and the tears start to stream down my face.
I pull away and wipe them away. "Hi, Daddy."
Cohen has already started down the path, and I'm grateful that he at least respects this. I walk into the house, and everything is as familiar as the day I moved out. It's warm and inviting and feels like home.
"Mommy," I hear Gracie and turn around to find her running toward me. She jumps into my arms, and I'm a sobbing mess.
“Oh, my baby girl. I’ve missed you so much.”
“You’re not allowed to go away ever again.” She scolds. I run my hands through her silky locks.
“I won’t, baby.” I kiss her cheek and set her down.
Willow steps forward and into my arms. "I missed you, Mom," she whispers.
"Gosh, I missed you, Will." She steps back, and I see that she's tearing up too.
My mom is a weepy mess and holds onto me for dear life. "It's been too long." It has. Sometimes when you get married and start your own family tree, you tend to move away from the one you were born into, but it's still there, always waiting to draw you back in, to remind you where you come from, and who you are.
* * *
It's been a week,I haven't heard from Sam. My days are spent catching up with my parents and filling Willow in on as much information as is allowed. Gracie thinks I was at a book signing. This disaster is not something I want to taint her mind with. It is bad enough that Willow knows. She knows her mother and knows I'm incapable of such a crime.
It's six a.m, and I want to jog, clear my head. I used to do this all the time, back in high school, with Evan. Thinking of him still makes me sad. Having a teenager myself brings it closer to home. I put on my headphones and take off down the street, humming to a Katy Perry tune. I veer off the road, and through the park. There is a great running trail there that'll push my limits. Halfway through, I'm startled by a tap on my shoulder. I turn ready to get into self-defense mode, when I look up at a familiar face. “Creed?”
“Hey,” he says out of breath. “I didn’t realize I’d have to run that fast to keep up. Pretty good cover of Katy, by the way.”
I laugh despite myself. “What’re you doing here?”
