Christmas Therapy
Page 102
“I didn't know, Allen,” she said.
“You need to go.”
Chapter 23
Heather pounded knocks on her mother’s door while stabbing at the doorbell. Her throat was sore from the crying she did in the backseat of the Uber. She fell in love with Allen. It rattled in her ears like a flourish of trumpets.
She didn’t want to love him. Allen’s wife arrived at his doorstep. Why was this happening to her?
“Mom! Open the door, please!” She pounded the door with her fists once more.
Her mother opened the door looking outside around her daughter. “Is someone chasing you?” Her forehead wrinkled when she saw her daughter’s face. Ushering her inside, she hugged her as soon as she closed the door. Heather sobbed like a baby in her mother’s arms. Tears soaked her face. She sniffled for her next breath.
“What happened?” her mother asked patting her back.
Heather wiped her face. “I love him.”
Her mother broke their embrace and touched her cheek. “Allen?”
She tried to hold back her tears, but she failed. Her mother walked beside her to the couch. Once they sat, Heather rested her head on her mother’s shoulder.
“Does he love you?”
“Mom, he’s still married. His ex-wife is back. He told me she was in an accident and lost her memory,” she said.
Her mother’s body froze. “What?”
Heather inhaled to calm her nerves. “His wife showed up. She's regained her memory. I only heard bits of their conversation, but I think she wants him back. I left.”
Her mother patted her arm. “He must be in shock.”
Heather grabbed a tissue from the coffee table and wiped her nose. It was like her mother to think rationally.
“I can’t imagine what he's going through,” her mother said.
“He told me how he felt about her before. When I saw them together… I couldn’t stay.” Heather took another cleansing breath.
“I see.”
Heather’s chest felt suddenly painful. “I didn’t know it would hurt this much.”
Her mother patted her arm. “I can't tell you what to do, but whatever he decides it needs to be his decision. If he still cares for her, then they should work it out.”
Heather sniffled as another tear rolled down her face. “I hated seeing him with her. This is what I didn't want. I didn't want someone to have this much power over me.”
“Allen’s a good man. I don’t believe he did this on purpose, especially if the circumstances were out of his control,” her mother said.
“Can I stay here for the night? I don’t want to be home in case he shows up at my house. I need to cancel my appointment with him too. I need space.”
“What about Tinsel?”
“He’s with the Gomez’s. Elena won’t mind.” Heather ran her fingers through her hair. Then she looked around for her sister. “Sonia didn't come home after dropping me off?”
Her mother’s mouth twisted into a grin. “Sonia’s on a date?”
Heather’s eyebrows shot up. “With whom?”
Her mother cleared her throat. “Terrance.”