Broken Love Story (Love 3)

“I’m sure she would,” I say, yawning. “I’m going to get going. I’m sorry I woke you,” I tell him. “Sweet dreams, Blake,” I say, disconnecting. Lost in my own thoughts, I’m jealous of the love he had for her. Jealous that no one ever loved me so fiercely. Not once.

Chapter Twelve

Blake

“Sweet dreams, Blake,” she says softly and then disconnects. I lie here, waiting for I have no idea what. For her to call me back, for her to text me. I get nothing.

Getting up, I make my way to the kitchen, grabbing some water and then heading back to bed. I fall fast asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow. My dreams don’t bother me tonight, and I wake up right when the sun rises. I grab my bag and make my way to the gym. I do mostly cardio since we have weights at the fire station. When I finally walk out of the gym, it’s almost nine o’clock, so I send Samantha a text.

Hope you are having a better day.

When she told me about her in-laws last night, I wanted to get in my car and drive over there and beat the shit out of every single one of them. Who doesn’t hold their family up? Who doesn’t fucking support and care for the mother of your grandchildren?

A text message comes in, and my phone pings

Fingers crossed, hoping that you have the best day!

I smile and then pull up in front of Hailey’s house. Walking in, I see Hailey sitting in the middle of shattered glass with roses all over the floor. The card right in front of my foot shows me that they are from Eric.

I grab the broom, sweeping up the majority of the mess while I watch my sister in the chair, crying. I wonder what would happen if this was Samantha. I wonder who would hold her, who would be there for her. The answer is no one. How sad is that?

So lost in my own thoughts, I don’t hear the door open nor do I see Nanny come in and take a look around. She says nothing when she sees the garbage with the roses in it. Instead, she shows Hailey a picture of a house on the beach. She goes on and on about her friend Delores who has a house for rent, and how this is what Hailey needs.

“She just can’t leave,” I say as Nanny looks over at me.

“And why not?” I try to answer, but Nanny doesn’t even give me a chance to. “She has nothing here. Nothing. Yes, she has her family, but she needs to find herself. Staying here in this museum she calls a home isn’t helping anyone. Besides, she works from home. All she needs is her computer, and she is good to go.”

“Yes.” The sound comes out in a soft whisper. “Yes.” Hailey looks up as Nanny smiles, and I scratch my head. How in the hell is her moving away from her family a good thing? I try to make eye contact with Hailey, but she is too fixated on the picture of that house.

“I want to have a yard sale.” Hailey looks at me. “I want to sell everything. I want nothing.” I look around her house, seeing all the touches of Eric, and know this purge will be painful for her, but hopefully, it helps her heal.

“I’ll make the posters today.” Nanny gets up and walks to the door. “I guess this is like that song ‘Cleaning out the Closet.’ Remember, Blake? You used to sing it each day in the mirror, wearing your white t-shirt and your jeans hanging low under your ass.” She laughs. “Until I told you that inmates wear their pants like that to have …” She cups her mouth with her hands and whispers, “Butt sex.”

Hailey snorts as I throw my head back. “Oh, good God,” I groan as Nanny walks out of the door. I look at my sister. “You sure you want to go there all by yourself?”

She doesn’t get a chance to answer because Crystal walks in. “Hey, you guys,” she says, tossing her purse on the couch and coming in to start the coffee. “Whatcha looking at?” she asks as she picks up a picture of the house. “This is so pretty.”

I fill her in. “That is where Hailey is going to, as Nanny says, ‘find herself.’” I use my fingers to make air quotes.

Crystal and I look at each other while I open the fridge and take out the ingredients to make breakfast. Hailey starts making a list of what needs to be done. I don’t say much except when she asks for a real estate agent, I pick up the phone and call Sophie.

Sophie and I went to school together, and she promised to come by this afternoon to see her.