2.
Home Sweet Home
Lenley
“MOM!” I CALL AS I PUSHthe cart with my luggage into the tiny arrival area of our local airport.
She looks behind me as if expecting to see the old me.
“Mom,” I utter softly and she gasps before wrapping me into a tight hug.
“Lenley, baby! You look so grown up! France obviously suits you! I almost didn’t recognize you. When did all this happen?” she asks, pulling back to take a better look at me and gesturing toward the golden highlights in my brown hair, the chic haircut and the carefully applied makeup. “I sent away my little girl to spend a gap year with her grand-mère and I get back a grown up, sophisticated knock-out!”
I smile at the compliment and explain. “Mémère wanted to give me a makeover as a bon voyage present. She took me out shopping and we got haircuts and got new makeup ... it was fun.”
Mom smiles, obviously impressed with the results. “Whatever she had you do, you look incredible! But when did it happen? Last time we spoke ...”
I nod, following her out of the building and toward the parking lot. “It’s been a month since the last time we video chatted, Mom.”
She immediately looks guilty. “You’re right. I’m so sorry, Lenley! Between the last State championship event and all the meetings it took to secure a sponsorship with Wild Horse, I don’t know where time went.”
I squeeze her hand as we stop in front of the trunk of her SUV. “Like Papà used to say, time flies and when it doesn’t ...”
“... you make sure you do the flying instead.” She finishes with a sad smile. “Well, your papà would’ve loved the idea of you spending an entire year in his childhood home. Although I’m not sure he would’ve been able to come to terms with his little girl being a grown woman and so beautiful to boot.”
I inhale a shuddering breath. “Stop it, Mom. You’re going to make me cry.”
She shakes her head, as overcome by emotion as I am. “No, let’s not cry. Today is a happy occasion, I have my baby girl home after an entire year and there’s a huge party tonight at the house.”
I get into the passenger seat and look at Mom, smiling. “My birthday was a week ago. You didn’t need to go through all the trouble of organizing a party. I know how busy you are. Especially when there’s upcoming events.”
She immediately looks guilty. “It’s actually a party our new sponsor wanted to throw. So I didn’t have to do much. Originally it was meant to be yesterday, but when I mentioned to their rep that you were coming home today, they decided to move it. They were so excited to meet Patrick DeLaurent’s daughter ... They thought that a welcome home/birthday party for you would be a great way to start our relationship. I hope you don’t mind.”
I smile and Mom’s shoulders relax as she pulls out of the parking spot. “I’m not mad, Mom. I know how hard you’ve been working to keep Papà’s legacy alive and for the Cove Angels to grow and thrive like he would’ve wanted. Papà would be proud of you.”
Mom keeps her eyes on the road, but I know she’s struggling with tears again by the way her hands are gripping the steering wheel.
“Your dad would have a lot to be proud of. But enough of that, you know what I just thought? Darrius will be shocked when he sees you. I was actually surprised that he had no idea you were coming back. Haven’t you two been talking lately?”
I shake my head, making a non-committal noise; in reality, I haven’t talked to my best friend and lifelong crush since the night before the morning I booked a flight to France. I was eager to put an entire ocean between me and Darrius to give myself time to lick my wounds. Wounds inflicted by my best friend, the man I dreamed of every waking moment and every night.
I sigh, a new wave of humiliation forming a lump in my throat at the memory of the night of my eighteenth birthday. Unrequited love is a real bitch, believe me.
***
A YEAR AGO
Lenley
I TOUCH THE STRAPSof my black, push-up bra, attempting to hide them under the thinner straps of my tank top.
“Are you sure that I look good?” I ask my two best girlfriends, Sarah and Kiara.
Sarah smiles, meeting my eyes through the full-length mirror we’re all standing in front of. “You look hot,” she encourages me, running a soothing hand through the long, silky curtain of my brown hair. She’s spent over an hour straightening it to eliminate the natural waves I usually sport.
I squirm uncomfortably, pulling at the low waistband of the skinny jeans Kiara insisted I borrow; they fit me like a second skin, to the point that I doubt I’ll be able to take them off without any help. “I don’t know, maybe this is too much.” I hesitate. “These contact lenses make my eyes feel dry, and I don’t feel like me anymore.”
Kiara sighs frustrated, lowering herself onto my bed. “That’s the whole fucking point, babe! You’ve been looking like ‘you’ for eighteen years, and where did that take you?”
Sarah throws a sequined pillow at her. “Rude! Lenley is pretty and she’s absolutely adorable.”