The Edge of Forever

“Good, Mom.” She went over to the fire and threw more logs in before sitting on the couch. Blake was working late again, and she sat alone, once again, wondering what was going to happen between them.

Although she spoke to her mom a few days a week, Poppy hadn’t told her what happened with her and Blake. In fact, she didn’t know if there was anything to tell, given the fact that he had withdrawn from her. It may not have been a lot, but there was certainly a difference in him that she noticed.

The increased late nights at work and having to run errands several times a week, errands he wouldn’t tell her about, weren’t helping her fears and worries that she would lose another person she loved.

“I’m glad, honey. We miss you terribly, Poppy dear, but as long as you’re healing and finding what you need there, that is all that matters.” A beat of silence filled the line, and Poppy sighed, knowing her mother meant well but wasn’t nearly done. “So, do you know when you plan on coming home?”

“Mom…” Poppy rubbed her eyes then stared into the fire.

“I know, I know. You haven’t even been there a month, but I miss you, honey.”

She was thirty years old, but ever since Jon’s death, Poppy’s mother treated her like a child. She supposed she hadn’t helped the situation with her depression and need to be alone. Things were different now; she was different now. “I don’t know if I’m going back to Ohio. I kind of like it here.”

“Poppy, honey.” There it was, the mom voice. “I’m not going to argue with you on this, but your home is here, with us. Your job, your friends and family, all of it is here.”

Poppy let her head fall back and stared at the ceiling. She needed to tell her mother about how she felt, about her relationship with Blake. It was bound to come out eventually anyway. The sooner she told her mother, the sooner she would understand why staying in Blithe was so important to her.

“I want to stay here, because…” She took a deep, strengthening breath. Here goes nothing. “I’ve met someone.” The breath left Poppy, and she waited for her mother’s response. The seconds ticked by as her mom clearly absorbed that little piece of information.

“Really?” Poppy heard her swallow. “Honey… I’m so happy for you. Who is he?” The choked sound that came through the receiver told Poppy her mom was crying. The tears came to her own eyes, and she didn’t bother wiping them away.

She cried, because she was deliriously happy and because she felt peace. But Poppy also cried, because she worried about her mother’s reaction to the next part she was about to reveal.

“It’s Blake, Mom.” The silence stretched out, and her mother cried harder. “I love him. I love him so much. He makes me feel happy, calm.”

“Oh, Poppy—”

“No, Mom, I need to tell you this. In the past two years, I’ve let myself sink deeper and deeper into despair. All the conversations I had with him helped me heal one word at a time.” Her heart pounded rapidly as she waited to hear her mom’s response. “I love him.” Poppy said those three words with so much conviction she didn’t doubt her mother heard by her sharp inhalation.

“I’m happy you’ve found someone who takes care of you, and I have no doubt that Blake will do just that.”

A sob left Poppy, and she covered her eyes as the tears flowed faster and harder than before. Just knowing her mother was supportive of this had her heart swelling to great proportions.

“I may not understand the connection you have to Blake, but I do know you deserve to be happy.”

After they hung up, Poppy sat and watched the orange and yellow flames dance around the wood. Of course not everyone would be as accepting as her mom, but in the end, it didn’t matter what others thought. The sound of the front door opening and closing had her standing and turning to watch Blake step into the living room.

She had taken the Yukon home, which meant Maggie had given him yet another ride, but Poppy wouldn’t let her worry and jealousy over the other woman’s intentions soil how she felt at that moment. Euphoria was a blissful sensation.

“Poppy, baby, what’s wrong?” He all but tossed his briefcase on the floor and strode toward her. She couldn’t have stopped the tears even if she tried. He cupped her cheeks with his big hands and brushed her tears away as fast as they fell. “Please, tell me what’s wrong.” He thought she hurt, and because of that, he felt her pain.

“I love you.” She wrapped her hands around the back of his neck and lowered his mouth to hers. She kissed him with everything inside her, but still it wasn’t enough. She murmured against his lips, “I told my mom about us.”