The Day He Came Back
Wow. “That’s amazing. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” His eyes were glassy as he said, “Success isn’t everything, though. I’d trade it all to have my parents back.” He exhaled. “I don’t mean to talk about my father like he’s gone…but…” He sighed. “He was always so strong—my sounding board. It’s hard to still have him but not have that anymore.”
“I understand how you feel.”
“I know you do.” Silence filled the air as he looked at me long and hard. “I’m really glad you’re here, Raven.”***I texted Marni and went straight to her house after leaving the Mastersons. It was nearly 10PM. I knew her daughter would be sleeping, and Jenny worked nights.
“What’s going on?” Marni asked when she answered the door.
I walked past her into the house. “He’s back.”
“What are you...” She paused. “Oh shit. Gavin? Gavin came home?”
“Yes. He’s staying at the house for at least a month.”
“Holy crap.” She moved toward the adjacent kitchen. “Hang on. I need to pour a glass for this. You want some wine?”
“No, I’m good. So glad you’re finding this entertaining, though. I’m freaking out.”
Marni returned to the living room with a glass of white wine.
She sat down on the couch across from me. “So, what’s his deal now?”
“I don’t really know. We had dinner together after my shift ended—after the initial shock wore off, and after he understood why I was there.”
“And?”
“We talked about our parents dying, a lot about Mr. M, obviously, and about our careers. But there was no mention of anything else. We managed to dance around personal stuff.”
She just looked at me for a bit, seemingly in awe. “It must have been weird to see him after all this time.”
“It felt like just yesterday. The way he makes me feel…it all came flooding back. And God, you should see him. If I thought he was handsome back then, he’s ten times more gorgeous. He’s got this chin scruff now…” I sighed. “He’s so beautiful, Marni.”
She looked confused. “I never understood why you broke up with him.”
I was bursting with the need to tell someone the truth. I’d kept it inside all these years, and it was eating away at my soul. With my mother gone and nothing to lose, I let out a long breath. It was time.
Over the next several minutes, I confessed my biggest secret to my best friend.***Marni nearly woke up the baby when she yelled, “Holy shit, Raven. Holy shit! How did you keep that from me all these years?”
“I’m sorry, but hopefully you can understand why I did?”
“Well, considering I might’ve beaten that woman’s ass for threatening you, maybe it was a good idea you didn’t tell me. I might be in jail right now.” She stared off. “I can’t believe you sacrificed your one true love. I always knew you were an amazing daughter to your mom—but this? This is a whole new level.”
“As much as I was in love with Gavin, there was no contest. I couldn’t risk my mother not being able to afford what she needed at the time.”
“This is all coming together now, why you haven’t been able to settle for anyone else.”
“Yep.”
She put her wine glass down and shot up from her seat. “You have to tell Gavin the truth. This is your shot at a second chance.”
“I don’t know if that’s the right decision.”
“Why the hell not? The witch is dead.”
“Gavin told me that in the years after we separated, his relationship with his mother really improved. He has a sense of peace knowing that when she died, they were on good terms. Pretty sure it would kill him to know what she did.”
“That’s too bad! He needs to know. He deserves the truth, even if it’s hard to take.”
“I wouldn’t even know how to tell him.”
“That’s easy. You say ‘Gavin, I’m sorry to inform you, but your mother was a cunt.’ Then you tell him the story.”
I laughed a little. “It’s not that simple.”
“Simple or not, you have to tell him.”
I felt so conflicted. “Maybe you’re right.”
“I know I’m right.” She sighed. “Look, I’m not saying you hit him with this tomorrow or the next day. But you said he’d be staying about a month? You have that long to figure it out.”
I thought back to how it felt when he held me tonight. I owed this to myself. If there was any chance I could have Gavin back, maybe I needed to take it. How many times in life do you have a chance to undo your biggest regret?CHAPTER EIGHTEEN* * *GAVINThe phone rang at 5AM. I squinted to see the name on the screen. Paige.
My voice was groggy as I answered. “Hello?”
“Hey, baby. How’s it going?” She sounded way too chipper for this time of the morning.
“Well, considering it’s 5AM, I was sleeping,” I teased.
“Oh shit. You’re right. I forgot about the time difference. I’m sorry. It’s been a busy day at the office, and I wasn’t thinking.”