“Yes Heather,” a sweet voice answered the phone.
“Mom? What’s this about a date?” Heather fastened her black pumps after her nail polish dried. She returned the small bottle to her dresser, decorated with perfume bottles. Though the news predicted fresh snow, she decided on her black-and-white floor-length strapless gown. “Who is this guy?”
“So you talked to your sister. Between the two of you, it’s no wonder my gray hairs came early.”
“I’m just curious to see who this new man is in your life.”
“What if I asked you the same thing?”
Heather coughed. “What?” Even Tinsel perked up on her queen-sized bed.
“You didn’t tell me how things went with Derek.”
“Nothing. It’s over. We’re getting off-topic Mom—”
“I know you want to protect me, but you don’t have to. It’s my job as your mother to look after you. So, I will ask again. What was wrong with him?”
“We weren't on the same page.”
Her mother sighed. “Sweetie, you’ll never know what it could be if you keep finding ridiculous reasons to dump a man.”
“I don’t—”
“What about Hank?”
“I can’t help that he wanted to move to France.”
“Ronald?”
Heather rubbed her forehead. “He was still in love with his ex-girlfriend.”
“My point is you ended those relationships without giving them a chance.”
She didn’t want to talk about it anymore. “Just be careful, Mom. Promise?”
“I promise. I know what I’m doing. Have you opened the letters yet?”
“No, and I’m not going to.”
It sat with the rest of them in a shoebox in her closet, never to be read.
“Heather?”
“Have fun on your date. See, I can be supportive.”
“I’ll let it go for now. Have fun at the party.”
“I will. Love you.”
“I love you, sweetie.”
Hanging up with her mother, Heather pivoted to face her puppy on her bed. “Am I being unreasonable?”
Tinsel tilted his head to the side.
Heather sighed. Why would she ask about the letters? They came about a year ago. It had shocked her to see his name written on the envelope.
What did she do? She stuffed it in a shoebox, including the ones that followed. Even if her mother forgave him, Heather didn’t have to. Why should she? He left. How did he explain that?