Page 35 of Mended Hearts

I laugh at his reaction. “That’s exactly what I said to your dad the day he ordered it for us.” I chance a glance at my mom, who I never got to talk to about my first love and our experiences. She watches Dylan and me intently, with sadness evident in her somber features.

“And what did he say?” Dylan always liked hearing stories about his dad when he was younger. But as he’s gotten older, it no longer seems to be very important to him. I believe it’s because the older you get, reality begins to fully sink in. You realize life isn’t a fairy tale anymore.

A big smile spreads across my face as I hear Dustin’s voice in my head. Then I say aloud, “Don’t knock it till you try it.”

“And did you?”

“I did.” I nod.

“And did you like it?”

I scrunch my nose and shake my head. “I did not.” I laugh.

“Guess I’ll try it. It can’t be that bad.” He shrugs.

“Whatever you say,” I mumble under my breath.

My mom remains quiet, watching intently.

Fifteen minutes later, I’m feasting on my burger and fries. I cut my eyes to the side, watching as Dylan lightly dips his fry in the chocolate shake.

“Gotta get more than that.” I grab his hand and dip it in more, using his fry as a spoon. “Don’t beskeered,” I taunt.

He stares at it, and I have a feeling he’s going to do so until the chocolate melts off. Then out of nowhere, like it’s a now-or-never decision, he closes his eyes and throws it in his mouth. Mymom and I watch as we wait for a sign. His face remains neutral and eyes closed until he finally swallows. He keeps us anxiously waiting, taking his sweet time. Slowly, his eyes begin to open, and he looks over at me, then at my mom. “What?” He knows what.

“Well, whaddya think?”

“I think it’s not that bad.” He grabs another fry, dips it, and then tosses it into his mouth.

I smile over at my mom and Dylan, who are now talking about the Atlanta Braves, his favorite baseball team. That’s where my parents live now and apparently, they have season tickets.

My phone rings, and I instantly smile. “Hey, Lynsie.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

ECHO

Walking into the house that holds so many memories hits harder than expected. It could be the emotional turmoil swirling within me, making me a mess of unending nerves. I feel as if I’ve walked into a perfectly contained time capsule. Or twilight zone. The same blue and green plaid sofa and love seat sit in the shape of an L in the living room, both still facing the older, non-flat screen TV with the heavy hunter green curtains hanging behind, blocking out the sun. I walk past my dad’s old study, not bothering to inspect it, heading straight for the kitchen. The fruit wallpaper lining the backsplash between the wood cabinets peels in spots as though someone wanted to replace it but thought better of it. The same wallpaper lines the walls of the dining room in a six-inch strip atop the half-paneled portion of the wall. White stove, white dishwasher, and white refrigerator with a loud hum fill in the spaces between the wooden cabinets. As I make my rounds through the house, I cringe when I see the toucan and palm tree wallpaper still in the bathroom. It was bad when we lived here, and even worse now.

It’s as if time stopped the day we moved. I know for my heart, it practically did. I look behind me to Dylan who has been on myheels, staying abnormally quiet. I giggle at the expression on his face as he looks at the bathroom walls in horror.

“You can hang out in my old room.” I gesture down the hall and he walks past me without hesitating. I make my way back to the living room and sit next to my mom on the sofa. She sits with her legs crossed and her hands resting atop.

“There’s a lot I need to fill you in on,” I admit, breaking the ice. “I’m going to wait until Lynsie gets here so I can get it all off my chest at once.”

My mom nods and asks, “I know you’ve mentioned her before, but can you explain to me who exactly Lynsie is and how she fits into all of this?”

“Yes, of course.” I hit my forehead with my palm. “Duh.” I bite at my thumbnail, trying to figure out where to start. “Lynsie and I met at the salon I work at a couple years ago. We didn’t really become close until last year. Her husband, Lincoln, was a pilot along with his best friend, Dax.” I straighten myself and rub my sweaty palms against my jeans. “Lincoln and Dax are both originally from here.” I pause and watch her eyes widen. “But wait, there's more.” I snort, sounding like an infomercial. “Lynsie’s husband, Lincoln, died in a plane crash last year.”

Her hand covers her mouth, muffling her gasp. “The one that you and Dylan witnessed at that air show.”

I nod and swallow down the lump of grief and terror that seeps in anytime I envision that night.

“That’s horrible,” she whispers.

“Yes, it was devastating.” I shake the memory away. “So after that, Dax was pretty much Lynsie’s crutch. On top of losing her husband, she found out she was pregnant.” I smile at the thought of seeing Blu. It’s been so long. “Dax and Lynsie are now together, and they moved back here this past summer.”

“Oh, okay. Well, that makes sense why you’d want to come back to this town. I figured it had something to do with?—”

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