Page 94 of One More Chance

“Well, I’m sorry to say this, but that’s bullshit,” she says.

“What?”

“You heard me,” she says, reaching into her bowl for her next bean. “That’s bullshit. He resolved the traveling issue. You can go with him. Too soon, too shmoon. Time is no one’s business. Time is a thing not to be wasted. Too soon? What is too soon when we’re talking about love?”

“I don’t know…”

“And another thing,” she says. “Let’s not forget you’ve been separated from Charles, and alone, for a long time. What’s this jumping from one to another nonsense?”

Everything she’s saying seems to be poking holes in everything I’ve said.

“And, baby, listen to me now. This will always be your home. Always. You know that. But home is also wherever your heart is. Now, I know some of your heart will always be here, with us. But where’s the rest of it?” she asks.

I swallow hard, my lips trembling. I can feel another wave of sobbing trying to break through, but I try to hold back.

Nan turns to me, caressing my cheek with her hand so gently, it’s nearly feather-like. “And I think she’s gonna tell you the same thing,” she says, nodding her head toward the driveway.

I’ve been so distracted, I didn’t hear the car pull up. I look to find my sister hopping out of the passenger seat before the car even comes to a complete stop. She runs up on the porch and I nearly trip as I set the bowl down and leap toward her, wrapping my arms around her for a long embrace.

“Lyla,” I manage to say between sobs.

“Oh, baby sister,” she whispers into my hair. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too,” I say.

“Okay,” she says. “Let’s go get this whole mess sorted out over some ice cream.” Lyla looks back at Gentry and he waves, nodding his head as he collects their bags from the trunk of their rental.

“I’ll just be home if you need me,” he says, passing the bags over to their truck and hopping in, presumably to drive back to their cabin.

* * *

Having replayedin detail all that transpired between me and Jensen, I curl into a ball in my bed, my head resting in Lyla’s lap. On the phone, when I told her what happened before, I had to skip a lot. I gave her the abridged version. This time, however, she got the fullest picture I could paint.

“Damn,” she says.

“Damn? All that and all you have to say is one little expletive?”

“Um…” she says, thinking for a moment, “yeah, pretty much.”

A small giggle erupts from my lips, despite everything. “This is serious. I need your help.”

“My help with what? You’ve already made your choice, haven’t you?”

“I don’t know. Healing?”

Lyla looks down at me, curiosity playing across her features. She arches an eyebrow, pensive. “I think you want me to tell you that you made the right choice. I think you want me to validate what you did, to reassure you.”

“No,” I snap. “I mean, maybe a little.” Maybe a lot.

“Well, I can’t do that,” she says, folding her arms over her chest.

Sitting up, I reach for the tub of ice cream on my side table and dig my spoon in. If I was going to hear this, I was going to be medicated while I did. “Because?” I ask, shoveling a scoop of chocolate chip cookie dough into my mouth.

“Listen, Harper,” she starts, “I can tell you that you made the safe choice. I can tell you that you made the easy choice. But the right choice? I’m not so sure. Because deep down, I think you love him. And deep down that scares the shit out of you.”

I scoff, making a noise in my throat that isn’t even words.

“I’ve never seen you more yourself than when you were with him. Gentry even said so. You were so vibrant and happy when Jensen was here for the wedding. Seeing you flirt and banter and truly enjoy yourself in a way I never saw with Charles…that’s the Harper that deserves to exist.”

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