Page 83 of The Rescue

30

Crystal

It didn’t take me long to plan the launch party,everything was pretty much ready to go. Parties in a small town like Crossmackie don’t take months to plan like they would in Boston. There wasn’t much to do apart from organising some decorations. The days were starting to fly by now, and my departure back to America was looming over me like a dark cloud. I didn’t know when I would be coming back to Crossmackie but the thought of leaving Rabbie at all makes my chest ache.

When I came to Crossmackie all those months ago my initial plan was to see Dylan, get the website done quickly, hopefully have a fling with Rabbie, and then be on my merry way. But then I started to get to know Rabbie, and I started to purposelystall on the website to stay longer. I’m not proud of it because Rabbie really needed the website done and quick. I couldn’t leave without seeing where it went with him, and I’m glad I stuck around. I was only intending on being here for a month, but it has now turned into months. Crossmackie has definitely grown on me. Growing up in a small town where the gossip and the chit chat was rife, I couldn’t stand to be in another small town. But the people here are different. They’re kind, and generous. Not once have I seen any malicious gossiping or rumours being spread. And don’t get me started on everyone stopping to say hello to me whenever they see me, whether I’m sitting at my table in Sweet Treats or at The Drunken Duck or even just on the street. They’re always happy to see me, which took some getting used to. The thought of going back to Boston after visiting my family in Tennessee fills me with emptiness. There’s nothing for me in Boston anymore.

My thoughts about the future are interrupted by the fluffball jumping up on the table. I’m up in the flat today, with most of my work done it made sense for me to give up the table for a paying customer. The cat purrs and blinks slowly at me, I try to recoil in disgust but she nudges her head and rubs up against my hand. This cat is relentless, it follows me around everywhere. I keep finding white cat hair all over my stuff. She’s still rubbing her head against my hand when I finally give in and pat her, trying to get her to leave me alone, but she still lingers.

“You’re a pest, did you know that?”

Great, now I’m talking to the fucking cat.

She meows at me, and rolls over on the table showing me her belly. Her big fluffy tail swishes as she tries to paw at me. Silently telling me to stroke her belly.

“If I pet you this once, will you go away?”

Edie blinks at me and wriggles around in front of me. I gently stroke her soft belly and she closes her eyes, purring louder.

“You like that?” I say in a baby voice.

I instantly checked myself, and wondered where that came from. Could this cat be growing on me? Surely not, I hate cats but there’s something there when I look into her golden eyes. Our moment is ruined when an incoming video call pops up on my laptop. She quickly scurries off leaving me to answer the call. I haven’t spoken to my mom on the phone since Thanksgiving day when I told her I couldn’t continue with our relationship with how it was going. She’s sent me a few text messages but we haven’t had a proper conversation.

I haven’t forgotten the look on my mom’s face when I laid out years of feelings I had towards her nitpicking and being overbearing. I never thought she was doing it to be malicious, but the constant belittling and mean comments finally broke me. I’d always bite my tongue and do what I was brought up to do and respect my elders but I needed to set this boundary for my own mental health, and start to heal from it. I hope for our relationship’s sake that she’s going to work at being better and stop trying to force me into being someone I’m not. I’m not the perfect southern woman she wants me to be, I never will be. I take a deep breath and answer the call.

“Hey Mama,” I say with a smile.

“Hey baby girl, how are you?” She asks with a smile.

“I’m good, thanks. Sorry I haven’t had a chance to call you since Thanksgiving, I’ve been busy finishing the website for Rabbie. It’s finally done, we’re going to have a launch party next week so I’ll be coming home the day before Christmas Eve,” I tell her.

She frowns but it’s gone within a split second and replaced with a small smile. I’m holding my breath, waiting for the guilt trip about not coming home sooner, or a comment on my appearance. But nothing.

“That’s wonderful, baby. I’m proud of you, your first website. I can’t wait to see it live. What date will you be returning to Boston, will you be going back for New Years Eve? I know you always have some fancy party to go to.”

The thought of New Years Eve in Boston hadn’t even crossed my mind, and the thought of going out in the city to some pretentious bar doesn’t fill me with excitement like it would’ve done months ago.

I don’t know why but I’m nervous to tell my mom about my recent change of heart and potentially wanting to come back to Crossmackie. I don’t know how she’s going to take it, she didn’t take me moving to Boston well, and that’s still in the states.

“I don’t think I will go back to Boston for New Years Eve. I think I want to come back here,” I say in a panic.

My mom’s eyebrows shoot up, and I can see she’s putting two and two together. The only reason why I would want to come back to Crossmackie would be if there was someone special that I’d want to bring in the New Year with. She softly smiles at me, and it takes me by surprise. I was expecting her to give an unwanted opinion on the topic.

“I’m happy for you baby. He’s a lucky man,” she smiles.

I can feel a goofy grin spread across my face as I think of Rabbie. I can’t believe that me, the commitment-phobe, is falling for someone.

“I’ll tell you everything when I’m home for Christmas.”

“I’m looking forward to it. I won’t put the star on top of the tree until you’re home.”

My heart warms at my mom’s little tradition she started since I moved away. She always lets me put the star on top of the Christmas tree when I come home. I look around Rabbie’s flat and realise he hasn’t got a single Christmas decoration up and it makes me think back to all the times he would’ve wished for a normal Christmas growing up. His flat is too small for a properChristmas tree but I could get him one of the mini ones and put up some fairy lights, and maybe a garland over the mantel. I want to make it look cosy and festive for him. He’s been so busy lately, he deserves to enjoy Christmas too.

“Mama, I’ve got to go. Thanks for the call, I can’t wait to see you at Christmas and have a glass of your famous eggnog,” I blow her a kiss.

“Okay baby girl, I love you,” she blows a kiss back.

“I love you too.”

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