Page 100 of Building What's Meant to Be

The rain lightens when I go to the boutique. Louella Belle offers to bring me to Toby the Trailer. I’ll stay there tonight, pack up, and call my family. If I have to, I’ll beg them to help me this one last time. Rhondy will understand that I have to leave on short notice. Beatrice too. My new friends, my new life.Boom.Gone.

Just when I’d started feeling like this was home, it’s time to go. This town isn’t big enough for Aiden and me.

Neither my mother nor my father answer their cell phones. I try John and it goes to voicemail, so I leave a message. I gather my things from around the trailer. I’m stuck here—no car, no boyfriend, nothing except this dog who doesn’t leave my side.

He’s a girl’s best friend, all right. I snuggle up with Brave and he places his paw on my hand. Such a good, loyal boy.

An hour later, my phone rings. I jolt, afraid it’s Puma. The scene on Main Street replays in my mind. My breath sticks until I see it’s my brother’s name scrolling across the screen.

“John? The adult lady child needs your help,” I say when I answer. “Thanks for calling me back.”

“Yeah, Mother and Father mentioned you’d called them. When I asked what was going on, they weren’t sure. When I asked why they didn’t know, they said they didn’t answer.”

My chest craters. Is he just calling to remind me they’ve all but disowned me? Is it really just Brave and me?

“Our family situation is a bit muddled, a lot dysfunctional,” he says after a beat.

“Ya think so?” I ask, not glad that’s the case but relieved he sees it now.

He snorts. “Yeah. Sorry for doubting you back at the cottage. I knew the thing about Mother. Tried to ignore it. As for Father, work came with less drama. But I’ve followed Puma Palmer’s case. Obviously, you didn’t have anything to do with it, but Mother and Father don’t see it that way. They think you’ve given the family a bad name.”

“But if they’d let me explain...” The second the words are out of my mouth, it’s like a carrier pigeon flies into my line of sight. Its message says the same thing except replacesmewith Aiden. I let him explain a bit, but didn’t extend the understanding I want from my mom and dad.

“Sure they’ve worked hard, but they’re wrapped up in status. It’s like you were always an afterthought,” John says.

I don’t know whether to cry with sadness or relief. “That’s exactly how I’ve always felt. I just want a family. To love and be loved.”

“I wish things were different, but—”

But I am loved. Aiden loves me. He said so himself. And he showed me that by being my Bubba against Beatrice’s Benjamin. But it was Puma who spilled the symbolic soda on my shirt.

“Listen, I want to help you out. If you need any legal assistance, just give me a call.”

“I need transportation assistance,” I say even though I’m not sure where I’ll go.

“Ah, that’s right. The stolen car. It didn’t even occur to me that was Mother and Father’s BMW when you were at the cottage.”

“I’m still stuck in the small town where I got arrested, but I have no way to leave.” I brace myself for a disapproving scolding.

John says, “I’ll get you a plane ticket and a car service in the morning. What’s the nearest airport?”

Even as the generous offer is out of my brother’s mouth, I feel torn. Do I really want to leave? What’s waiting for me? Where will I go?

I belatedly answer, “Savannah, I think.”

“It’s late. Why don’t you call me in the morning, and we’ll get it sorted out.”

“I appreciate it.”

We hang up, and I gaze into the night. In the distance, the leaves of the trees on the hill leading to Aiden’s house flicker with light.

It isn’t only that I can’t trust him, but he didn’t trust me. Not with the truth of who he is and his job. Not by showing me his house. Not with much at all...except his heart, but was that even real?

For a moment while on the phone with John, I’d wavered, and considered trying to fix things here. I don’t really want to leave Aiden or Butterbury, but what other choice do I have?

I should sleep well having made my decision, but I toss and turn, hot, humid, and miserable.

Sometime in the middle of the night, Brave wakes with a long, mournful howl.

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