Page 75 of Third Time Lucky

Dad nearly drops his coffee cup but saves it. ‘Someone else agreed to marry that tool?’

Another nod.

‘That’s not right. Are you OK?’ he asks, quickly looking me over.

‘She broke his nose, Paul. I’m quite certain she can take care of herself,’ Mitzi pipes in, saving me from his worry. ‘You were with Asher yesterday?’

‘We went to Queue to discuss the menus.’

She smiles sweetly, her face wrinkling. ‘Fate may once again be trying to tell you something,’ she says with a slight smile. ‘Again.’

‘Well, as you know, I don’t speak the same language as fate, so please translate it for me.’

She sets down her coffee cup and folds her hands on the table before her. ‘Brandon’s moving on, and you seeing him in a new and even more hateful light might signify that you should let go of any lingering doubts or regrets about him. He is who he is – a wet rag.’

Dad laughs to himself.

‘And if the wedding didn’t prove that, handing over your engagement ring to a rebound girl should.’ Mitzi reaches across the table and covers my hand with hers, her touch grounding me.

‘I know. It was just – hurtful. Like one more knife to my back, ya know?’

Mitzi nods her head slowly, sipping her coffee. ‘Letting go doesn’t mean erasing the past, dear; it means making space for new beginnings.’

‘Mom’s right, Lucy. Life is too short to let ghosts hold you back, sweetie. Embrace the present and look forward to the future,’ Dad says, nodding in agreement, his eyes reflecting understanding.

Neither of them realizes how fitting their words are. I don’t have to forget where I’ve been or what I’ve learned. I just need to pave a new path, so making trips down memory lane isn’t as easy.

I take the final sip of my coffee, a sense of clarity washing over me like the morning sunlight filling the room. Perhaps it’s time to heed their advice and truly start looking forward. What might a future without the shadows of yesterday clouding my vision look like? I think I want to find out.

Dad gets up from his seat, stretching his arms above his head. ‘Well, on that note, I should really get going. Work beckons.’

Mitzi stands up as well, tightening her robe around her. ‘Thank you for stopping by, Paul. It’s always a pleasure to have my baby boy here.’

The two briefly hug as she sees him out, closing the door behind him. Then she turns to me.

‘Have you told him?’

‘Told who what?’

She shakes her head. ‘Sweet girl, you do not play an idiot well.Asher,’ she says. ‘Have you told him how you feel?’

I’m caught off guard a little. ‘How do you think I feel?’

She fixes me with a knowing look. ‘More than you’re letting on, dear.’

‘I dunno… he sort of accidentally knows I’m attracted to him, and we have fun together. I don’t know what I’d say, really. “Hey, I’m a mess, wanna fall for that?” Seems like that might scare him off.’

‘Sometimes the heart knows before the mind catches up,’ she says sweetly. ‘You’ll figure it out.’

I exhale slowly, the weight of emotions pressing down on me.

‘I’m not sure if now’s the right time anyway… He’s busy opening a restaurant, and I don’t want to distract him.’

Mitzi places a gentle hand on my shoulder, her touch comforting. ‘Darling, there’s never a perfect time for matters of the heart. But there comes a point when holding back becomes heavier than taking the leap.’

‘What if my feelings change everything between us?’ I ask.

‘It happens to the best of us.’ She offers me a reassuring smile. ‘Love has a way of reshaping our world in ways we never expect. And sometimes, it’s worth the risk.’

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