Page 68 of Burning Love
It was meant to be a joke, but deep down it wasn’t always so funny.
“I wanted another girl. That part is silly.”
She smiled. “Really? You and I have fought the most.”
“Because you’re the baby and I don’t want to let you go. Which brings me to the other reason.”
“You were lonely,” she said as if it just hit her. “Dad was going to be a career military person and having kids at home gave you a purpose and company.”
“You know I love children and always wanted a lot of them.”
“You didn’t answer me, Mom.”
“Yes. Each one of you reminds me of your father and it helped when he was gone.”
“Until he left and couldn’t come back,” she whispered.
“I know you’re going to move out at some point, but I’m not rushing it. I hope you’re not either. But you will grow your wings and take flight when you’re ready.”
“I pushed to move out for years and I wasn’t ready. Not by a long shot. I’m glad you put up a stink about it. I’ve got a good thing at home. I needed to see that.”
Her mother’s eyes got glossy. “I’m glad you have, but you will still leave someday. Elias will always be close by. I can jump on a plane at any minute and get my fill in New York. When you move out, I might just do that, go and stay for a few months. Life is good for me, Talia. Don’t you worry one bit about me to the point that it hinders your plans.”
“Oh, trust me, I’m not going to let that happen.”
Her mother coughed out a laugh. “I’m not surprised.”
They got to the mall, decided to have lunch first, then hit the shops.
Between the two of them, they were walking out with their hands loaded full of things. Some for the house, more baby clothes that Abby didn’t need for her nephew that would be born in a month, but were fun to buy, and a few outfits that were too cute to pass up.
On their way home, about a mile from their house, she pointed. “What’s that?”
“It looks like smoke,” her mother said. “I can hear sirens now too.” Before she could think twice, she put her blinker on and turned toward it. “Talia, what are you doing?”
“I’m going to see. Jace is working. That’s him.”
“I don’t think you want to do that,” her mother said. “Do you?”
“I’ve seen him at work before. That’s how I met him.”
“But we didn’t have a fire,” Aileen said. “Don’t do this to yourself. You’re going to put something in your mind that isn’t there.”
“It exists. It’s his job. I have to know. I have to see it. It’d be smart.”
At least that was what she was telling herself.
She kept turning down roads until she found where the fire was. It was a home and this was an actual fire. She saw the flames shooting out the windows, the fire trucks there and the men in full gear gathering hoses and running in.
She couldn’t see who Jace was at first with everyone looking the same, but she’d bet anything he was in the house.
“Don’t get out of the car,” her mother said.
She was parked on the side watching the action. There were others outside standing around. Neighbors most likely.
Her fingers went to the handle and the door opened, she moved out without thinking and went outside by her hood to watch the action.
Her mother was right. Maybe she shouldn’t have done this.
