Page 37 of Waiting for Acceptance
Shit.
“Hello.” I take a deep breath, preparing myself for whatever is about to come through the other end of this call.
“Lauren, it’s your mother.” I roll my eyes and drop my bag in the chair next to me.
“Yes, Mother, I know. I’ve had your number saved for quite some time now actually.”
“Well, I just wasn’t sure. You could have me saved as some obscene nickname or not bother saving it at all so you can decline the call due to it being an unrecognized number.”
“Did you need something?” I ask, not having the energy to entertain her dramatics this morning.
“Well, ever since dinner the other day where you mentioned wanting someone in your life, not as much like your father and I than yourfriend’sparents, but someone nonetheless, your father and I have been talking?—”
“It’s a little late to put me up for adoption, Mom.” Even joking about it still stings.
“Your father and I have been talking and he heard that the Henderson’s son, Miles. Do you remember Miles?” I shake my head, my eyes popping in annoyance because does she even realize it is seven thirty in the morning?
“No, Mom, I can’t say that I do.”
“Well, your father and his father got to talking and Miles is still single, he owns his own accounting firm, graduated from Berkeley, and isveryhandsome.”
“Lauren?”
“Yes?”
“Well, what do you think?” This might be the first time I have ever heard my mother soundexcitedwhile on the phone with me.
“Are you trying to adopthim?”
“Lauren Long, can you be serious for one minute. Your father gave him your number and he’s going to be contacting you soon—today even—to ask you out.” The way the end of that sentence sounded like she was seconds away from a cartwheel is alarming, but the fact that my parents are trying to set me up—with one of my father’s business partner’ssonsno less, makes me want to throw up.
“Mom, I have to go,” I say urgently, hoping she’ll think it’s unrelated to our conversation, even though it is solely because of this conversation that I need to get off the phone.
“Okay. Well, let me know what he says. Oh, this is so exciting.”
Beep beep beep.
Not even a full thirty seconds after we hang up, my phone chimes with a text alert.
Unknown Number
Hey there, this is Miles Henderson. I was told there was a lovely lady at the other end of this number that might be interested in a date this weekend? I’m out of town on business right now, but I’ll be back Friday night. Send me an address and I’ll pick you up around 7.
I stand in my office staring at my phone screen, not even having unlocked my computer yet and I already want to scream. I run through a million different responses I could send him, declining the date that’s being forced upon me, then think of all the misery I would suffer at family dinners for turning down someone my parents hand-picked for me from their social group without even a first date. I grip my phone so tightly in my hands that Siri beeps,how can I help?The robotic voice asks and it does me in—I rear back and throw my phone, causing it to crash into a photo hanging on the wall, shattering the glass and dropping to the floor. I’m not even concerned about the noise since I’m the only one here this early. My heart is racing, a cold sweat breaks out over my entire body and I’m trying to think of acalming technique to reel in the anger I am feeling, but my mind is completely blank.
I hold my head, my face settling between my elbows, and fight back the tears about to unleash hell on my makeup. The more I try to steady my breathing, the more ragged it becomes.
“Look at me.” Hands land on my elbows and startle me. I look up and see Fitz. “Breathe.”
“I’m. Fucking. Trying.” My voice cracks as I try talking back to him.
“That’s it, Trouble. Give it to me.” He smirks and it pisses me off.
“Get the fuck out of my office,” I scream at him, pointing to the door.
“Go ahead. Scream at me. Tell me to fuck off. Tell me how much you hate me. But for God's sake, let it out.” Then I do something unexpected.
I slap the shit out of Fitz, immediately gasping and holding my hands to my mouth when I notice he already has some bruising there.
