Page 134 of Revolve
“Sierra says you’re welcome to come to her parents’ house.”
My mom’s speaking in Turkish, refusing again, saying something about not wanting to ruin my day with my girlfriend. Ada takes the phone again. “We’ll be there. But don’t come. We’ll get an Uber.”
“I’ll send you one,” I say, and I hang up before they can refuse. Ada texts me the address and in minutes I’ve got them in a car.
“She left,” I tell Sierra. “She actually left him, and she didn’t tell me.”
“I think she knew how much it hurt you,” Sierra says. “She loves you, Dylan. But you have to remember she did this for herself in her own time. Sometimes, it takes a while to finally love yourself enough. Maybe that’s what she’s been trying to do this whole time.”
I let her words sink in. When my phone buzzes with a notification, we go downstairs to tell Sierra’s parents. They’re more than happy to meet my mom. They tease Sierra about it being her futuresvekrov.
When they arrive, the sight of my mom lodges something in my throat. I hug them both, and my mom is trying not to cry. She’s just left the life she tried to fix for so long. Sierra and her parents take Ada with them, leaving me and my mom alone.
“Why now?” I ask her.
My mom looks at me, and for the first time in years, I don’t see the exhaustion weighing her down. Despite the tears in her eyes, there’s something else, something like resolve.
“I was scared,kuzum,” she says softly. “I was always taught to hold the family together, to weather any storm, and I tried so hard, hoping that someday it would change. That he’d regret letting himself wander and he’d come back to me,” she says. “But then I saw your face at the vow renewal, and I was so angry when you hit him.”
“I’m s—”
“Angry that he drove you to that. That you felt so helpless that you had to resort to physical violence. I’ve seen your games, Dylan. I know you’d get into fights on the ice, and I brushed it off. You never deserved that,askim.” Her voice cracks, and she glances away, trying to hold it together. “You and your sister are my strength, but I needed to find my own. I’m sorry it took so long.”
I exhale, and it feels like I’ve been holding my breath since I was a kid. “Still, you didn’t have to do it alone.”
“I know,” she whispers. “But I think you’ve spent your whole life trying fix things. It was nice to see you letting someone hold you together.” For a moment, we just stand there, the years of tension and silence between us cracking open.
“I’m proud of you,” I finally say.
Her lip quivers, and it hits me how much she truly had to let go. She still loves him, I can see that, but just one look at her, and she appears stronger. My mom pulls me into a hug, pressing her face to my shoulder like she used to after I had my growth spurt. “Me too.”
When she lets go, I glance toward the kitchen, where Sierra’s and Ada’s laughter echoes. My mom follows my gaze, her expression softening.
“She’s good for you,” she says, her voice steadier now.
I smile. “She is.”
For the first time in years, I feel like the shadows don’t linger. Maybe this is what starting over feels like.
FORTY-EIGHT
DYLAN
ASKING MY GIRLFRIENDif I can hang out with my friends is not something I ever imagined myself doing. I’m not even sure if I have to, but I think it’s the right thing to do. The reason I’m so hesitant, though, is that I’d much rather stay in with her.
After Thanksgiving, my mom insisted I not miss any classes. She has enough to rent a place in Hartford in our old neighborhood, and Ada and I visited earlier this week. Yesterday, Sierra was already there when I stopped by after class, and the sight of her made my heart do that near-fatal squeeze thing.
Now, Sierra is on her stomach, working on her laptop while I lean against my headboard, massaging her feet in my lap, enjoying the small sighs of pleasure she lets out. Her final exam for her forensics class is tomorrow morning, just hours before our performance. She’s stressed, and I can tell, because she hasn’t turned on The Weather Channel today.
After our afternoon skate session, we came back to the house and fell asleep. Now, the guys have texted that they want to play hockey on the frozen pond just outside Hartford.
I text the group chat again.
BUNNY PATROL
Dylan Donovan:What if I bail?
Kian Ishida:I won’t talk to you if you do that.
