Page 128 of Dear Future Husband: You're My End Game

Penny dropped her head into her hands, her auburn ponytail falling over one shoulder as she groaned, “I’m sorry again about how I handled everything that night, Trey, I was just so flustered and I—” Trey pulled Penny into his arms cutting her off.

“You have nothing to be sorry for Penn, that was a crazy night. I’m sorry for how I spoke to you. It will be ok; Maybelle will be ok.” Trey wished he believed that but truthfully, he was slowly dying inside.

He hadn’t slept, barely ate, couldn’t focus on anyone or anything and by the look of the dark circles under Penny’s eyes she wasn’t doing so hot either.

Trey pulled away to peer down at Penny, “Why don’t you go spend some time with Daniel? You have been here almost every day this week. You should go home, take a nap and be with him.” Penny swiped at some newly escaped tears, “Are you sure? I don’t want to leave you lonely right now.”

Penny was a saint, and Trey knew that this was the only way she could feel like she was taking care of Maybelle in her absence, by watching out for him. Trey patted Penny’s knee, “Go home, Penn. I’ve got Williams here with me and I’ll keep you updated; I promise.”

Penny nodded, standing from the couch she approached Williams and put a gentle hand on his back. He didn’t even flinch, “Ok, I’ll probably be back tomorrow. I’ll see you both later.” She said giving Williams’s arm a squeeze then exited out the front door.

Trey glanced at the back of Williams’s head, noticing the way his shoulders slumped.

“You doing alright?” Trey asked, expecting the same answer he had gotten all week, a half shrug and more silence.

Instead, Williams spun in the chair to face Trey, his face set, jaw tight, “May I speak freely?” He asked and Trey nodded, a little caught off guard by his sudden need to speak. Williams abruptly stood from the stool and began to pace.

“You know I love Maybelle; I would do anything for her but this whole drama fest she pulled on us pisses me the hell off.”

Williams spun on his heels to face Trey, his knucklescurled into fists, “Her running away like that was dramatic, emotional and downright selfish, if I’m being completely honest. We could be there for her if she’d just let us! We could help her if she didn’t just leave us. Some of us made promises!” Williams hollered, his voice cracking with emotion. Trey remained quiet permitting his friend to grieve the situation because he would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought every single thing Williams was saying.

Williams dropped his hands to his sides, his tone a lot softer now, “I promised Liam… I promised him that I would watch out for her the way he had watched out for me. That I would protect her and never leave her alone to mourn him. But I can’t do that when she’s just gone—” Williams put a pained fist against his forehead, eyes shut tight and Trey waited, patiently. Waited for his friend to say all that he needed to.

When Williams finally looked up his eyes were lined with silver, “I’m sorry, man. I just— I can’t help but feel like I just keep losing people. Like I just keep getting left behind.” He mumbled and knowing what Williams grieved, what his home life had been like growing up, Trey hurt for his brother. Liam Mason hadn’t just been a role model for Williams at a young age, he’d taken the kid in. While Williams’s family had been practically nonexistent during his time in high school, Liam became a brother, he became family. A fact Liam had never told Trey, it Williams who had finally opened up about the impact Trey’s best friend had on his life, just after the funeral.

Trey leaned his elbows onto his knees, folding his hands in front of him, “You have nothing to apologize for. A few days ago, I agreed with everything you said, I was so angry at Maybelle, feeling robbed of my ability to take care of her, and honestly a part of me still is. But then I thought back to when we all found out about Liam.” Williams’s lips formed a tight line with Trey’s words.

“I didn’t talk to anyone for two days. I left my phone off and ran the drills at the track Liam had taught me.” Williams admitted, realization lightening his tone.

Trey nodded, “I hid in my room and didn’t sleep for almost thirty-six hours. It was an effort getting myself to the hospital to check in on Maybelle those first two weeks, her face just kept reminding me of what happened to Liam.” Trey covered his mouth with a fist, “We need to remember that Maybelle never got the chance to grieve him, grieve her mom. To hide away and just work through the pain of it all. Now it’s all crashing back on top of her. I wouldn’t be surprised if she needed a month alone to work through it all.”

Trey shook his head, stomach sick with the thought of her being away and alone for a month, feeling the pain and heartbreak all by herself.

Williams nodded, “Yeah, but everyone wants to be where they feel at home when they are hurting like that. A place they can be to safely feel all the hurt. That’s why I had gone to the field. Why wouldn’t Maybelle come home, to us?” He asked and Trey really considered this.

“I mean, she did. She ran home to my mom.” He supplied, but why wouldn’t she stay? Where else would she go to feel safe, to be at home?

That’s when it hit, and Trey felt like he had been back handed with the understanding as he launched from the couch.

“Holy shit. She went home.” He exclaimed, heart rioting in his chest. Trey was up and racing to his room. Williams trailed in behind him. Trey grabbed a bag, shoved a hand full of clothing in, got whatever essentials were accessible, then snatched a box from under his bed he had been saving for a day, like today. He shoved everything into the bag then whipped it over his shoulder.

“I thought your mom said Maybelle left and wasn’thome.” Williams countered as he followed Trey back into the kitchen.

Trey opened the pantry and pulled out an empty box of pop tarts. He shot a glare at Williams who shrugged, “I ate my feelings this week.”

Trey huffed then pulled his phone out and dialed up Penny, she answered almost immediately.

“Trey?”

“I’m sorry Penn, I need a ride.” Trey panted, racing out the front door, “I know where Maybelle is.”

41 Mom, Goals, Promises

Mom, she needed mom, was all Maybelle could think as she tumbled into Trey’s Jeep and sped down the road. She didn’t think where, why or how she just knew she needed her mom.

But her mom wasgone… she died in an accident, a tragedy. So did Liam.

Maybelle was going to snap, detonate, fracture into a million pieces. She needed help holding herself together as she splintered and fragmented with the flooding grief.

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