Give Me Something (28 page)

I laughed. “From the incessant horn he kept blowing, I'd say so.  But, hey, if I can help some lonely trucker get his rocks off then my good deed for the day is done.”

“That was not your best deed of the day,” he said, putting one hand around my neck and pulling my face to his for a kiss.  “Not by a long shot.”  I placed my hand around his wrist as his lips moved to mine to thank me for the memorable ride home.

“
I'd say you're a pretty lucky guy,” I beamed against his lips.  “Most guys only have that happen twice in their whole relationship and you already experienced it twice... in one weekend.”

“
Yep,” he grinned, opening his door and stepping out of the truck. “Pretty lucky.”  The extra spring in his step was comical, as he reconfirmed the power a woman has over a man and his penis.  After climbing out of the truck, I cocked my head and my hip to the side, watching as he frivolously carried about, grabbing my bag from the backseat and greeting passersby before swaggering his way over to me. As my hand found my hip, I gave him a look that insisted he must be kidding with his “king of the world” attitude.  Tucking his arm through mine and around my back, he continued his showboating, raising me up on my toes and dancing me around the parking lot full of people returning from vacation.

“
You're pretty proud of yourself, aren't you?”

He stopped, lowering my feet back to the ground.  “Maybe a little,” he admitted before he kissed the tip of my nose.

“Hmmm,” I murmured, slipping from his arms and grabbing my bag off the ground.  “Don't get too cocky,” I smirked.  “The way I see it, you owe me.”  I leaned in and kissed those full lips one last time before heading into my dorm.  “Big time.”  I shot him a wink as he stood in the lot at a loss for words and watched
me
swagger away.  “Call ya later, babe.”

My mood was shot to hell when I walked through the door of my room and saw a large envelope sitting on the floor.  The handwriting was all too familiar.  Spilling the contents on the bed, I unfolded the paper that accompanied the stack of cash that fell out.

Rae,

I'm sorry for being an ass and for loving you in a way that doesn't make sense.  Give the money to Tucker.  I don't want him thinking I owe him anything.

Nick

Cryptic, much?  What did that even mean?
He loved me in a way that didn't make sense?
  How about he wrote letters in a way didn't make sense?  The good thing was that he gave me the money back that we'd scammed from Tucker.  I grabbed the cash, shoved it in my purse, and was on my way to return it when I opened the door to leave and I found Brynn mid-knock.

“
What are you doing here?”

“
I needed someone to talk to.  This whole thing with Nick is so fucked up.” She pushed her way through the door in her dramatic fashion.  I noticed the circles under her eyes. 
Had she been crying?

 
Despite the fact that I was a bit concerned with her appearance, I really wasn't in the mood for her.  I'd spent the weekend feeling relieved that Nick was gone and reevaluating the idea of remaining friends with her.   Sure, the four of us had a seemingly good time together, up until Nick decided to shove his tongue down my throat.  It was after that that I'd decided I was done being so forgiving.  Brynn was not the kind of person I needed in my life.  I didn't need lying, manipulative people around me anymore.  I needed real friends.

“
You know he was just using me to make you jealous,” she added.  I can't say that I was surprised.  Everything with Nick was a game.  He used me, he used her, and he would use the next one.  “I never should have trusted him,” she began to ramble. “I don't know how you put up with his shit for so long, presh.  He only thinks about himself.”

“
That makes two of you,” I said under my breath.

“
He left, you know?  And he still owes me my cut from the last guy we worked over.”

“
That explains the note,” I said.  “Why are you telling me all of this?  Maybe you didn't notice, but Nick and I are through being... anything.”

“
I know,” she sighed.  “That's why I came over.  I need to explain a few things and really apologize for everything.  I think we need a fresh start.”

“
I think I'm pretty caught up,”  I said, really not wanting to hear the line of bullshit she was about to spew at me.  And as for the fresh start, she still had no idea that mine didn't include her.

“
Please,” she begged, sitting on the bed.  I nodded for her to go on.  I figured I might as well give her the chance to get whatever she was about to say off her chest.  “I really needed the money, Lila.  My parents are still being assholes and I ran out of options.  Nick really did make me an offer I couldn't refuse.”

“
I'm sure he did, Brynn, but here's the thing... I don't care.”

For the first time since I'd met her, she was speechless.

I shut the door and tried to remain calm as I pulled my hand from the door knob.  When I finally let it go and turned to face her, I couldn't keep it inside anymore. “I've had some time to think about things.  I'm sure, in your mind, you have very justified reasons for doing what you did.  Believe me, I know all about it. I used to do the same thing.  But the fact of the matter is, no matter what you say to me today, I can't trust you.  For a split second, I thought that you and Nick were better than the mistakes you'd made.  It took me a minute to figure out that's just not the case.”

“
But I thought after this weekend...” she started, then stood on shaky legs and took a step toward me.  I could see it in her eyes that she knew this would be the last conversation we would ever have. “I thought you forgave me?”

“
I do forgive you because I'm trying to be a better person.  I'm trying to start a new life and that means letting go of the past,” I took a breath.  “That also means saying good bye to you.”

Her shoulders dropped from their usually self-assured position.  She pursed her lips, before nodding.  “I understand.”  The gracefulness in her acceptance was surprising.  There was no over-the-top reaction.  Maybe she could change her ways.

“Consider this weekend our farewell party,” I offered and gave a half-smile, hoping it would soften the blow as I pulled the door open.  I saw the tears welling in the corners of her eyes as she walked out the door.  “Brynn!” I called out, and she looked over her shoulder.  “Good luck.”

She nodded her head, letting a sad smile fall across her face. “I'm really sorry, Lila.”

“I know,” I said as she took her exit.

$$$

“Come to collect what I owe you?”  Tucker raised his eyebrow and smiled over the top of his textbook when I walked through the door of his bedroom.  He started to sit up from his laid-back studying position on his bed.

“
No,” I said and shook my head, taking the book from his hands, tossing it aside, and directing him to remain lying down.  I tucked my body in next to his as he inched over, making room for me on the twin size bed.  I rested my head in the crook of his arm.  As I pulled one of his arms over me, the other one quickly followed.

“
This is nice, too.  I needed a study break.” He took in a breath and kissed the top of my head as we settled in together.  “How's your day been?”

I looked up at him and wrinkled my nose, letting him know that it hadn't been the greatest.  “Long.”

“I just saw you two hours ago,” he chuckled.  “How could it have been that long?”

“
Brynn,” I answered.  “And Nick.”

“
Ahhh,” he said knowingly.

“
Good news is, I got your money back.” I traced my fingers over his chest.  “And, he's gone.”

“
I gathered,” he quipped and looked over at Nick's side of the room.  I rolled on my side to notice that, aside from the posters on the wall, everything was moved out.  “That's a good thing, right?”

“
Yeah,” I affirmed and turned back to him.  “Brynn's gone, too.  Figuratively, anyway.”

“
Sorry, babe.” He returned his lips to my forehead.  “I know she was your friend.”

“
It's a good thing. I've got everything I need right here.”  I said, feeling weightless in his arms.

Chapter 22

Finals came and went. And with Christmas quickly sneaking up on us.  I decided it was time I saw my family.  I just hoped that when I showed up at their door they wouldn't slam it in my face.  I wouldn't have been surprised if they did.  I hadn't even attempted to contact them since I'd left almost five years ago.  When Tucker pulled the truck into the driveway of the address we'd searched online, I was certain that we had found the wrong Greg and Mary Garrison.

“Are you sure this is it?” I asked, looking out the window at the pretty white house.  A blanket of snow covered what I was sure was a well-manicured lawn in the structured, stable neighborhood.

“
This was the only listing with your parents name on it,” he answered, shifting to park and turning the truck off. 

This house was a far cry from the walk-up we lived in on the South Side.  Maybe my dad had been promoted or my mom's painting career had finally gained its footing.  I reached for the door handle and took a deep breath.

  Tucker's hand reached for mine.  “It'll be fine,” he reassured me.  “You'll be fine.”  I shook my head, hoping he was right and knowing that if I wasn't he'd get me out of there fast.  We hadn't taken two steps from the vehicle, when the red front door of the house slowly started to open.  When she came into the light, I felt my heart break into a million pieces as I thought about the last time I saw her.  It was the night I stormed out of my house and told her I was better than the life she'd given me.

“
Mom.” I took a hesitant step forward, waiting for the wreath that hung on the door to be the only thing I saw.

“
Baby!” She quickly closed the distance between us, opening her arms before wrapping them around me.  I felt the tears in the corners of my eyes break loose as I nestled my head on her shoulder covered in blond curls.

“
I'm so sorry,” I sobbed, between ragged breaths.

“
It's okay,” she soothed as she stroked her hand through my matching hair.  When she pulled back and cradled my face in her hands, she narrowed her stare as if to assure I wasn't just a dream.  She wiped the tears from my cheeks with the pads of her thumbs, sighing with a smile at the confirmation that I was really standing in front of her.  As her green eyes gazed back into mine, I noticed the lines that had formed in their corners and despite the forgiving and grateful look in them, I couldn't help but feel guilty for causing her so much heartache.  “Now come inside with this handsome boy,” she said.  She took my hand and motioned for Tucker, who was watching our reunion from a few feet away, to join us.  “I'm sure your daddy would love to see you.”

I felt lighter when the reception from my dad was the same as my mom's.  He pulled me into his chest and squeezed his arms so tightly that I was sure I was going to break in half.  He'd changed a lot since I'd seen him last.  The big, burly factory worker that I remembered was gone.  Now he was thinner and had his hair buzzed short.  His smile was the same, complete with the dimple on his right cheek that he'd passed along to me.  “I'm glad you're home, Lila Rae,” he whispered in my ear.  It took us all a moment to compose ourselves before sitting down in the living room.  My eyes scanned the new home my parents had built for themselves. It was neat and clean, and judging by the pictures hanging on the walls, filled with happy memories.  Happily, I gazed up at them and felt a flood of warmth when I noticed that many of the frames included my face.

“So, how have you been?” I asked after properly introducing them to Tucker.  “I want to know everything.”  I turned to my dad. “Are you still at the factory?”  And I asked my mother before he could answer, “Are your paintings selling?  How's Harry?”  Tucker moved his hand to my knee and with a little squeeze, reminded me to take a breath.

“
Your brother's great,” my dad told me first.  “He actually lives down in St. Louis now.  He's going to school to be a pharmacist.”  I was pleased to hear that my brother was doing well, although I wished he could have been a part of our reunion.  “He's dating a real nice girl. You'd like her.  She's driven and hardworking.  A lot like you.”  I smiled at my father's kind words.  I did put in a lot of hours to get what I thought I needed, that's for sure.

“
I'm actually an art teacher now,” my mother informed me.  “But Daddy had to quit the factory when he got sick.”

Noticing the concern on my face at what my mom just told me, my dad quickly interjected.  “I'm fine now.  I'm feeling really good.  Doc said that I'm in remission,” he added with a big smile.

My mother's expression matched his. “We really need to thank you, Lila.  We couldn't have paid for all those treatments without your help.”

“
You had cancer, Daddy?” I asked in a cracked whisper, understanding the change in his appearance. 
How did I not know this?  Why didn't someone tell me?