I’ve been feeling responsible for her well being all along.
“But . . . sorry, that doesn’t really answer my question.”
She cupped her hand beneath my chin and looked at me thoughtfully.
“When I met Nate in the hospital with you, I was so grateful to him . . . but there was something else there. A connection. I know it sounds silly.”
“No it doesn’t, go on,” I urged.
For a fleeting moment I felt like we were two girlfriends, having a sleepover and gossiping about guys.
“When I looked at him to take his card,” she blushed. “I was reminded of how it felt when I met your dad. He makes me feel like me again, and she’s someone I’ve missed for a very long time.”
I smiled up at her. How could I take this away from her? She was so happy with him.
“He’s a good guy, Teagan. He doesn’t have to be your
father.
Just give him a chance to be your friend.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain, Mom. I know he makes you happy. It’s just . . .” I let out a huge sigh. “You know Brynn and I don’t exactly get along, so she gets in the way of my getting to know him better.”
“She’s no cup of tea, that’s for sure. Even Nate has issues with her.”
“Are we moving in with them?” I buried my head beneath her arm, afraid of the answer.
“I’d love to, but no, I’m not going to ask you to move.”
“But . . . then why?” I stammered, bringing my head up to look at her.
“I was just trying to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you, sweetie. Don’t you realize that I’ve missed the way we used to talk to each other?”
I nodded sheepishly, “I miss it too.”
“Do you know how long it would take to list this house and pack all our junk up? This house probably wouldn’t even budge on the market until after your graduation.”
I giggled nervously, realizing my overreaction.
“Did you think we were going to move in this weekend?” she asked.
“If we ever do move in with them, just put me on the opposite side of the house. Better yet, a different floor.”
“She can’t be all that bad.” She smiled, shaking her head.
“Don’t even go there, Mom. She’s evil.”
“Nate thinks it’s the friends she hangs out with, that they’re a bad influence. He’s sort of an expert on all that.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, curling up under the covers.
“Oh, he’s a brilliant man. He has all sorts of theories and ideas on humanity and ethics. Why people are the way they are. It’s amazing he chose the medical field. He could have easily gone into philosophy or history. You know, he even has a theory about that funny scar on your hand.”
My ears perked up the moment the words came to her lips and I clutched my right hand tightly beneath the covers. Only a few, select people knew the truth about my scar. It was pure luck that the fire in the woods burned my hand, camouflaging my mark.
“So, what’s his theory?” I tried to keep my voice steady.
“Just that it looked a little unusual for a scar. He said it actually looks like an ancient brand.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Brand? As in ownership of livestock?”
My mom let out a laugh, “Yeah, I guess so. He said it was similar to a mark of protection he researched years ago, but it’s just coincidence. He said maybe the heavens branded you for protection from the fire, and that’s why you were given the strength to not only survive it yourself, but to save Garreth as well. It’s kind of a nice thought when you think about it. You were both very lucky that night.”
I tried not to think about that night, when I thought Garreth was lost for good. It had seemed his time here on earth, eight amazingly short days, was up. But even though my guardian stayed earthbound, it seemed he was still lost.
Oblivious to my sudden silence, my mother kept on talking about Dr. Dean and his “theories” and how he thought there were answers to everything and everyone; like a blueprint mapped out for everyone since
“But . . . sorry, that doesn’t really answer my question.”
She cupped her hand beneath my chin and looked at me thoughtfully.
“When I met Nate in the hospital with you, I was so grateful to him . . . but there was something else there. A connection. I know it sounds silly.”
“No it doesn’t, go on,” I urged.
For a fleeting moment I felt like we were two girlfriends, having a sleepover and gossiping about guys.
“When I looked at him to take his card,” she blushed. “I was reminded of how it felt when I met your dad. He makes me feel like me again, and she’s someone I’ve missed for a very long time.”
I smiled up at her. How could I take this away from her? She was so happy with him.
“He’s a good guy, Teagan. He doesn’t have to be your
father.
Just give him a chance to be your friend.”
“I’m sorry I’ve been such a pain, Mom. I know he makes you happy. It’s just . . .” I let out a huge sigh. “You know Brynn and I don’t exactly get along, so she gets in the way of my getting to know him better.”
“She’s no cup of tea, that’s for sure. Even Nate has issues with her.”
“Are we moving in with them?” I buried my head beneath her arm, afraid of the answer.
“I’d love to, but no, I’m not going to ask you to move.”
“But . . . then why?” I stammered, bringing my head up to look at her.
“I was just trying to have a heart-to-heart conversation with you, sweetie. Don’t you realize that I’ve missed the way we used to talk to each other?”
I nodded sheepishly, “I miss it too.”
“Do you know how long it would take to list this house and pack all our junk up? This house probably wouldn’t even budge on the market until after your graduation.”
I giggled nervously, realizing my overreaction.
“Did you think we were going to move in this weekend?” she asked.
“If we ever do move in with them, just put me on the opposite side of the house. Better yet, a different floor.”
“She can’t be all that bad.” She smiled, shaking her head.
“Don’t even go there, Mom. She’s evil.”
“Nate thinks it’s the friends she hangs out with, that they’re a bad influence. He’s sort of an expert on all that.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, curling up under the covers.
“Oh, he’s a brilliant man. He has all sorts of theories and ideas on humanity and ethics. Why people are the way they are. It’s amazing he chose the medical field. He could have easily gone into philosophy or history. You know, he even has a theory about that funny scar on your hand.”
My ears perked up the moment the words came to her lips and I clutched my right hand tightly beneath the covers. Only a few, select people knew the truth about my scar. It was pure luck that the fire in the woods burned my hand, camouflaging my mark.
“So, what’s his theory?” I tried to keep my voice steady.
“Just that it looked a little unusual for a scar. He said it actually looks like an ancient brand.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Brand? As in ownership of livestock?”
My mom let out a laugh, “Yeah, I guess so. He said it was similar to a mark of protection he researched years ago, but it’s just coincidence. He said maybe the heavens branded you for protection from the fire, and that’s why you were given the strength to not only survive it yourself, but to save Garreth as well. It’s kind of a nice thought when you think about it. You were both very lucky that night.”
I tried not to think about that night, when I thought Garreth was lost for good. It had seemed his time here on earth, eight amazingly short days, was up. But even though my guardian stayed earthbound, it seemed he was still lost.
Oblivious to my sudden silence, my mother kept on talking about Dr. Dean and his “theories” and how he thought there were answers to everything and everyone; like a blueprint mapped out for everyone since
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