lose the contents of my stomach on the side of the road. My whole body shook and I wrapped my arms around myself as I let the pain overtake me. I would let it in, and then I would let it go. I had to.
By the time I got to my mom’s, I was a snotty mess. I got out of the car and was enveloped in strong arms.
“Hey, Dorkus,” my brother whispered in my ear.
“Robbie?” I leaned back, wiping my eyes.
Robbie palmed my cheek and peered into my eyes. “Who hurt you?”
“Not tonight, please?” I pleaded.
“Clean your face.” Robbie pulled a tissue out of his pocket. I eyed it and lifted a brow. “I haven’t used it,” he assured me.
“Well, can’t blame me for thinking before I touch, right?”
“Nope.” Robbie grinned. “Come on.”
My family was in the sitting room when my brother and I walked in. My sister-in-law, Brit, walked over to me with my newest niece in her arms. I put my hands out and shook my head.
“Let me shower and put some dry clothes on before I touch her.”
“I’ve made coffee, Serena,” my mother chimed in.
“Good. I’m going to need it. I’m starting a book.”
“What’s this one? Butt pirates of the Caribbean?” Robbie winked.
“Yep. That’s the one.” I walked away with a laugh.
~*~
I leaned against the shower tiles and took a deep breath. Hot water cascaded over my back and shoulders as I tried to wipe my mind clean of what had just happened with Jensen. I had to stay true to my word. I couldn’t handle the back and forth.
My heart couldn’t take it.
I dried off and put my comfy pants and shirt on. I stared in the mirror as I combed my hair. My eyes were bloodshot and my nose was red.
“Serena?” my mother called from outside the door.
I opened it and she just stared at me. I must have looked like hell.
“Tell me,” my mother whispered. “You don’t always have to be strong, Serena.”
“Oh, Mom!” I broke down.
My mom took me to her room and closed the door. We sat on the bed and I laid my head in her lap as I told her everything. She didn’t speak, she just let me vent. I even told her about the first time Jensen broke my heart. My family knew of Jensen, they didn’t know what had happened between us. The day he broke up with me was burned into my memory. My coffee was cold by the time I was done, and my mom brushed the hair from my forehead.
“I agree with your godmother. You have to follow this through, Serena.”
“Is this some test to see how much I can take? I don’t think I can take anymore, Mom,” I whispered.
“True love means true heartache, Poulette. Jensen will come to you when he realizes that.”
“I’m not going to just sit around and wait for him,” I said stubbornly.
“I’m sure your brother and sister will have found you a man in a week.”
“I don’t want just any man, Mom.”
“I know. Get some sleep, I will tell your brother you need rest.”
“Good luck with that,” I snorted.
~*~
I watched the shadows on the ceiling of the guest room dance as the storm outside raged. Lightning lit up my room and I let out a strangled scream as a shadow stood in the doorway.
“Damn!” my brother covered his ears.
“Don’t do that!” I practically shouted at him.
My brother gave me his loopy grin and slid into bed with me. I snuggled into him and he held me.
“You okay, Dorkie?”
“Won’t Brit be missing you?” I snickered.
“You’re my sister. She knows we have a bond.”
“Yes, one made up of making bugs fight.”
“I still say that black widow could have taken that scorpion if we’d had a bigger jar.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled.
“We’ll talk in the morning.” Robbie kissed my forehead and climbed out of bed.
“Hey, Fruit Loop,” I whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Love you.”
“Back Atcha.”
~*~
My mom and I sat on the patio out back, sipping coffee and munching on toast with jam. The sun was already warming us and wildlife began to emerge. I really did love it at my
By the time I got to my mom’s, I was a snotty mess. I got out of the car and was enveloped in strong arms.
“Hey, Dorkus,” my brother whispered in my ear.
“Robbie?” I leaned back, wiping my eyes.
Robbie palmed my cheek and peered into my eyes. “Who hurt you?”
“Not tonight, please?” I pleaded.
“Clean your face.” Robbie pulled a tissue out of his pocket. I eyed it and lifted a brow. “I haven’t used it,” he assured me.
“Well, can’t blame me for thinking before I touch, right?”
“Nope.” Robbie grinned. “Come on.”
My family was in the sitting room when my brother and I walked in. My sister-in-law, Brit, walked over to me with my newest niece in her arms. I put my hands out and shook my head.
“Let me shower and put some dry clothes on before I touch her.”
“I’ve made coffee, Serena,” my mother chimed in.
“Good. I’m going to need it. I’m starting a book.”
“What’s this one? Butt pirates of the Caribbean?” Robbie winked.
“Yep. That’s the one.” I walked away with a laugh.
~*~
I leaned against the shower tiles and took a deep breath. Hot water cascaded over my back and shoulders as I tried to wipe my mind clean of what had just happened with Jensen. I had to stay true to my word. I couldn’t handle the back and forth.
My heart couldn’t take it.
I dried off and put my comfy pants and shirt on. I stared in the mirror as I combed my hair. My eyes were bloodshot and my nose was red.
“Serena?” my mother called from outside the door.
I opened it and she just stared at me. I must have looked like hell.
“Tell me,” my mother whispered. “You don’t always have to be strong, Serena.”
“Oh, Mom!” I broke down.
My mom took me to her room and closed the door. We sat on the bed and I laid my head in her lap as I told her everything. She didn’t speak, she just let me vent. I even told her about the first time Jensen broke my heart. My family knew of Jensen, they didn’t know what had happened between us. The day he broke up with me was burned into my memory. My coffee was cold by the time I was done, and my mom brushed the hair from my forehead.
“I agree with your godmother. You have to follow this through, Serena.”
“Is this some test to see how much I can take? I don’t think I can take anymore, Mom,” I whispered.
“True love means true heartache, Poulette. Jensen will come to you when he realizes that.”
“I’m not going to just sit around and wait for him,” I said stubbornly.
“I’m sure your brother and sister will have found you a man in a week.”
“I don’t want just any man, Mom.”
“I know. Get some sleep, I will tell your brother you need rest.”
“Good luck with that,” I snorted.
~*~
I watched the shadows on the ceiling of the guest room dance as the storm outside raged. Lightning lit up my room and I let out a strangled scream as a shadow stood in the doorway.
“Damn!” my brother covered his ears.
“Don’t do that!” I practically shouted at him.
My brother gave me his loopy grin and slid into bed with me. I snuggled into him and he held me.
“You okay, Dorkie?”
“Won’t Brit be missing you?” I snickered.
“You’re my sister. She knows we have a bond.”
“Yes, one made up of making bugs fight.”
“I still say that black widow could have taken that scorpion if we’d had a bigger jar.”
“Whatever,” I mumbled.
“We’ll talk in the morning.” Robbie kissed my forehead and climbed out of bed.
“Hey, Fruit Loop,” I whispered.
“Yeah?”
“Love you.”
“Back Atcha.”
~*~
My mom and I sat on the patio out back, sipping coffee and munching on toast with jam. The sun was already warming us and wildlife began to emerge. I really did love it at my
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