I wipe the tears from my cheeks. I grab the card and rip it open.
On the cover is a single yellow rose on a white background. Next to the rose in an elegant font it says, Thinking of you .
"Why, Mikah? Why me?"
The inside of the card contains a longish note in Mikah's penmanship.
Vivienne,
For reasons I can't explain, I need to be close to you. At least to know you're okay.
I saw something in you that first night that made me think of happier times, times that have long been forgotten.
Seeing your beautiful baby last week made me think about all the things that truly matter in life, and for that I'm grateful.
You give me reason, you give me hope and you give me life. No amount of time will allow me to repay that debt to you, but I'd like the chance to try.
-M
P.S. I know it's not champagne, but I hope you enjoy your cider and strawberries.
P.P.S. Thank you for accepting my gift and for reading my card.
I grab the picture and curl up on my bed, hugging it and sobbing. The picture in the frame is larger than the original. Which makes me wonder where the original is.
As much as I want to accept Mikah into my life, I can't seem to allow it to happen and I don't understand why. I had a panic attack after I kicked him out of my hospital room for crying out loud, but I'm scared.
Despite the fact that he keeps pushing me to accept his help, I'm extremely comfortable around Mikah. Up until now, I’ve only known Riley and the men my mother kept around, so my instinct is to be afraid. But Mikah brings me such comfort. It’s the oddest thing. Somewhere deep down I’m starting to think that not all men can be lumped into the Riley category. Riley stole my innocence and tore up my heart. But Mikah - Mikah seems bound and determined to repair the damage Riley did.
When I smacked him across the cheek, he did nothing more than embrace me, comfort me. He knew instantly what he had done to scare me, and he apologized. Apologized! When I'm the one that hit him!
And in that hospital room, he was nothing but kind and generous. He supported me like no man ever has. He stayed with me and comforted me. He was awed by my baby. And I threw him out. God, I'm such an idiot.
I'm drawn to him, but I can't seem to let myself get close to him. I'm terrified because he gives me so much hope, and I know that if I let my feet float off the ground, I will come crashing back down so hard that I won't recover this time. I'm damaged, I'm broken, and I have permanent scars that not even someone like Mikah can erase.
Maybe Mikah is pure-hearted and has fabulous intentions. He's just picked the one girl on the planet that can't be saved.
SEVENTEEN
On Tuesday I go spend some time with my mom. She’s a little more animated, and it’s kind of nice to see. On my way out I ask the nurse if she’s usually like that - animated.
“No, she pretty much just sits quiet and doesn't say much.”
It makes me feel a little bit better knowing that her level of sedation or animation has nothing to do with me.
I've often wondered if she holds me responsible for how her life turned out. I know that it's stupid to think that way, but sometimes, remembering how she let her men treat me, I wonder if she resented me.
On Wednesday I get to work with about twenty-five minutes to spare. When I step off of the bus, I do a double take, my heart seizing in panic. Across the street, moving away from me, is a skinny man with dirty blond hair who looks a hell of a lot like Riley. I know he’s in jail so it’s stupid to think it could be him, but I scurry quickly into the diner anyway.
Once inside, I see Bartie sitting near the register, his usual spot.
"Hi, Bart," I say. He gets really annoyed if you call him Bartie to his face. He’s about five feet eleven inches and two hundred fifty to three hundred pounds. Garrison's Diner has been owned by his family since the early 1900s and is practically a historic landmark in Minneapolis.
On the cover is a single yellow rose on a white background. Next to the rose in an elegant font it says, Thinking of you .
"Why, Mikah? Why me?"
The inside of the card contains a longish note in Mikah's penmanship.
Vivienne,
For reasons I can't explain, I need to be close to you. At least to know you're okay.
I saw something in you that first night that made me think of happier times, times that have long been forgotten.
Seeing your beautiful baby last week made me think about all the things that truly matter in life, and for that I'm grateful.
You give me reason, you give me hope and you give me life. No amount of time will allow me to repay that debt to you, but I'd like the chance to try.
-M
P.S. I know it's not champagne, but I hope you enjoy your cider and strawberries.
P.P.S. Thank you for accepting my gift and for reading my card.
I grab the picture and curl up on my bed, hugging it and sobbing. The picture in the frame is larger than the original. Which makes me wonder where the original is.
As much as I want to accept Mikah into my life, I can't seem to allow it to happen and I don't understand why. I had a panic attack after I kicked him out of my hospital room for crying out loud, but I'm scared.
Despite the fact that he keeps pushing me to accept his help, I'm extremely comfortable around Mikah. Up until now, I’ve only known Riley and the men my mother kept around, so my instinct is to be afraid. But Mikah brings me such comfort. It’s the oddest thing. Somewhere deep down I’m starting to think that not all men can be lumped into the Riley category. Riley stole my innocence and tore up my heart. But Mikah - Mikah seems bound and determined to repair the damage Riley did.
When I smacked him across the cheek, he did nothing more than embrace me, comfort me. He knew instantly what he had done to scare me, and he apologized. Apologized! When I'm the one that hit him!
And in that hospital room, he was nothing but kind and generous. He supported me like no man ever has. He stayed with me and comforted me. He was awed by my baby. And I threw him out. God, I'm such an idiot.
I'm drawn to him, but I can't seem to let myself get close to him. I'm terrified because he gives me so much hope, and I know that if I let my feet float off the ground, I will come crashing back down so hard that I won't recover this time. I'm damaged, I'm broken, and I have permanent scars that not even someone like Mikah can erase.
Maybe Mikah is pure-hearted and has fabulous intentions. He's just picked the one girl on the planet that can't be saved.
SEVENTEEN
On Tuesday I go spend some time with my mom. She’s a little more animated, and it’s kind of nice to see. On my way out I ask the nurse if she’s usually like that - animated.
“No, she pretty much just sits quiet and doesn't say much.”
It makes me feel a little bit better knowing that her level of sedation or animation has nothing to do with me.
I've often wondered if she holds me responsible for how her life turned out. I know that it's stupid to think that way, but sometimes, remembering how she let her men treat me, I wonder if she resented me.
On Wednesday I get to work with about twenty-five minutes to spare. When I step off of the bus, I do a double take, my heart seizing in panic. Across the street, moving away from me, is a skinny man with dirty blond hair who looks a hell of a lot like Riley. I know he’s in jail so it’s stupid to think it could be him, but I scurry quickly into the diner anyway.
Once inside, I see Bartie sitting near the register, his usual spot.
"Hi, Bart," I say. He gets really annoyed if you call him Bartie to his face. He’s about five feet eleven inches and two hundred fifty to three hundred pounds. Garrison's Diner has been owned by his family since the early 1900s and is practically a historic landmark in Minneapolis.
Similar Books
