Chapter 19 #2
Benny drones on about working at his father's law firm and how he’s taking the bar exam next month. I look around the table and see Hayleigh’s parents listening intently. Thea quietly eats her food and avoids looking at her fiancé, but Hayleigh has her eyes on me.
I mouth to her, ‘Are you okay?’ She nods as her mother clears her throat.
Suddenly, the noise dims in the room as I realise everyone is staring at me.
Awkward.
Morgana steeples her hands in front of her, and it takes everything in me not to laugh because she’s a dead ringer for Mr Burns.
Her voice is glacial as she asks. “Care to share with the rest of us, Nathan? You are aware, aren’t you, of who this family is?”
A bunch of self-righteous pricks, why yes, I do, but of course I don’t say that, but I do want to piss her off a little, so I reply. “Of course I do, you’re Hayleigh’s family.”
Thea sniggers to my left, and Hayleigh tries to hide that beautiful smile of hers, as her mother practically bubbles with rage. I’m surprised steam isn’t coming out of her ears.
She narrows her eyes at me. “It seems we have a comedian on our hands, well, Nate, our family has a certain image to uphold. Now, I don’t know what you think you could offer our daughter, but it isn’t anywhere near what Bennington here can offer her, and quite frankly, I think your time here is over.
You need to leave. Go find yourself some nice plain girl that suits being with a lowly carpenter. ”
Wow, this mega bitch doesn’t pull any punches, but before I can reply, Hayleigh scrapes her chair back, the sound bouncing around the room.
“That’s enough, mother, don’t speak to him like that. Nate isn’t a lowly anything; his work is outstanding, and he owns his own business making custom items; he’s my…” Hayleigh trails off, struggling to finish as the tears build in her eyes.
I don’t want her to feel like she has to do this, so I give her an out.
Pushing my own chair back, I stand, placing a hand to my heart. “Thank you for dinner. Hayleigh, do you have a minute?”
I walk through the dining room and out the door, grabbing my coat from their coat room. By the time I’ve done that, Hayleigh’s waiting in the hallway for me, her arms wrapped around herself.
“Nate, I’m sorry–”
I stride forward and take her face in my hands before kissing her until she’s breathless.
We break apart, and I place a kiss on her forehead.
“Don’t apologise for her, I’m leaving because I don’t want to make things any more difficult for you, but you have to know that if you tell me right now that you want to leave, then we will. ”
She closes as she shakes her head. When she opens them again, they’re full of regret and sadness. “I can’t leave, not yet.”
Even though I know she needs to see this through until she’s ready, it still hurts to leave her all the same, but I don’t show her that. I kiss her softly on the cheek and whisper. “I’ll see you soon.”
**********
Driving away from Hayleigh has to be one of the hardest things I have ever done, but if I stayed, then it would only make things more difficult for her with her parents, and that’s the last thing I ever want to do.
But I don’t drive home, I go to the one place where I know it will make me feel better and right on cue, as I’m pulling up outside, my mum greets me at the door with her smiling face.
“Nate, what’s wrong?” Somehow, she has that mother's intuition that people always talk about.
I sigh. “I’ve just come from visiting Hayleigh and meeting her family.”
She nods. “Ah, I see. Let me guess, it didn’t go well? How is she?”
We walk into the house, but I don’t see my dad. “Where’s dad?”
Mum leads us into the kitchen and points to one of the stools tucked under the island. “Sit. I’ll make us a cuppa, and you can tell me why your face is as long as Blackpool Pier.”
I smile despite feeling like shit. “I had to leave Hayleigh at her parents' house, and it feels fu-udging crap.” I have to stop myself at the last minute from swearing because that’s one of the things May Peterson doesn’t tolerate.
She smirks. “Nice save. Okay, so you had to leave Hayleigh. Did you leave on bad terms or…”
I shake my head. “No, nothing like that, it’s…” I swipe a hand down my face. “Her mother is horrible, but she’s staying for her sister; she doesn’t want to get married, so Hayleigh’s trying her best to get her out of there.”
Mum places a cup of tea in front of me and four chocolate biscuits. She leans on the island, hands under her chin. “She’s trying to fix now what she couldn’t before, and you have to let her do that, or you’ll lose her. She needs to feel like she can stand on her own two feet.”
I dip my biscuit into my cup of tea. “How long will that take?” I don’t look up, choosing instead to concentrate on not letting my biscuit fall.
“I wish I knew, honey, but right now she doesn’t need a white knight, she needs a safe pair of hands.” She pats me on the back as she walks out of the room, right as my phone dings.
Shortcake
I’m sorry for what she said to you, Nate. I’m so ashamed
This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen, for her mother to worm her way inside of her mind. My blood boils at how badly she treats Hayleigh. I’d love nothing more than to tell her where to go.
Me
It’s not on you. Besides, if she told me what she thought of me in a language I didn’t understand, it wouldn’t bother me because I wouldn’t be able to understand it *shrugging emoji*
Shortcake
*crying laughing emoji* you’re so weird, Nate, but thank you
Me
Always remember that family is who you choose to stand beside you…and it isn’t always blood
Shortcake
I needed that *heart emoji*
Me
No, you just need to remember who you are