Chapter 17 Hope
HOPE
Next day, it’s lunch time and Marie and I are out to get food.
She goes to the diner and drops me off at a coffee shop for drinks.
This is the place where Sebastian used to work.
She told me how he’d personally make her seasonal drinks and gave her a little extra with her orders.
She always left him tips and he’d send her a smile that would make her bad day better.
Of course, she went into quite detail and I felt like I was reading a romance book with how beautifully and sweetly she described everything. She sounded exactly like someone in love.
Sebastian is special to her. Just as Heath is to me.
At the counter, I greet a teenage girl who passes me a polite smile.
I hand her the note that Heath gave me which has our orders written on it.
He said this way I wouldn’t have to worry about interacting and I’d be fine.
That little act gripped my throat so tightly, I said nothing and instead kissed him and left.
I make a mental note to text him about it.
Passing over the note is far easier than me staring at her and trying to get the words out as my heart beats erratically as if it’s about to die. Black coffee for Heath, pumpkin spice latte for Marie, green latte macha for Sebastian and iced tea for me.
I move over to the second lane next to a woman. She is thin and small, but looks stunning in a pastel pink dress that loosely hugs her frame. A diamond earring blinks at me as she tucks her hair back. I also catch a glimpse of the diamond ring on her finger and the necklace around her neck.
Without a doubt, she is rich.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen diamond in real life.
Dad got mom a simple gold ring that she’s never taken off. Over the years it’s dulled in color which ironically reflects how their love has taken a turn in the past decade or so.
The woman fidgets with her hands like I do sometimes.
Are you okay? Those words sit on the tip of my tongue, but I can’t get them out.
If someone asked me that question I’d run out of here so fast.
So instead, I watch her silently panicking as she waits for her order.
The girl behind the waiting counter sends us a smile. “Your orders will take a while. I’m sorry. We’re a bit busy today.”
“It’s fine,” the woman says softly. “I’m in no hurry.”
I give the girl a nod as I tightly hold onto my book.
“A table is empty over there.” The girl gestures and both of us look at it at the same time. “Please wait. It’ll only take us ten minutes.”
The woman turns her head and I’m met with a pair of blue eyes that look oddly familiar. Warmth and kindness shine through them and as they gaze at me I can’t help but relax under the weight of them—which is something new as I tend to avoid people.
“Come on,” she says with a smile and then walks to the table and sit down.
I take a seat opposite her and place my book in my lap, making sure that the cover is facing downwards.
My stomach rolls in discomfort, anticipating the silence that’ll flow between us but she speaks up.
“It’s lunch break at school, right?” she asks with interest.
I nod.
“Bellmare High?”
I nod again.
“My son goes there.” She gets excited. “You must know him. Heath Travon.”
The world stops moving on its axis and the noise in the cafe drops down to pin drop silence.
I can barely control the tremors dancing on the tips of my fingers.
Oh my God.
This is Heath’s mother.
And she is right in front of me.
What should I do?
She has no idea that her son and I are dating.
I’m a stranger to her.
Also, she is beautiful. Like really beautiful.
Seconds go by as I slowly take her in. Bright blue eyes, sharp nose and thin lips.
A few wary strands of her dark brown hair, the same shade as Heath, frame her face, the rest upheld in a soft bun that showcases her diamond earrings.
She also a diamond flower pendant that sits on her bony collarbone.
The soft hue of pink dress suits her white complexion and makes her look young.
You should see her, she’s thin and weak. Heath’s words echo in my ears.
My attention drifts to her hollow cheeks, the bright flush on her face and the dark circles underneath her eyes.
Even, as a complete stranger, I can tell that she looks exhausted. As if she is carrying a burden and the weight is too heavy for her.
Upon staring long at her I realize. Her eyes hold the same grief as Heath, but where he also has anger, hers only have sadness.
When I don’t say a word, she frowns.
The same frown Heath wears when he’s confused or annoyed at something or someone.
They are so similar.
“Is something the matter?”
I panic. “No! Not at all. I know your son.”
Her entire face brightens up. “Really? I’ve seen two of his friends. Sebastian and Marie. I didn’t know he has more friends.”
I’m his girlfriend.
“We are.”
She quickly leans over the table, her eyes sparking up with excitement. “Tell me about him. How is he at school? Does he have a lot of friends? What are his grades? Does he eat lunch or skip? Is he doing well in classes? What about sports?”
She fires off all these questions and I learn that Heath was right. His parents know nothing about him. Nothing at all.
It makes me sad, really sad, knowing that he truly has been on his own for years. His parents are alive and well but live in another country for some reason.
Anger simmers my blood like boiling lava. Heat envelopes me in a tight embrace.
Instead of answering her questions I want to ask her why she wasn’t there for him? Why she left him? Why she broke something in him?
The only thing that stops me is, it’s not my place to ask those questions and have the answers that Heath deserves to know first. After last night, I know he cares about his parents, despite not wanting to.
When I take long to answer, his mother grimaces. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be asking you those questions.”
“It’s fine, I don’t mind—”
“No, it’s not. I should already know all that and more.” Her voice drops. “I’m a terrible mother.”
I blurt, “You can ask him. I think he’d like that.”
Her eyes shoot up and they’re filled with tears, waiting to spill down her cheeks.
“You really think so?” she whispers.
I give her an encouraging nod. “Yes.”
“I don’t know if he’s told you or not, but we’re back in town and we’re staying.”
“I know. He told me.”
She smiles. “Seems like he talks to you.”
My face turns red. “Sometimes.”
“Does he ever talk about me?”
Under her curious gaze that burns with hope, I fidget with my fingers, not knowing what answer to give her.
Heath wouldn’t want me to meet her let alone talk to her about him. He didn’t introduce me to her which made me feel bad as if he was hiding me. I understand that he doesn’t want his parents to know about any aspect of his life—that includes me. Still, it hurts a little.
I shake my head and her face turns gloomy. I hate seeing that look on her but I can’t break Heath’s trust and tell her things that he’s confided in me.
“I see,” she studies the table. “I lived away from him for all these years just to keep him safe. It was the most important thing to me that he was protected, healthy and alive. There were so many times when I wanted to come back and spend all my days with him but I couldn’t because then he’d become a target.
I thought it was for the good, but turns out it wasn’t. ”
I listen to her closely, regret thick in her voice.
“Heath is my son. He means the world to me. I love him more than anything in this world. Since the moment I learned I was pregnant with him I started loving him. And when I held him in my arms I knew my heart no longer lived inside my chest but inside him. I just wish he knew or I’d told him. Now he hates me.”
She sniffles and her bottom lip quivers.
Everything in me tells me to move forward and comfort her, but I’m a complete stranger to her. Besides, I’m not good at comforting people. I’m barely good at comforting myself.
Still, I open my mouth. “Heath doesn’t hate you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I do.”
Her sad blue eyes meet mine. “How?”
“I just do. You have to believe me.” I try to sound convincing.
“I see,” she murmurs, watching me.
“I know—”
A waitress stops by our table to let us know that our orders are ready and then goes away.
We both stand up. Taking out a tissue from her purse, she dabs away the tears from her cheeks and inhales a long, deep breath. She smiles up at me. “I feel a bit better knowing he doesn’t hate me.”
I eagerly nod. “He doesn’t. You should talk to him. I think he’d love that.”
Her eyes widen and excitement rings in her next words. “Really? Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
We walk to the counter, collect our orders and then walk out. A black SUV is parked at the curb with Derek waiting next to it. When he sees me, he narrows his gaze and then glances at Heath’s mother.
Fortunately, she doesn’t notice that he knows me.
Averting his gaze, he opens the door for her and she moves to get inside but then turns her head and says to me, “You didn’t tell me your name.”
“Hope.”
She grins. “It was lovely meeting you, Hope. Would you come home after school with Heath sometime?”
I’m pretty sure after I tell Heath about this interaction he’d try even harder to keep me away from her.
“I’m not sure. I have a few tests this week that I need to study for.”
“You can study with Heath and when you’re done, maybe you can help me talk to him.” She looks so hopeful.
Seeing that look on her face pulls my heart strings.
There’s no way I can refuse her.
“I’ll try to come,” I reply.
A smile tugs on her lips. “Excellent. I’ll be waiting for you.”
With that she gets inside and Derek closes the door. He then faces me and sends me a mean glare before getting in the car and driving away.
Marie pulls over a minute later and blares her horn to tell me to get inside the car.
I set the drinks in my lap, careful that they don’t spill, then turn to her.
“I just met Heath’s mom,” I blurt out in panic.
Marie’s face pales. “What?”