Chapter 19 #2
‘Same. Just busy with work. Hey, I was thinking of you the other day. They’re having a concert in the park next weekend. I was wondering if you’d want to go with me.’
What the hell? Does this guy not notice me sitting here? Does he think I’m her brother?
‘Mia won’t be here next weekend,’ Harriott says before Mia can answer. ‘And she’s engaged, so perhaps you could find some other girl to go with.’
‘Engaged?’ He laughs. ‘Is this a joke?’
‘Kurt, these are my parents,’ Mia says. ‘And we were just about to leave so—’
‘You’re not really engaged, are you?’ he says. ‘You couldn’t be. We were going to go out like a month ago. Hey, sorry I couldn’t make it that night. I—’
‘A month ago?’ Harriott looks at Mia. ‘You were going out with this boy a month ago?’
‘No. Mom, it’s not what you think. We’re just friends.’
‘You leave my daughter alone,’ Walter says to the guy. ‘She’s engaged to Jason and they’re having a child soon.’
The guy rears back. ‘Wait—what?’ He looks at Mia. ‘You’re pregnant?’
‘She is.’ I put my arm around Mia. ‘And we’re trying to have some family time here so if you could just . . .’
‘Yeah, whatever.’ He turns and walks away.
Mia looks at her parents and forces out a smile. ‘Well, should we go?’
‘What about dessert?’ Walter asks.
‘I have ice cream at home,’ Mia says, hurrying to get up. She wants to get out of here after that awkward encounter with Kurt. Who is that guy and how did she meet him? Was she really going to date him? How many guys has she dated since that night we spent together?
I feel on edge, my pulse going faster, as I think about Mia with other guys.
I know she’s not mine. I know I have no right to be jealous, but I am.
I don’t even like thinking about her with someone else.
When Kurt came over here and flirted with her, I wanted to punch him.
I almost did, but I knew Mia’s parents wouldn’t be too pleased with that.
On the drive back to Mia’s apartment, Walter nods off and starts snoring.
‘I know it’s early,’ Harriott says to Mia as we get out of the car. ‘But I need to get him to bed. It’s been a long day and he’s tired. And I’m sure you’d like some time alone with Jason.’ She winks at me.
‘Will you come by in the morning?’ Mia asks. ‘For breakfast?’
‘Yes, we’ll be here.’ Harriott leans into the car and shakes Walter. ‘Walter, wake up.’
He rouses and mutters something.
‘Walter, wake up,’ Harriott says. ‘We’re going to the hotel.’
His eyes open and he looks at all of us, finally realizing he was asleep. He holds onto the car as he gets out.
‘Goodnight, Dad,’ Mia says, kissing his cheek.
He narrows his eyes at me. ‘You better take good care of my girl.’
‘Yes, Sir. I will.’ I put my arm around Mia.
‘Goodnight, honey,’ Harriott says, smiling at us as she helps Walter to their rental car.
We remain on the sidewalk, my arm still around Mia, as we watch them drive off.
‘I worry about them,’ Mia says.
‘I know you do.’ I lean down and kiss her head, not even thinking about it.
She looks up at me. ‘Thanks for helping my dad. After he fell in my apartment, I didn’t think he’d be able to make it to dinner.’
‘He was fine. He just needed a little help.’
She softly smiles. ‘Want to go inside?’
‘I should probably get going. I need to go find a hotel. Any recommendations?’
‘You’re not staying with me?’
‘I didn’t think you’d want me to.’
‘Of course you can stay. C’mon.’ She takes my hand and heads to the building.
We go into her apartment and she sits down on the couch and closes her eyes.
‘You okay?’ I ask, sitting beside her.
‘I’m just tired.’ She opens her eyes. ‘I’ve been like this for months. I’ve heard I won’t be as tired later on in the pregnancy, but right now, I have to take naps or I won’t make it through the day.’
‘You want to go to bed?’
‘No, I just needed to sit down.’ She turns to me. ‘Hey, do you think you could help my parents get to the ceremony tomorrow? I have to be there early. My mom knows where to go, but I’d feel better if you were with them, to help my dad if he needs it.’
‘Of course. I’d be happy to.’
‘Thanks. I’m sure they’d be fine on their own, but I’d feel better if you were there.’ She gets up. ‘You want something to drink?’
‘No, I’m good.’ I watch as she goes to the kitchen and fills a glass with water. ‘Mia, I need to talk to you about something.’
‘Go ahead.’
‘Could you come over here?’
She sets the glass down and comes back to the couch. ‘What is it?’
‘I need to apologize for how I acted when you were in Haydon Falls. And I don’t just mean last weekend. I mean every time you’ve been there.’
I pause to let her say something, but she doesn’t. She just looks at me, waiting for me to continue.
‘I keep doing this hot-and-cold thing with you. I know it’s wrong. And I know it’s why you left.’ I turn to her and take her hand. ‘But I swear, I’m going to do better. I want you to come back, Mia. I want you to move into the house with me like we planned.’
She shakes her head, looking down at her hand in mine.
‘What does that mean?’ I ask.
Her eyes rise to mine. ‘I can’t do this, Jason. It’s wrong. I never should’ve suggested it. I’m going to tell my parents the truth. Tomorrow, after the graduation ceremony.’
‘What?’ I stare at her in disbelief. ‘Mia, why would you do that? After everything we went through to convince them we’re engaged, why would you tell them the truth?’
‘Because I don’t like lying to them. And I hate that I caused you and your family so much trouble. I never wanted that to happen.’
‘I know you didn’t. But Mia, it’s done. The story’s already out there. Why not just keep it going?’
‘It’s not fair to you, Jason. You need to live your life. You should be with someone you really want to be with.’
‘I want to be with you. This whole time we’ve been together, I haven’t been pretending.
I felt like we were a real couple. But then I’d remind myself that you were leaving and I’d shut down.
I’d pull away. That’s why I treated you like a girlfriend one minute and like a friend the next.
But I figured that out and now I know what I want. ’
‘Jason, I’m still leaving.’
‘I know you are, but I still want the summer with you. I want to date you, for real, and for more than a night. I want to spend the next three months with you or however long I have until you move away.’
‘Why? If you know it’s going to end, why would you do this?’
‘Because three months is better than nothing. Mia, that night we shared is one I’ll never forget.
The moment I saw you I felt something—something I’d never felt before.
I can’t explain it, but whatever it was, I haven’t stopped feeling it.
’ I look into her eyes, pleading her to do this.
‘I need more time with you, Mia. And if I only get three months, I’ll take it. So will you do it?’
‘I don’t know.’ She pulls her hand from mine and moves back. ‘I think doing this would just make things harder. And what if you pull away again?’
‘I won’t. I’m committed to this. I want to do this, Mia.’
She gets up. ‘I need to go lay down. I’m really tired.’
‘Okay,’ I say, getting the hint she needs time to think about what I said.
She goes down to her room and returns with a pillow and blanket. ‘Is this enough or do you need more blankets?’
‘This is good.’ I get up and take the pillow and blanket from her and toss it on the couch.
‘Okay, well, goodnight.’ She gives me an uncomfortable smile.
I don’t know what happened. We’ve never felt uncomfortable around each other, even when we first met, but something changed. From the time she left my apartment until now, something changed in her and now she’s acting like she wants nothing to do with me.
I guess I deserve that. I screwed up. I thought of myself when I should’ve been thinking about her. I protected myself, when I should’ve protected her.
‘Mia.’ I step up to her and give her a hug. I keep her in my arms for as long as she’ll let me, which isn’t long. I feel her pulling away and let her go, then watch as she goes down to her room.
She’s not going back with me. And I don’t know how to change her mind. I had a plan. I had a speech. I had a ring. But none of that matters now. She’s made her decision.