26. Chapter 26
Chapter 26
Echo
" W ho cares what Sierra thinks? If she doesn't behave, Remi needs to set her straight. You're not in a relationship with Remi's mama," Teresa told me.
Since she'd convinced me to stay at GeneVerse, Teresa had become my mentor. She was one of the few people in my life who I trusted with my truth. I had told her about Remi—how our relationship had started, ended, and was now starting again.
I had told Remi that I would come to his parent's place for Thanksgiving, but a part of me was set on bailing at the last minute. He knew that and told me so explicitly. He wasn't planning to let me get away with it.
"You try to bail, I'm gonna hogtie you and haul you to my parents' place."
Teresa was a big wine lover and, according to Dallas, knew enough to work in a restaurant as a sommelier. Since I didn't know a whole hell of a lot about wine, when she and I met for our mentoring sessions, we did so at wine bars.
This time, we were at Knifebird. It was an intimate bar, an elegant blend of modern and rustic. Dim lighting softened the contemporary furniture, with shadows playing off exposed brick walls. It was the kind of place where you could lose track of time over a glass of fine wine, nestled in the midtown neighborhood, a local favorite for its relaxed yet sophisticated vibe.
Teresa and I had settled into a cozy corner with plush velvet chairs that enveloped us comfortably. The small, round table between us was cluttered with a plate of assorted cheeses and our wine glasses, refilled periodically by a discreet waiter who seemed to appear exactly when needed.
We were drinking a bold, aromatic syrah—a recommendation from Teresa, who appreciated a wine with character and depth. It felt fortifying, somehow appropriate for the pep talk I was receiving.
"Echo, listen to me," Teresa continued, her voice firm yet encouraging. "You've got to stand your ground. Remi's family dynamics are not your responsibility. Your only job is to be yourself and support Remi; his job is to be true to himself and be there with and for you."
I swirled the wine in my glass, watching it cling to the sides. "I know, but it's hard. Sierra has always seen me as the poor dirty girl with the crack whore mother from the wrong side of the tracks."
Teresa reached over and gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. " That has nothing to do with you. That was your family, your mother. You, Echo, are a brilliant scientist, someone Remi wants to be with. You have accepted him, flaws and all. You've earned your place at any table—not because of the Drakes, but because of who you are."
"I don't want to come between Remi and his mama."
Teresa scoffed. "Look, I think the world of Dallas, but his wife is somethin' else. She thinks the sun comes up just to hear her crow. And if Remi isn't fixin' to put his mama in her place because of how she treated you in the past or if she treats you poorly in the future, I say, dump his fine ass and move on. He ain't worth it."
I smiled sadly. "I'm afraid of that too; that he won't say anything, and then we'll truly be over."
"Ah, sweet girl." Teresa put her hand on mine and squeezed. "You love him."
"So much."
"And he loves you. I mean, everyone at GeneVerse has figured that out by now." She smiled. "We're all gonna be sad when you take him back, and he stops bringing lunch over and those cookies from Ricki's. I'll miss those the most."
I laughed.
"I've forgiven him," I admitted. "No one would have done what he has to get me back if he wasn't sincere. I trust him. I never thought I would."
"He's a good boy," Teresa assured me. "I've known him since he was a baby, and he's a good person. Lani, well, she's under Sierra's influence."
I frowned. "How does someone like Dallas have a happy marriage with someone like Sierra?"
Teresa shrugged. "We never know what's goin' on in people's bedrooms, hon. That's the thing with marriage. People thought my ex and I had a great marriage—and then when we got divorced, they were all surprised. We didn't have a good marriage; we were just pretending."
"Do you think Dallas and Sierra are acting like a happy couple?"
"Maybe. Or maybe Dallas loves her. I don't know. But I'll say this: someone who treats a child the way Sierra did, doesn't deserve a man like Dallas Drake."
"I have so many fears, Teresa. What if I let Remi back in, and he reverts back to that asshole I used to know?"
"And what if death rays from Mars strike you down?"
I burst out laughing.
"You're not a moron, Echo. You're smart. You know people. You know Remi. You're not the confused girl who came to stay with her aunt; you're a force to be reckoned with. Own it, girl."
Teresa raised her wine glass, and I clinked mine against hers.
I took a sip of my wine, letting the rich flavor mellow my rising anxiety. Teresa was right; I had come a long way from the insecure girl I used to be. Remi had changed, too; he worked hard and was still working hard to become a better person who was, according to him, worthy of me.
"I don't want to ruin Thanksgiving," I murmured, setting down my glass with a soft clink.
"You won't ruin anything," Teresa insisted. "Just go and enjoy the holiday. Let Remi handle his mother. If she steps out of line, it's on him to corral her, not you."
"But if she says something awful, I won't put up with it."
"Good."
"Maybe I should drive myself there," I thought aloud, "in case I need to get away."
Teresa sighed. "You've already decided it's going to be a shitshow."
I groaned. "I don't know what to do. I'm so scared."
"What are you so scared of?"
"That Sierra will hurl insults at me, and Remi will take her side."
"Like hell, he will. The man who's been bringing you lunch, sending you cookies, hand delivering flowers—and begging to introduce you as his girlfriend; he's not goin' to take Sierra Drake's side if she misbehaves. I can guarantee that if she does it in front of Dallas, neither will he."
As I listened to Teresa, the weight on my shoulders lessened, even if it didn't disappear. She had a way of boiling things down to their simplest form, stripping away the extraneous worries and focusing on what was important—my relationship with Remi and my own self-respect.