Twenty-Three | Brody
Twenty-Three
Brody
“ D on’t call me that,” I snarled, refusing to lift my head to look her in the eyes.
She raised her hands in front of her, giving me space like I was a caged animal about to attack.
“Where’s the older guy who works here?”
“He’s out sick. It’s just me today.”
“Fine. I’ll come back another time.”
I shoved the cart off to the side, ready to slam through the door to get the hell out of there when she spoke and stopped me in my tracks.
“I’m sober, Brody. Have been for five years.”
I glared at her reflection in the door as she watched me.
“I know you’re angry with me, but I wanted you to know that. I don’t drink anymore.”
I spun around so fast that I startled myself.
“What—do you want me to say that I’m proud of you or something?” My words were like ice, seeping out of my body like the poison I felt every time I thought about her.
“No. I don’t deserve that.” She pulled her shoulders back and took a deep breath. “No one has more regrets in life than me. I know that I can’t change what happened in the past, and that’s something I will forever live with. But Brody, I’m not the same person I was back then.”
“You act like I care,” I sneered, hating this side of me. But this anger had been living inside of me for so long that it was begging to be set free.
“I’m not asking you to care,” she said softly, stepping out from behind the counter while still giving me my space. “You lost your father, and I know how hard that was for you. I lost my husband. My best friend. I was in a bad place back then, Brody. There’s no way you could understand. But there was nothing, and I mean nothing, that I wouldn’t give to change that day.”
“Well, not drinking at work and passing out drunk would have been a start.”
She rubbed her lips together and lowered her head.
“We can talk about all of the things I’ve done wrong in life, but that’s not going to change anything for you, Brody. You can be as angry with me as you want. But I hope that deep down, you’ll know that I have never stopped loving you. Even during my worst times, you were what brought happiness to my life. And I know I can never ask for your forgiveness, but I hope that maybe we can figure out how to live around each other now that you’re back in Sugarplum Falls.”
Her face was filled with hope as she said the words, but all it did was further solidify the anger that had knotted in my stomach.
“Who said I was back? I came to handle a few things and be done. My life isn’t in Sugarplum Falls. It’s as far away from you as possible.”
I caught a glance at the tear that slid down her cheek before I shoved the shopping cart out of the way and left.