23. Chapter Twenty-Three ~ Brayden
Chapter Twenty-Three ~ Brayden
When I got the call that Mia’s trip didn’t go as planned, I felt inclined to do something special for her. I knew how excited she was to finally see Trent, and how disappointed she was that it didn’t happen after she traveled all that way. So, I rented out the lake house not too far from the cabin and hired event caterers to make it extra special for her.
I wanted her to remember how much fun we used to have on our date nights when we were head over heels for one another. When it came to dates, I was no perfectionist, but for her, I went the extra mile. So, I went all out for her return. I even went out and shopped for her favorite color gown and an expensive pair of high heels for the evening.
A lot of planning went into my surprise for her. A dance; ballroom style. A feast fit for royalty, and gifts; lots of gifts. Not only that, but true intimacy. I had to set the tone for the truth I had to reveal.
I was a nervous wreck the entire day. She and Nick were set to get in from the airport that afternoon, dinner wasn’t until later that evening, but my nerves were all over the place. I decided to stay at the lake house until she got there, that way I could try and collect myself as best I could before seeing her. But it didn’t help. I ended up having to call my uncle for some advice.
“You’re the one who wanted to go this route,” he said. “You can’t turn back now. You just have to trust that you’re making the decision that feels best in your heart and go for it.”
I felt like the best decision was to come clean, but I also felt sick about it. In my heart, I knew there was a pretty good chance that Mia wouldn’t respond well to my honesty, but I had to get it out. It rested too heavily on my heart and mind to keep it in.
“She may be pissed at you in the beginning,” Uncle Joe said. “But in the end, she’ll realize why you did it. And if she loves you as much as I know she does, she’ll come around. If she takes it hard tonight, give her some time to process it and then try again.”
“You make it sound so easy,” I said. “Mia’s rage is even worse than mine at times. That woman can hold a grudge for years if she’s got her mind set on it. I just don’t want her to feel betrayed after we’ve made so much progress, you know?”
“Life is trial and error, kid. Sometimes things are easy, other times they’re hard. Especially when there’s love involved. But always remember, true love prevails.”
I kept my uncle’s words in my head all day while I continued to prepare for Mia. I hoped and prayed she wouldn’t stray away from me again after I broke my silence about the night of the accident, but I wasn't so sure she wouldn’t
Your lady has just arrived. We're getting her hair and makeup in place and then she’ll be on her way.
I got the text from the stylist I hired for Mia right on time. I wanted her to be pampered and relaxed before she came to dinner. So, I hired an entire team to do just that. She got a massage, got her hair and makeup done, was ushered into her sexy gown and heels, and driven to me by a personal chauffeur. By the time she arrived, she was halfway in tears at all the thoughtfulness to make her day special.
I met her at the door wearing a tuxedo the same color as her dress and the minute she saw me, she blushed so hard I couldn't tell if it was makeup, or her cheeks, and the photographer captured the moment perfectly. I wanted her to feel like we were the stars in our own little galaxy.
“What is all of this, Brayden?” she giggled. “You’re going to make me cry and ruin this gorgeous face the girls put on me.”
“Just a little something to make you feel better about Florida,” I said.
Before we entered the lake house hall, we took more pictures and posed for short videos. Although I was still nervous about telling Mia the truth, I can honestly say I felt great about her reaction to my surprise.
“I want us to have a good time tonight,” I said. “There’s also something I want to talk to you about, but before I do, let’s get inside and get this night started on a good note.”
Her expression changed after that. She still looked happy and pleased to get on with the night, but I could tell she was curious to know what I wanted to talk to her about.
“Is everything alright?” she asked as I led her into the dinner hall. “You’ve got me nervous now.”
“Yes and no,” I said. “Right now, I just want to admire having you here at this moment. How beautiful you are, how much fun we’ve had together over the years. I want us to enjoy this meal I had prepared and wind down for a bit. I know you were angry about not getting to see Trent, I just want you to know that all hope isn’t dead, you know? Let your hair down and relax. In due time, everything will work out the way it should.”
I pulled out her chair for her and handed her a glass of champagne when she was settled in. Before I took my seat, I gave her a quick gentleman’s bow, and took a seat across from her. We were sitting like a true king and queen; me at one end of the table, her at the other.
It was a little too far away for me, but for the sake of role playing, I remained in my seat. Besides, I got a kick out of admiring her beauty from afar. It was like looking at a dream that was so close, yet still unreachable.
“This is all so beautiful,” she said. “Thank you for this. It was something I needed after such a disappointing trip.”
“No problem,” I smiled. “I know how much that trip meant to you, and Nick. How was he when you got there, by the way?”
“Oh brother,” she rolled her eyes. “He was a nightmare at first. In the end though, it was him who calmed me down and reminded me that the trip didn’t have to be all bad.”
I was pleased to hear that. I thought for sure They'd get into some kind of argument and Nick would run off and get himself lost in a state he knew nothing about.
“That suit looks nice on you,” she said. “I don’t think I've seen you in a suit since you asked me to prom.”
“Oh yeah?” I chuckled. “I don’t dress up much. I’ve never been a flashy kind of guy. I'm perfectly fine in my t-shirt and jeans.”
Her smile was as bright as ever. The thought of ruining it with my confession made my heart flutter at a speed I had never felt before. The more we talked and sipped, the more I wanted to hell with confessing. But it was too late; I had already mentioned it and I knew she was anxiously waiting to hear it.
I thought about Trent and how he would feel once I told Mia. I knew he would think it was a stupid idea, but he’d be proud that I told her. We always prided each other on being honest men, even when we knew the truth would hurt.
“I can’t get over how beautiful you look tonight,” I said. “I don’t know why, but it’s like I'm seeing you for the first time.”
“Brayden,” “Don’t make me blush. You know how much I hate blushing. I feel like a schoolgirl who doesn’t know any better.”
Man was she gorgeous. The most beautiful woman I had ever seen, and it was much more than just her looks. Mia had a kind heart; a kind soul. She was fun and uplifting. Challenging and unforgettable. Her smile was dazzling and her eyes, the brownest and gentlest eyes you’d ever look into. She was just a pure soul with a genuine heart, and I never wanted to lose that.
“Remember the first time you took me on a date?” she asked. “I thought you were going to faint because you were so nervous.”
“I think I did faint once I got home,” I said. “I had so many butterflies in my stomach I think they sucked all the blood right out of my head.”
“Shut up, you did not,” she laughed. “You weren’t the only one who was nervous. I had never been on a date before in my life. Never even kissed a guy and there you were, making me forget all about the things I had never done. I think after that night was when I gained my confidence and decided to really live my life as my true self.”
That was the moment I decided to come clean. Before either of us got any further in disclosing our feelings, I wanted to lay it all flat; get out in the open. That way, I wouldn’t feel worse than I did if the L word slipped.
“Mia,” I sighed and lowered my head for a moment. “There’s something I need to tell you. Something I should have told you a long time ago. I just didn't know how to come clean about it. All those years we weren’t speaking didn’t make things easier. Not that this is easy to say after all this time anyway.”
She perched in her seat and looked at me with questioning eyes. The fear and doubt I saw wash over her face shattered my healing heart once more. I knew then the minute I spoke my peace, she would leave. It was written all over her face.
“Tell me what?” she asked. “Are you married with children or something?”
I wish that was the case. I felt like it would have been a lot easier to say than what I had to say.
“No. Nothing like that,” I said. “This is about Trent and the night we got into the accident.”
Her eyebrows frowned and she glared at me like she needed me to spit it out immediately. I tried dragging my feet with things to soften the blow that would hit the same regardless of how slow I threw it. Then, I just blurted it out.
“I was driving that night.”
A pause in time cracked through the air like lightning. I felt like the whole world had completely stopped spinning and I was under Mia’s fire, waiting to be crucified. When the pause in time became too intense, I continued my confession to clear up any misunderstandings.
“I should have come clean about this years ago, but it was a pact that Trent and I made to keep it between us. He knew he would be sent away regardless, while I had no criminal record and something like that would ruin my life. I told him to; I begged him to let me tell the truth, but he made me promise not to say anything. Essentially, he sacrificed himself to save me.”
Tears of rage, pain, and betrayal streamed from Mia’s eyes as she listened to my confession. With each word I spoke I could see the cut in her heart get deeper and deeper. When I finished telling her everything about that night, I didn’t know what else to say. I couldn’t say anything.
“So, you’re telling me that there was a chance for my brother to come home and because he made you promise not to say anything, you kept quiet?”
I didn’t respond. I didn’t know how to.
“He was stupid, Brayden! Trent was always trying to be this big macho man who saved everyone, and you let him take the fall for this because of his record? So what if he already had priors, there was still a chance. Had you come clean, he might not be where he is today.”
Her tears didn’t stop and neither did her outburst. She lashed out at me so long and so hard, I thought it would never end. I felt small in my seat; everything she said made sense. I think my Uncle Joe knew it too. Had we gotten Trent a lawyer and told the truth about that night, Trent might have been a free man, and I would have been in his place.
“I’m done.” She got up from her seat and tossed her napkin down on the food in front of her. “We’re over. The amount of sickness I feel even looking at you right now; we will never be the same again.”
“Mia, please.” I jumped from my seat to stop her from leaving. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I wanted to tell you the minute it happened. I should have said something! I just. I don't know. I know keeping that secret was the wrong thing to do, but please just give me a chance to make it right.”
“There is no making this right, Brayden!” she snapped. “My brother’s rotting away in some prison cell with no one there to save him. How can you fix that! I'm done.”