Total pages in book: 105
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101662 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 508(@200wpm)___ 407(@250wpm)___ 339(@300wpm)
My mind was still reeling from seeing Gabriel over the weekend. Seeing Amma made my brain want to simply explode. Not only because our parting was so traumatic for the both of us, but also because seeing her standing there sent my mind straight back to that day. There were many things in life I tried to avoid, but at the top of the list were memories around Amma and the day of the accident.
“Yes,” I said, glancing around the lobby. “Would you like to speak in my office?”
“No, I don’t need much time. I just want to say one thing and one thing only.” She took a step toward me. “Stay away from him, Kierra.”
I shook my head slightly. “What do you mean?”
“I mean exactly what I said just now and years ago. I want you to stay away from my son.”
“Amma, I didn’t seek Gabriel out. I had no clue he was going to be the architect on the build.”
She rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. As if I’d believe that. It just so happened you had no clue who was working on your home building?”
“It’s exactly like that,” I said. “My husband planned it all. I was shocked to see Gabriel at my house this weekend. I can swear to you that I had nothing to do with it.”
She moved her hand to her earlobe and began to rub it, something she used to do whenever she was uncomfortable and uncertain of a situation. I knew this because I knew her. For a long while, Amma was like a second mother to me. She was in the list of my top five favorite humans back then. Unfortunately, favorite human lists could change over time, and people could be X-ed off said lists.
She X-ed me out years ago, and I knew I’d never make it back on that list.
Amma crossed her arms over her chest. “Well, my stance is the same. Stay away from him.”
“I…can’t do that. Especially since he’ll be at our property a lot of the time and I might have to help go over the plans. Listen, I get why this is awkward, especially since Gabriel clearly doesn’t have any memories of me, but I won’t do anything to hurt him.”
She huffed as if she didn’t believe me.
That hurt my heart more than she’d ever know. Gabriel was the one person, apart from Ava, that I would never want to hurt. If I could’ve suffered all the pain in the world to make sure he didn’t suffer any, I would’ve. Which was exactly why I walked away all those years ago—for his and his mother’s well-being. Amma swore to me that my staying would’ve made Gabriel’s life worse, and I believed her. So I did the hardest thing I’d ever had to do—said goodbye to my very best friend. To the other half of my heartbeats.
“Well, do your best not to bring up anything about your past together. It would be detrimental to his well-being. Especially when it comes to Elijah. You will not speak of him,” she ordered.
A knot formed in my stomach.
Elijah.
It was the first time I’d heard another, outside of Rosie, say his name in years. Even though I wrote it down in my journal every single day for years. There wasn’t a moment that Elijah didn’t cross my mind. Yet I felt sick hearing Amma bring him up in such a way.
“Why can’t I talk about him? What if he brings up Elijah in casual conversation?”
“Trust me, he won’t.”
“Why wouldn’t he?” I questioned, fearful of the answer she might give me—the answer I knew was true based on the amount of fear that flashed across her brown eyes. My chest tightened as tears burned at the back of my eyes. Oh my goodness… “You didn’t tell him,” I whispered, stunned.
“That’s none of your business.”
My breath was knocked out of my lungs.
She never told Gabriel about Elijah.
“Amma.” My mind was fighting the urge to go straight into therapist mode with the reveal of that information. “There’s no way you’ve gone this long without telling Gabriel about Elijah.” My mind struggled to wrap around that concept. Because how could she keep a whole brother hidden from Gabriel? There was no way that was possible.
She stood tall, her shoulders rolled back and a look of dismay plastered on her face. “You have no clue what it’s been like for me. Frank left me after Elijah passed away. He told me he couldn’t stick around with me and Gabriel when his son passed away. He couldn’t handle the grief and being with me. I was alone with Gabriel, trying my best. You don’t know what I’ve been through. What you’ve put me through, so how dare you judge any choice I’ve made between my son and myself. You don’t know what it’s been like. You weren’t there.”