never heard her say the word “ass” or talk in such a rude way, especially to her. It was as if the universe was shifting into another dimension. A bad one.
Looking up at James, she gave him his phone. A part of her wanted to scream at him for treating her and Jesse as if they were children and couldn’t make their own decisions and mistakes, but at the thought of how James might react, her anger boiled down to a simmer. Everything was surreal all of a sudden. She wanted nothing more than to get back in the car and drive until she could shake the feeling.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized to James. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
James let out a sigh. “I don’t want to lose Jesse again when he’s making such a huge recovery. His parole adamantly states he’s not allowed to be in contact with you until he has served his time. Parole doesn’t mean he’s free, and even when he’s released, there will be restrictions for him.”
She glanced at Jesse, catching a glimpse of his eyes. He looked like he wanted to sweep her up into his arms again, but he knew better than to try.
“I understand, Mr. Sullivan. Goodbye.” She finally looked fully into Jesse’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” She walked back to the Mercedes. Climbing in, she stepped all over the candies she had spilled. She started the car and drove away, trying her hardest not to look in the rearview mirror.
VII
N AOMI WENT STRAIGHT TO HER ROOM when she arrived home. Her mother rushed out of her office and followed her up the stairs.
Unsure if slamming the door would be too childish, Naomi left it open and turned around to face her mother. She was still dressed in her skirt and blouse, but she looked much more tired than she had before. It was seven-thirty. She had probably been worrying for the past five hours.
“Why did you let me go?” Naomi asked as she folded her arms.
Her mother folded her arms too, but kept her expression calm. “Because I wanted to see if you would go to him. I want to trust you. I’m trying.”
Naomi looked away, guilt sweeping through her. She hadn’t realized her mother’s trust in her was on such thin ice. “I haven’t seen him for so long,” she explained. “I wanted to see him, that’s all. See him, not talk to him. Then he got out of the truck and I couldn’t help myself. He was so close. I love him. I couldn’t help it.”
Her mother’s expression faltered for a moment, jumping to annoyance and disbelief before she plastered it back to stone. “Love is not an excuse to put his future in danger, as well as yours. Seeing him too soon isn’t good for your recovery. How many times have your counselors told you that?”
“About five-billion,” Naomi snapped, unfolding her arms. “Everyone seems to think enough time will make me fall out of love with him, that I’ll come to my senses and realize he’s a criminal and unsafe, even if he’s served his time and changed. But he’s a person too, Mom, like you and me. He’s made mistakes and he’s trying to change. He deserves a second chance.” She folded her arms again, calming herself down. When she looked into her mother’s eyes, they were glassy. “I feel things for him I’ve never felt for anyone else. How can I change that? How can I just ... stop ... loving someone?”
Her mother thought for a moment as her shoulders relaxed. “I’ve never meant to imply you can’t be with him. I’m saying now is not the right time, and betraying my trust like you’ve done today is going to tear us apart if it keeps happening. Do you want that? After everything people have done to you?”
Naomi took a step back. “So if we tear apart, it’s all my fault?”
Her jaw flexed. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
“Did you tell Dad about this?”
“I told him as soon as he got home, yes.”
“And what does he think?”
Her mother blinked. “He told me to let you make your own mistakes. He’s always been more lenient than me, but I
Looking up at James, she gave him his phone. A part of her wanted to scream at him for treating her and Jesse as if they were children and couldn’t make their own decisions and mistakes, but at the thought of how James might react, her anger boiled down to a simmer. Everything was surreal all of a sudden. She wanted nothing more than to get back in the car and drive until she could shake the feeling.
“I’m sorry,” she apologized to James. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
James let out a sigh. “I don’t want to lose Jesse again when he’s making such a huge recovery. His parole adamantly states he’s not allowed to be in contact with you until he has served his time. Parole doesn’t mean he’s free, and even when he’s released, there will be restrictions for him.”
She glanced at Jesse, catching a glimpse of his eyes. He looked like he wanted to sweep her up into his arms again, but he knew better than to try.
“I understand, Mr. Sullivan. Goodbye.” She finally looked fully into Jesse’s eyes. “I’m sorry.” She walked back to the Mercedes. Climbing in, she stepped all over the candies she had spilled. She started the car and drove away, trying her hardest not to look in the rearview mirror.
VII
N AOMI WENT STRAIGHT TO HER ROOM when she arrived home. Her mother rushed out of her office and followed her up the stairs.
Unsure if slamming the door would be too childish, Naomi left it open and turned around to face her mother. She was still dressed in her skirt and blouse, but she looked much more tired than she had before. It was seven-thirty. She had probably been worrying for the past five hours.
“Why did you let me go?” Naomi asked as she folded her arms.
Her mother folded her arms too, but kept her expression calm. “Because I wanted to see if you would go to him. I want to trust you. I’m trying.”
Naomi looked away, guilt sweeping through her. She hadn’t realized her mother’s trust in her was on such thin ice. “I haven’t seen him for so long,” she explained. “I wanted to see him, that’s all. See him, not talk to him. Then he got out of the truck and I couldn’t help myself. He was so close. I love him. I couldn’t help it.”
Her mother’s expression faltered for a moment, jumping to annoyance and disbelief before she plastered it back to stone. “Love is not an excuse to put his future in danger, as well as yours. Seeing him too soon isn’t good for your recovery. How many times have your counselors told you that?”
“About five-billion,” Naomi snapped, unfolding her arms. “Everyone seems to think enough time will make me fall out of love with him, that I’ll come to my senses and realize he’s a criminal and unsafe, even if he’s served his time and changed. But he’s a person too, Mom, like you and me. He’s made mistakes and he’s trying to change. He deserves a second chance.” She folded her arms again, calming herself down. When she looked into her mother’s eyes, they were glassy. “I feel things for him I’ve never felt for anyone else. How can I change that? How can I just ... stop ... loving someone?”
Her mother thought for a moment as her shoulders relaxed. “I’ve never meant to imply you can’t be with him. I’m saying now is not the right time, and betraying my trust like you’ve done today is going to tear us apart if it keeps happening. Do you want that? After everything people have done to you?”
Naomi took a step back. “So if we tear apart, it’s all my fault?”
Her jaw flexed. “No, that’s not what I’m saying.”
“Did you tell Dad about this?”
“I told him as soon as he got home, yes.”
“And what does he think?”
Her mother blinked. “He told me to let you make your own mistakes. He’s always been more lenient than me, but I
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