Page 125 of Run
“Yes. She has to, because she knows how much I love you, and if she has anything but fond feelings toward you it will be trouble. She at least has to love you by default.”
“Oh, wonderful.”
I give her leg another squeeze. “I don’t get what’s up with you two. You seemed to get along fine when we were kids.”
Ari just shakes her head. “Nothing. You’re right. I guess it’s just weird after all these years.”
We enter the house to find my mom in the kitchen, stirring something on the stovetop. “Hey, guys!” Setting a wooden spoon down on the counter and coming toward us, she stretches her arms out wide.
“Hey, Mom.” I gather her in a hug before she turns and embraces Ari.
“Hi, Mrs. Walker,” Ari says quietly.
“Oh, how many times have I told you to call me Connie?”
“Sorry.” Ari blushes. “Habit.”
Mom seems to ogle over Ari for a minute, then catches herself. “Gosh, I still can’t believe how you’ve grown up.” She looks over at me. “Both of you.”
Ari shuffles her feet and I put an arm around her shoulder. “Yes, Mom, you’ve said that every time you’ve seen Ari.”
“I’m just admiring your girlfriend. Is that a crime?”
“Nope. I admire her all the time.”
Ari shuffles her feet, clearly uncomfortable. “Is there anything I can help you with, Mrs. Wal— I mean Connie?”
“Yes, actually, do you mind chopping up some lettuce for salad?” Mom heads over to the fridge.
“That, I can do.”
I watch the two of them fall into conversation as they work and decide this is a good time to check on a few things outside. Coming up behind Ari and placing my hands on her hips, my lips find her temple. “Mind if I step outside quickly?” She shakes her head in response, never breaking conversation with my mom. I reach over her to grab a slice of red pepper and toss it into my mouth, and Ari gives me a playful elbow in the stomach.
Chuckling as I walk away, I don’t miss my mom’s grin.
I end up taking longer outside than intended, sprinkling salt down on the sidewalk and scraping some of the ice off the driveway, which involved moving both my vehicle and my mom’s. Returning inside, I head right to the bathroom to wash my hands, and hear Mom and Ari laughing about something in the kitchen, which makes me smile.
The conversation dies down for a moment, and I hear my mom clear her throat. “I need to apologize, Ari. For that day—”
“No,” Ari interrupts her. “You don’t.”
My interest piqued, I quietly cross the living room and stand outside the kitchen, just out of view.
“Yes, I do. When I asked you to leave Ethan alone all those years ago, I thought I was doing the right thing—for both of you. If I had been able to see several years down the road and how good you two would be together, I would have never said those things. And after the attack, in the hospital with Ethan’s broken hand, I just couldn’t think straight. I’m so sorry.”
“What are you talking about?” I barge into the kitchen. “What did you say to Ari? What do you mean you asked her to stay away?”
Mom looks up at me, startled. Her eyes dart between me and Ari. “Oh, Ethan … I was foolish.”
“What did you say?”
“Ethan,” Ari tries to interject, but I cut her off.
“Did she tell you to go to foster care? Is that why you left without so much as a goodbye?” I ask Ari. Her non-response is all I need. I turn to my mom, and her guilty eyes confirm as much.
“Jesus, Mom! Do you have any idea how much that killed me?” I bring a fist to my chest. “And how much more shit Ari endured because of that?”
“Ethan,” Ari reaches for me at the same time my mom starts to cry.
