Page 61 of Triple Threat
But the room was too quiet, too still, stripped of the life that always followed my mother. That was enough to keep me going, to keep me moving until I got to the other side of the room, where her perfume and jewelry sat, covered in a light layer of dust. One necklace stood out from the rest, and I picked it up, toying with the diamond in the pendant.
“Do you remember this one?”
Chelsea smiled as she joined my side. “Oh yeah. That was her fiftieth birthday, right?”
“Yup, saved up for months to give this to her. And then—” My voice trailed off, unable to finish the thought. It was only months before she died, and she never got the chance to wear it. Tears clouded my vision, and my fist held the necklace tight. “It’s not fair, Chels. We should have had more time. I needed more time with her.”
“I know,” she said as she pulled me into her arms. Her tears flowed just as freely as my own, and we held each other for a long moment, only parting when the doorbell rang.
“Who is that?” I sniffled, wiping my tears on the back of my hand.
“Reinforcements,” Chelsea said, squeezing my hand before leaving the room. She returned moments later, but she wasn’t alone. Victoria, Hadley, Brianna, and Ollie stood by her side, holding out extra boxes and bottles of wine. “Thought we’d all help. And then, you can tell us all about your mom.”
Hours later,we’d filled almost a dozen boxes, marked to keep, donate, or toss in the trash. As we’d gone through all my mom’s things, the stories flowed easier, different items bringing up memories I’d forgotten over the years. Talking about her eased the ache in my chest. For so long, I’d kept her up tight in my heart, rarely talking about the woman who raised me because there was too much pain. But that wasn’t fair—not to her memory, or to me. My mom deserved to be remembered—not for the painful weeks before she died, but because of the life she lived.
“Oh my God, I’m obsessed with this!” Ollie held up a sheath dress from the back of the closet. “Your mom had killer style. Please tell me this is a keep.”
“It won’t fit me,” I chuckled. “But if you want it, go for it.”
She played with the hem. “Are you sure?”
“Absolutely. My mom would want you to have it. Besides, it’s not my style. I’m more of a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.”
“And it works for you.” Ollie winked, tossing the dress onto the bed. Maybe last week, the sight would have ripped a gapinghole in my chest, but now, the dress was just that: a dress. With each box we filled, it became easier to fill another, and now, only the items in the back of the closet and the furniture remained.
Hadley stood up, stretching her back. “Now that the room’s empty, are you going to move in here?”
“Honestly…” I sighed, looking around the room. “I’m thinking about selling this place.”
“Really?”
I nodded. “It’s time for a fresh start, a place where Anna and I can make our own, As much as I loved being here, it’s time to let go.”
“Just you two?” Ollie asked, yelping when Brianna’s elbow collided with her side. “What? You know you were thinking about it too!”
My cheeks flushed. “Jace and I haven’t talked about it. Besides, it’s too soon, right? We haven’t been together that long.”
Hadley shrugged, “Cam and I moved in together after less than six months.”
“It was only about a month for us,” Brianna smirked, shrugging her shoulders. “Time is relative. I was with someone for over a decade and never felt the same type of love I do with Damien. When you meet your person, only you can figure out what works for you.”
I took in their words, trying to let them sink in. The truth was, I wanted more with Jace. Waking up to him every morning was the highlight of my day, especially when he’d give me a rueful grin and pull me under him. My cheeks flushed with the memory, and I turned to the last box marked donations, taping it closed so my friends could drop it off on their way home.
After we loaded the cars, we all said goodbye with tear-filled hugs. Chelsea paused as she grabbed her purse. “Are you sure you’re going to be okay? I can stay if you need me.”
“Go home,” I chuckled. “I’m going to be okay. Plus, I kind of want to be alone for a little bit.”
She searched my face and sighed. “Okay, but promise you’ll call if you need me.”
As she left, I checked on Anna, who was asleep in her crib. She tried to stay up to hang out with the rest of us, helping toss clothes into boxes and getting all of us to clap for her. She cried when I put her down, but you’d never know it now—not with her face relaxed as she slept soundly. Content that she was okay, I moved back into my mother’s room, taking in the now empty space. The room seemed bigger without all my mom’s things, almost cold, stripped of the life she’d poured into it. My fingers trailed over the mattress propped against the wall, bound in plastic to take to the dump later this week.
“Goodbye, Mom,” I whispered, settling down in the center of the room. With my knees curled up to my chest, the tears fell again. Goddamnit. How the hell was there anything left in my tear ducts? But this was a cathartic cry—the one I’d held back for so long. It unleashed that last tether of guilt, the one that kept me chained to the past.
I lost track of time as I sat there, mourning my mom in the place that had meant the most to her. The door shifted behind me, but I didn’t move—not until arms pulled me back, resting me against a chest I knew far too well. Calloused hands held me, letting me borrow a little bit of strength.Summer and spice.Jace. He kissed the top of my head, not speaking as I cried. He just sat there, rubbing his hand down my back.
“Let it out, Kins. I’ve got you.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
