Page 118 of Barron's Second Chance
Eden closed her eyes in a feeble attempt to block out the look of despair on Barron's face after she flayed him open with her response.
Why did she stall? Why couldn't she tell Barron what was in her heart - that she had been on that path since he turned up on her doorstep in New York?
Eden’s heart was heavy with anxiety when she left New Haven after a summer of new beginnings. She was treading uncharted waters with Barron, missing him deeply without realizing it - or refusing to admit it. The moment she spotted him waiting for her outside her apartment building, a sense of peace washed over her. The missing piece of her was filled at the feel of his arms around her.
The loud blare of her phone ringing caused Eden to just about jump out of her skin. Although, after sitting in silence for the past few hours, it was a welcome relief.
It had to be Barron.
She snatched up her phone, but her heart sank when she spied the caller ID.
Not Barron.
With a hard swallow, she put her phone to her ear.
"Hi, sweetheart. Sorry to bother you."
"No, Kelly, it's okay," Eden croaked.
"Are you sick?" Her concerned voice rose a fraction.
Eden closed her hand over the mouthpiece of her phone and tried giving a quiet cough and sniff.
"No."
"Oh." Kelly paused briefly. "I've been trying to get a hold of Barron, honey, but his phone's off. Is he there with you?"
Eden bit her lip in worry. His phone wasstilloff. Guilt curdled in her gut that her carelessness contributed to his out-of-character behavior.
"Eden?"
She blinked out of her trance. "N-no-o," her throat still felt scratchy. "He was here earlier for lunch, but he left."
"Oh." Another pause. "Are you sure you're not coming down with something? You sound stuffy."
"No, no, I'm fine. Allergies," she lied. But she couldn't fool Kelly.
"You're crying," Kelly swore. "What did my son do?"
"No, it wasn't him. I promise -"
"But he made you cry?"
"Not like that. Not like you think."
Kelly clucked her tongue. Her tone told Eden that she didn't believe her. But Eden couldn't let Barron take the blame. Not this time.
"It was me," she confessed, biting her lip to keep in a sob. She didn't want Kelly to be disappointed in her, but at the same time, she couldn't lie to her.
"I find that hard to believe, honey," Kelly gently told her.
Eden sat up straight in determination, scrubbing a hand down her face. Barron had done her dirty in the past, yes, but he also apologized over and over again.
He wasn't just all talk. He kept his promise to her that while they were apart, he would always make her feel wanted; loved. But more than that, he also proved to her repeatedly that he saw her - and only her.
It was his actions - calling, texting, video and voice chats, spontaneous visits, bouquets with loving notes, her beautiful necklace - all of that served to allow her to sink into their newfound relationship with comfort and ease. She recognized that. But had stupidly done so too late.
Eden wasn't going to let him keep taking hits when they were undeserved.
