“Oh, my gosh,” I whispered.
I rushed out of my room and ran down the stairs. I tucked my phone into my bra and scrambled to get my purse. I pulled it over my shoulder as I ran around downstairs, making sure I had everything I needed.
“Honey? You okay?” Mom asked.
“I’ll be back later, love you!” I exclaimed.
Then I ripped the front door open.
“Be safe, honey! Text me when you get--!”
“I’ll call later, Mom. Bye!”
“Where are you going!?”
I didn’t bother answering her question.
I ran up the street, making my way for the exit of the neighborhood. With a renewed sense of vigor flooding my veins, my legs pumped as fast as they could go. My lungs filled with fresh air as I turned the corner and rushed across the street. I didn’t know how long it would take me to run to Clint’s. I didn't know when I’d get there. I had to talk to him, though. Face to face.
And I needed to do something with this excess energy I’d never experienced before.
Unless I was around him, of course.
38
Clinton
“Hey, Ma!”
“Yeah, Clint?”
“You sure it’s okay that I use your car for the afternoon?”
“Yep! I’m just going to be around here cleaning. And I have another dinner date tonight, so feel free to stay out if you want.”
I grinned. “He picking you up?”
She popped her head into my room. “He is. Why?”
I peeked over at her. “You not wanting me to meet him yet?”
“It’s not like I’m keeping you a secret. But we aren’t at that point where I want to start introducing him to family and all that nonsense.”
“Well, make sure he treats you right. Because if he doesn’t--”
“Yeah, yeah. I know the rundown.”
I smiled. “Good.”
I didn’t know much about this man Ma was dating. Well, other than the fact that they’d been doing dinner a lot lately. She seemed happy enough with him. Which was all that mattered. But the idea of her dating someone she didn’t want me to meet did rub me the wrong way. I knew it wasn’t an insult or anything. Just her taking things slowly. I just didn’t want her misjudging someone and ending up with another man like my father.
Gotta give her more credit than that.
I was envious of her, really. For being able to have the strength to move on like she was. I would’ve never been able to do that. Hell, I was still having a hard time doing that. And I never proclaimed to love my father. There were moments where I wanted to do nothing else except call him. Talk to him. Get some sage advice he’d been holding back his entire life. There was nothing more I wanted than someone guiding me through this life. Showing me the path I needed to carve for myself.
Ma already gave you that advice.
I sighed. I knew I wasn’t being fair to her. I don't know, I guess I was just coping with the idea of never having the kind of father I wanted. The kind of father I needed. And that would take time. Either way, I was looking forward to heading over to Mike’s. I needed some guy time after the shit from this weekend. I was glad he’d called. Though, I’d kind of hoped Rae would have called me by now.