As we pulled into her driveway, guilt flooded my stomach. Here I was, telling her to be open with me when I couldn't even tell her about my latest venture. Writing my own book, for once. A dream gone wild one night that spurred on the daydreaming I did of an entire world beyond our eyes. Fantasy. Epic fantasy, with sword fights and magical powers and dragons galore. I’d never been so eager to write in all my life. Every night, I recorded conversations I wanted to happen between my characters. Every morning, I took my ass to the coffee shop and used their computers to type up my character’s next moves.
“Ready to go in?” Rae asked.
I nodded. “Ready when you are.”
I’d tell her in due time.
When she wasn’t struggling so much.
The two of us walked inside and the smells of enchiladas wafted underneath my nose. I heard Luciana humming in the kitchen as I closed the door behind me. My hand slid to Rae’s lower back. I guided her into the kitchen. Though, it didn't shock me that I felt some resistance on her end.
“Perfect timing! Sit, sit. I’m almost done with the rice. Can I get you a drink, Clint? Water? Soda? Juice? Milk?”
I chuckled at Luciana. “Water’s fine. Thank you.”
Her mother smiled. “And you, honey?”
Rae paused. “Uh… soda?”
Her mother giggled. “You sure about that?”
Rae murmured. “I’m not sure about anything.”
The words caught me off-guard as her mother continued to whirl around the kitchen.
I rubbed her back after we sat down at the table. Rae kept her eyes forward, even as her mother set her soda down in front of her. She looked almost dazed. Like she wanted to be anywhere but here. I was worried about her. Especially after that comment.
She wasn’t sure about anything?
Did she also mean us?
“So! How was work tonight, honey?”
Rae nodded. “It was good. Five more shifts, and all.”
Her mother sat down. “How do you feel about that?”
Rae shrugged. “It is what it is. Time to move on, I guess.”
Her mother paused. “You could always take some time off, you know. Postpone school. Stick around here with your old mom for a bit.”
I butted in. “She’s already put in her two weeks.”
Rae cast me a glance. “I’m just taking it a day at a time.”
Her mother sighed. “Well, know my doors are always open for you. Okay, honey?”
So long as you can get your hands on her wallet.
We all dished up our food, but the table was pretty silent. Very tense. Definitely not the kind of family dinner anyone wanted to have. Rae’s mother kept peeking over at me and winking. And whenever Rae looked up, her mother patted her shoulder. Rubbed her back. Tried to comfort her daughter.
“You sure there’s nothing you want to talk about?” Luciana asked.
Rae sighed. “Well, I did have this conversation with my co-worker today.”
I paused. “That new one I saw you with?”
She slowly looked over at me. “Yeah. Pauline.”