Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Day by day, her mother began to glow again.
The tears finally stopped, and she was able to live her life without thinking about Kurt. What Chloe didn’t want to think about was Eagle.
He’d started to hang around a whole lot more, and she didn’t know if she liked him being near her mother.
Like tonight.
It was a Friday night. Alfie had offered to spend the night with her, and in doing so, Lily had agreed to go out on a date with Eagle, not that she would agree it was a date. Far from it.
“You’re sure you’re going to be okay?” Lily asked.
“Yeah, Mom. I’ve got popcorn, and I think Alfie has ordered some pizza. We’re good. Believe me. We can handle one night of you having fun.”
“I can stay. This is so stupid. I haven’t been out in a long time. I don’t even know why I’m bothering with all this,” Lily said. “The divorce is not final.”
“But it has been signed, and everything is fine. You should go out tonight. In fact, you need to go out. I demand it,” Chloe said.
“Why?” Lily asked. “I was eighteen once, and I remember why I wanted someone to go out.”
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Not like that. I promise you. Never, not in a million years is it going to happen. We’re really good friends. I promise you, I’ll be good, in all things.”
“I don’t know.”
“Trust me, Mom, really, trust me. I just want you to have some fun tonight.”
“It has been so long since I dated.”
“You’ll know what to do. I have faith in you.”
Lily laughed. “I’m the grownup here. I should be the one giving you advice.”
Chloe hugged her mother tightly. “I know, and one day, you will.” She closed her eyes, hoping her mother would have an amazing time tonight. “Go out. Have some fun and know I’m not going to do anything crazy.”
“I know boys that age. They want something, Chloe.”
“I’m not going to give in. Trust me.”
“I know I can trust you.” Lily hugged her again, but this time, the doorbell went. It would seem they’d forever be interrupted with the bell. “There’s no backing out now.”
They made their way toward the door, but her mother made a pitstop at the living room.
“No funny business in my house. I don’t care what you guys are calling it nowadays. Not in my house, understood?”
Alfie saluted her. “You got it.”
“Good.”
Chloe wanted the world to open up and swallow her whole. It was the only way she’d be able to deal with this kind of embarrassment.
Opening the door, Eagle was there, without his leather cut, which was a surprise. He held a bouquet of flowers, and this huge smile on his face. He also looked nervous.
“Lily, you look beautiful.”
“Thank you. Are those flowers for me?”
“Yes.”
“They’re pretty. Erm, I better put them in water.”
Chloe took the flowers from her mother. “I can do that. Have fun.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yes, Mom, I’m sure.”
Lily nodded, but her nerves were still there.
Finally, she made it out the door, and Chloe rested against it, wondering if she should have advised her mother to stay home.
“You okay?” Alfie asked.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Your dad won’t hurt her, will he?”
“No. He won’t.”
“I have a hard time believing that.”
“I know. The only time I’ve seen my dad look so happy is when he’s around Lily.”
“What happened to your mother?” She slapped a hand across her mouth. “Forget I asked. It was so rude of me.” She stared down at the flowers. “I better put these in some kind of water before they die.” Her mother would take it as an omen the date was bad.
Walking past Alfie, she went into the kitchen, putting the flowers in one of the few vases, and filling it with water.
“She left,” Alfie said.
“Your mother?”
“Yeah. From what I know she was a club whore who got knocked up, not intentionally either. She didn’t want to earn herself a patched member, or even a prospect. All she wanted was to have some fun. The idea of a kid terrified her. Once she had spat me out and gave me to my dad, she was gone. Promised to never return.”
“Do you think she ever will?”
“Nah, it hasn’t happened in the past eighteen years, and it never will.”
“I’m so sorry.”
“Why? It’s not like I’ve got anything to compare it to. There’s no memories for me to hate or to hang on to. It’s all a blank for me. Unlike your dad. He’s disappointed you all the time. You have those memories and your hatred of what he’s done. At least I don’t have that.”
“I see your point. I don’t like it, but I see it.”
He chuckled. “Are you going to hug that vase forever?”
“I’m going to take it my mom’s room. I think they’d make her happy to roll over and see them in the morning. I’ll be back in a second.”