Pulled(65)
Author: A.L. Jackson

Glancing up and down at me, she scowled as if just noticing that I was standing there in nothing but my underwear. Her voice lowered as she studied me. “You’re not alone, are you?”

My lips tightened into a line. I shook my head slowly.

She glowered at me and narrowed her eyes before hissing under her breath, “What in the hel is wrong with you, Daniel? Haven’t you learned anything? God, you’re so stupid. Look at what happened…” Erin’s face paled, her hand coming up to cover her mouth as her other reached out to push me aside.

I turned. Melanie stood in the doorway to my bedroom, clad in nothing but my dark blue shirt. Tears streamed down her face.

Erin looked at me, her eyes wild, shocked, confused, hurt. For some reason, I felt that I had to confirm the obvious, silently nodding as I all owed a smal smile to spread across my face. Erin dug her fingers into my arm. I couldn’t tel if she was angry or faint. They remained silent as they studied each other. Slowly, they advanced toward one another, cautious, each unsure of where the other stood.

Al it took was Melanie reaching out a shaky hand for them to end up in an embrace.

“You two have some explaining to do.” Erin glared at me, probably because I’d kept my reunion with Melanie from her, but her joy was too great for her to hold on to any anger.

I clutched my steering wheel, willing myself to breathe as I watched her drive away from me.

We’d spent more than an hour with Erin. Melanie had sat upon my lap while Erin curled up beside us, Melanie’s hand intertwined with hers. Erin wanted to know everything, bristling as we told her about the events that had driven us apart. It was obvious their wounds would easily heal. There would be no grudges kept, no resentment over what the other had not known.

Erin finally left, but only after receiving a promise that I would join Mom and her in the morning for breakfast. I readily agreed, anxious to spend time with my family and to get her out the door. I was eager to continue the earlier conversation with Melanie.

As it turned out, I was weak and incapable of standing my ground when Melanie insisted she needed to see through what she’d started. I didn’t want to let her go, yet I realized that if I made her stay, it would be against her wil , and I didn’t want to be anything like that ass**le. I refused to be the guy who wouldn’t let her make her own decisions. It left me stuck between doing what I knew was right and what she felt was right.

In the end, I had relented with the caveat that if he hurt her again in any way, that would be it and that we wouldn’t drag this shit out. She promised it was already working as proven by his sudden presence at the Preston’s this evening. She was positive she would only need to stay a few weeks.

The moment she was gone, fear saturated my every thought. Would he be waiting up for her when she got home? What if he hurt her, I mean, really hurt her. I couldn’t even fathom it.

I was on the road to her house before I even realized what I was doing. I had to ensure she was safe. If she felt as if she had to stay here, fine, but she didn’t have to do it alone.

I must have driven faster than Melanie because the garage door had just touched down on the cement behind her car just as her house came into view.

Hopefully, Nicholas was already asleep. It was late, the green glow from the dash displaying “two-thirteen.” Only the trees rustled in the wind, and a dog barked in the distance. Other than that, it was complete and total silence. My mind buzzed as I listened acutely for Melanie. I strained to feel her as she moved around the darkened house. The only light came from two dim lamps il uminating the porch, casting black shadows across the face of the white mansion.

A light flickered on in a downstairs window. I reasoned it was the same room we’d shared just two days ago. Somehow, that gave me a bit of comfort.

I reached for my phone and typed a quick message to let her know I was right outside if she needed me. She responded only seconds later that she was safe and bid me a goodnight. I wished her the same, pressed send, and sent my heart with it, waiting until darkness swal owed the house before I forced myself to drive away.

Erin and Mom tried to keep me sufficiently distracted after they’d coerced me into joining them in their search for a new home for Erin. I just couldn’t say no, not after how unbelievably happy Mom was when Erin had accidentally let it slip about what she’d walked in on last night. It was as if the worry of years had been erased from Mom’s face in one passing moment. Of course, when I had to explain our circumstances, a completely new set of concerns faced her.

I spent the morning as a backseat passenger, only offering my opinion when asked as I followed Mom and Erin from house-to-house and room-to-room.

After what seemed like hours, we headed to the last place on the list. We were exhausted, and Erin was no closer to a decision than when we’d first started. I had blocked out the conversation happening ahead of me as we followed a path across a smal grassy yard and ascended three steps. My thoughts were twenty miles away, wondering what Melanie was doing and wishing that I were sharing it with her. My mind was so far away I didn’t realize Erin and Mom had stopped in the doorway. I rammed directly into Erin’s back because I’d been staring at my feet as I walked across the wooden porch. Startled, I caught her, muttering an apology. I became aware they were both studying me, their mouths slightly agape. My brow furrowed before I glanced around the room. My heart stuttered as I processed the sight in front of me.

I braced myself against the doorframe to keep myself from fal ing.

It was so similar to our little house, but more than that, it felt the same.

Erin fidgeted anxiously beside me, and Mom stood rigid, giving me time. Both knew what that house had meant to me. They knew I had wanted to raise a family there, had wanted to fil it with laughter and love. Instead, I had tainted it with my mistakes, left the bed defiled. I had simply walked out the front door and never returned. Mom had dealt with clearing out my things. She’d kept what she knew I would want, what I would eventually treasure, even if I couldn’t bear to look at them at that time. Then she sold the house to the first person who made an offer. I’d just wanted to be rid of it. It had held all my hopes of a life that was shattered, and I couldn’t bear that it had become a reminder of what would never be.

I felt Mom’s soft, warm hand slip in mine, and I glanced down at her as she nodded her wordless encouragement, tel ing me I was home.

The rest of the weekend proved to be tortuous simply because of Melanie’s absence. With Nicholas home through the weekend, we were left with texts and one quick cal spread out over too much time. By the time Monday morning rol ed around, my spirit was rumbling, churning, reaching out, demanding hers.