Cursive - By Phoebe Lane Page 0,72

windows rolled down. She needed the fresh air and the caffeine in her system if she expected to survive the next few hours.

She slowed down as she approached the arrivals area, and scanned the crowd of people standing by the side of the road waiting for their rides. She spotted Pam almost immediately and was pleasantly surprised by the fact she hadn't changed one bit in the whole year since Aislynn had last seen her.

"Mom, over here!" Aislynn yelled as she got out of her car, waving her hands up in the air to get Pam's attention.

"Hi!" Pam yelled back as she walked the couple of dozen feet to where Aislynn was parked. "Oh, sweetie, it's so good to see you," Pam said, and embraced her daughter in a hug.

Aislynn took a deep breath, realizing she still craved her mom's love and acceptance, even after everything that had transpired between them. For a moment, Aislynn felt her protective walls crumble down a little.

I've missed her. Maybe it'll be different this time. Maybe things have changed—

"You look so good, except…" Pam said, and trailed off.

Ah, crap. What now?

"Except?" Aislynn prompted.

"Oh, nothing," she said, looking down Aislynn's body. "It's just...those pants are really…interesting, I guess."

Walls going back up now, nice and sturdy.

"Thanks, Mom. You've just made me a hundred dollars richer," Aislynn said under her breath.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" she asked, confused.

"I said, my leg really itches. So, how was your flight?"

"It was long, and I'm starving," she said, loading her carry-on bag into the trunk.

"How about we check you into the hotel, and then go get some lunch?" Aislynn asked.

"Sounds great."

As they took the thirty minute drive to the hotel, Aislynn was happy to let Pam fill up the time with endless chatter. She spoke mainly about how things were going for her back in Texas, her husband's new job, and their new house. Aislynn's mind tuned her out about twenty minutes into the conversation, but was suddenly brought back when Pam mentioned something about abnormal blood test results she had received from her doctor at her last checkup.

"…I couldn't really understand what he was saying, though. But he had me have some additional tests," Pam said.

"Why didn't you call me? I would've been able to explain to you what it all meant."

"You're a psychiatrist, Aislynn. Not a doctor."

Must. Hit. Something. Now.

"I am a doctor, Mom. Remember that place I went to for four years after I came back from New York? Yeah, that was med school."

"Okay, fine. Well, you don't specialize in internal medicine, so you may not know—"

"I guarantee you that I still remember the basics." Aislynn realized her nails were digging into the leather of the steering wheel, and had to concentrate on not ruining her manicure. It was petty, yes, but it was better than focusing on the anger that was building inside her chest. "So what did the doctor say? What were the results of the tests?"

"They all came back fine. He has me taking a baby aspirin every day, and he will run the tests again in three months to see how everything's going."

After dropping Pam off at the front of the hotel and making her way to the parking lot, Aislynn received a text from Ellie.

How's it going?

You owe me $100. It took her five seconds to say something about my clothes.

OMG! Someone give that woman a gold medal. How are u holding up?

I'm not. I swear this is why people drink.

I know wine and I've got plenty of it. You just say the word.

The last text was from Evan. Ellie must have sent the text as a group message. Aislynn's phone rang just as she was typing Evan's response, and a big smile spread across her face when she realized who it was.

"Hi," she said with an exhale.

"Please, don't kill her. I've got wine, too," Jace said, clearly in on the group conversation.

"I don't need wine. I prefer to have you."

"I'm all yours."

Aislynn closed her eyes and took in his words, fighting the urge to tell him what she was really thinking…what she had been thinking and feeling for weeks now.

"Great, now I have to explain to her why I'm blushing and smiling like I'm high on something."

Jace chuckled and added, "There are worse things, you know."

"I guess so. Okay, I have to go, now. I'm taking her out to lunch. Just know you'll be my one and only phone call, so have the bail money ready, just in case."

"Hang in there,