I wanted and needed because I knew I was never coming back, I hustled downstairs and into the garage, where my car waited.
“You’re sure?” I asked her one last time.
She nodded her head. “I’m your mother. It’s my job to protect you. Let me do the one thing I’ve been failing at lately.”
There would be no changing her mind. No convincing her to leave. She was stubborn but determined. And at least she hadn’t been drinking. I could tell that much. I gave her a massive hug before telling her I loved her. And then I got into my car and left her there, praying like hell she’d be okay.
How was I going to get through this without completely falling apart?
After I pulled out of the gates and drove far enough away from the house, I swerved to the side of the road, opened my door, and threw up a mixture of whatever was in my stomach and blood from my mouth.
Giving Arizona one last glance in the rearview, I stepped on the gas and got on Interstate 10 toward Los Angeles. I was never coming back here.
He’s Here
Sunny
W
hen I opened up the front door that Christmas evening, I almost couldn’t believe my eyes.
“What are you doing here?” I was so shocked to see Mac standing there. On my parents’ front porch. With a couple of duffel bags in his hands. “How’d you know my address?” I asked, my questions coming out in rapid fire before he had a chance to answer.
Mac held up a red envelope and I immediately recognized the writing and the Jamison return address stamp in the upper left-hand corner. “My mom sent you a Christmas card? How did she get your address?” I narrowed my eyes to look at where she’d sent it. “She sent this to the baseball house?” I stopped myself from laughing because it was official, my mother was insane.
“You know, I’ve been calling and texting you all day,” I said, my tone coming out more annoyed than I’d meant, but I had been worried.
He never responded to a single text after the one he sent in the morning, and his phone kept going straight to voice mail. I’d had a bad feeling all afternoon.
“My phone died. I forgot to charge it last night, and then I didn’t have a charger and figured it was better if I left it off. I’m sorry.” He looked at me, his eyes red and swollen, like he’d been crying.
Is that a bruise on his jaw? Is his face swollen? It was hard to tell underneath the yellow porch light, but something wasn’t right.
“Did you drive or fly here?” I asked because there was no BMW in the driveway or in front of the house, and I knew that was his car from home.
“I drove. It’s a long story. I’ll tell you later. Can I come inside?” he asked, looking completely worn out.
“Sunny, who is it?” my mom yelled in the background, and I turned around to see her walking toward me, wiping her hands on an apron. She recognized Mac immediately, and her face broke out into a smile. “Oh, it’s that hottie-with-a-body boyfriend of yours.” They still hadn’t had the chance to meet in person.
“Mom,” I said through my embarrassment, but Mac looked entertained.
“Well, don’t leave him outside. Bring him in. Mac, come in, come in,” she said, moving me out of the way.
MY MOM HAD PUSHED ME OUT OF THE WAY TO GET TO MY BOYFRIEND.
And that was when all hell broke loose. The dogs. All eight of them rounded the corner at once and made a beeline toward the front door.
“I’m sorry,” my sister screamed as she chased behind them in some lame attempt to corral them, but it was only making them run faster. They thought she was playing.
“So, this is my family.” I pursed my lips as I stopped the dogs from getting out the front door as Mac made his way inside through the massive group of jumping and tail-wagging animals.
“Oh yeah, he is hot. You were right, Mom,” my sister said, and my mouth dropped wide open.
The fact that my older sister and my mother had discussed the level of my boyfriend’s hotness was beyond awkward.
“Can you two please not?” I was so embarrassed, but Mac seemed okay with it all. Of course he was. He lived for this kind of stuff.
“No, no. Don’t stop on Sunny’s account,” he said.
I could tell he was trying to be his