Not My Mother by Miranda Smith

Author:Miranda Smith [Smith, Miranda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781800193093
Publisher: Bookouture
Published: 2021-03-30T04:00:00+00:00

25 Marion

Now

This is my favorite time of night for viewing the seaside. Tonight, the sun is resting just above the water, casting orange beams through the steel-blue skies. Within twenty minutes, ten maybe, the entire sky will be gray, and another ten minutes after that, stars will blink in the distance. The heat of the day is gone, and a strong breeze cuts through the air between us.

Evan walks a safe distance away from me. Too close, it could be misinterpreted. Too far, we wouldn’t be able to hear each other over the wind and waves. We leave our sandals by the ramp, walking closer to the water’s edge. I always like to walk with my feet in the water, dying waves splashing at my shins. Evan prefers to stay in the sand at that precise point where the water recedes again.

We’ve walked several minutes, and still not said anything.

“What did you want to talk with me about?” I ask.

“I want to know if you’re okay, you know, with everything.”

“I’m fine,” I say, brushing a strand of hair off my neck. “You must have had some reason for wanting to get in touch before my life went to hell.”

“You’re always so blunt.”

“And you always take too long to say what’s on your mind.”

“You know I’m moving back.” He rubs the back of his neck with his hand. “I guess I’m wondering how you feel about that, but I feel ridiculous bringing it up considering what’s going on with Eileen.”

“I hope you aren’t moving back here because of me,” I say, knowing that’s a little too harsh. Evan is being open with me, and it’s not technically his fault the timing sucks.

“I’m moving back here because I want to be here,” he says. “North Bay is my home.”

That’s not what he said when we broke up. He talked about wanting to get as far away from North Bay as he could. He wanted to take me with him. Three years. He has been gone three years. And with everything that has happened during that time, we’re still not sure where we stand with each other.

“We’re not the same people we were before you left for Sanderson.”

“Don’t I know it.”

I stop walking, my feet sinking into the mucky sand. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

“You’ve just come a lot farther than I have, I guess.”

“Come on, you have your degree now. I’m sure you’ve already got a job lined up.”

“I’m opening up my own practice, actually.”

“Does Carmen know that?” I ask. She’s one of the few defense attorneys in the area.

“She’s always complaining about her workload. I don’t think she’ll mind sharing the pot. She’s even offered to help me get started.”

The thought of not being in a relationship with Evan is a bearable one, as is the idea of him living halfway across the country without me. But swallowing the fact that he’ll live mere minutes away from me, yet still not be in my life, irks me. I don’t like the

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