WHERE TIME STANDS STILL by N.S. Perkins

Author:N.S. Perkins [Perkins, N.S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: novel
Publisher: N.S. Perkins
Published: 2022-11-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 18

Aaron

“Last signature.”

Wren points to a line for my mother, who signs her name as my father’s Power of Attorney given that he cannot write, and there. It’s done. I watch them with tense shoulders.

In the end, Wren got us a great deal. Even I have been able to realize that, after a few days of reflection and lots of phone calls with her. Besides, she was right. I needed a wake-up call that nothing about this would ever be okay and that pursuing this trial thing forever would not necessarily be a good thing for my father. It was a hard realization, but I needed it.

“That’s it?” Ma asks as she lets go of Dad’s hand, his name written on the line in shaky handwriting.

“That’s it,” Wren says, collecting the papers. “We’re officially done.”

Ma’s face breaks out into a large smile before she hugs Dad tightly. “Se acabó, mi amor.” It’s over, my love.

Dad leans his head on hers, a peaceful look on his face.

And this is what my acceptance of the situation was for. This sense of peace.

Throat tight, I turn to Wren, who’s gazing at my parents with eyes crinkled in contentedness. This is all her. I don’t know how we could ever thank her enough. She singlehandedly put this look on my parents’ faces.

As if feeling me, she looks up. And as soon as she catches me watching, her smile dims.

I don’t know what’s going on with us. Not that there is an us, but ever since Callie’s birthday party, she’s been distant. Even though she confirmed that she sees me as a friend when we were at the lawyers’ office, she’s been a little cold toward me. I don’t know if it’s something I said or did, but I can’t shake off the fact that she seems to want to put space between us.

I don’t know how to feel about that. Especially since this feeling of knots in my stomach is still very much present—more than present—when she’s next to me.

Done with her embrace with my dad, Ma climbs to her feet and jumps toward Wren, wrapping her in a tight hug. “Thank you so much,” she says, her voice sounding emotional. “You’ve given us so much.”

Slowly, Wren raises her arms so she can hug her back. “It’s been a true pleasure.”

When their embrace is done, Wren exchanges a look and small salute with my father, then turns to grab her stuff.

This is it. The project is over. She’s officially not working on our case anymore.

Jesus, why am I feeling nauseous?

Once she has her bag in hand, she waves one last time at my parents. She then turns to me, but just as she opens her mouth, I say, “I’ll walk with you to your car.”

I don’t know if it’s because she doesn’t want to part ways just yet either or because I didn’t phrase it as a question, but she doesn’t argue me on it.

Once we’ve put our coats and boots on, I open the front door and lead her out.

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