Wild by Colet Abedi

Author:Colet Abedi [Abedi, Colet]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Self Published
Published: 2018-08-15T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eight

Jamie and I head back into the family room holding the appropriate dinner essentials.

I’m still reeling from his compliment. It was seriously the best thing anyone has ever said to me.

Always be you.

My thoughts drift to my past. I was introduced to the bitter reality of life when I was eight years old and found my mom crying in my parents’ bedroom. That was when she first told me about my father’s cheating. I held onto her frail body as my young mind tried to grasp what that even meant. Well, she told me in explicit detail, and for the next ten years of my life—until I left for college—I was my mother’s personal therapist. It was a pattern. Every three months, there would be a new woman. And every three months, I’d have to pick my mom up from the verge of a nervous breakdown.

It was far from an ideal childhood, and coupled with the stress of barely making ends meet because my father enjoyed blowing all of his money on other women rather than his own wife and child, it’s no wonder I’m cynical by nature.

I’ve always been blunt and to the point. I’m not a “let’s sugar coat this” or frills kind of girl. I’m real.

I’m just… me.

And there are many moments that come to mind from over the years when “just being me” seemed to cause extra heartache.

I’ve been nothing but blunt and honest with Jamie, and for whatever reason, he seems to like that about me. And even though I shouldn’t warm up to him in any way, it’s hard not to when he says something sweet like that or leaves my house to go pick up what looks to be at least a thousand-dollar, Italian meal—bottles of wine and all.

There is no way Jamie Donovan drinks cheap wine, and he bought five bottles to Kerri’s four. I’m sure Tony is doing a happy dance inside.

Tony and Kerri laid out all the food, and there’s enough here to feed a family of ten.

“Did you order everything on the menu?” I ask in disbelief.

“Just my favorites,” he says and smiles in boyish anticipation.

His enthusiasm is contagious.

“I take it Dan Tana’s is a regular hangout for you?” I place the glasses on the table.

“Used to be before I moved out to Malibu,” he says with a shrug.

“You sound like you moved to outer space,” Kerri says. She grabs a plate and helps herself to a healthy amount of pasta. “It’s Malibu. Big deal. My parents have a place out there that they go to all the time.”

I have no doubt it’s as impressive as Jamie’s.

“Try rush-hour traffic,” he says. “It took me over two and a half hours to get here. Trust me, if that’s where your primary home is, you just don’t want to leave.”

I make eye contact with Kerri.

Her eyes widen for a few seconds. I know what she’s thinking because I’m thinking the same thing. He got in a car for two and a half hours… to see me.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.