COMPLETED. A university student. A professional hockey player. They've proved they can be friends. Can they be more?
Although they're both in their early twenties and living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, their lives couldn't be more different. Cami...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
By the time I finally got around to reading my uncle's letter, the tiny drop of blood that had come from Camille's finger had faded to such a light pink that it was almost impossible to see. Of course, it was obvious to my eyes, just like everything else from that night all those months ago was so memorable to me.
It was ridiculous honestly, how long I had waited to see what Uncle Mark had wanted me to know. Call it a sixth sense, but I just knew that there was something in there that was going to change my life forever. So I put it off, because dealing with the aftermath of hurting one of the best people I had known was enough.
I had been right.
The letter changed how I looked at my parents, but considering that they were here in Toronto to celebrate American Thanksgiving with me and sitting at the dining room table in my condo, I had no choice but to face them.
"How come no one ever said anything about this to me?" My eyes darted between my nervous mother and my solemn father. "How could none of the three of you guys ever bring it up?"
"Because Taylor," my mom said. "That was in the past and it really didn't concern you, if I'm being frank."
I looked at the floor and controlled the urge to roll my eyes, because no matter how pissed I was, there was never an excuse to be disrespectful to my mom.
If you had asked me before I read that damn letter how my parents met, I could have confidently told you. They met at school, when my mom was spending a semester in the States. What I wouldn't have been able to tell you is that they met through Uncle Mark. My uncle's messy handwriting told me that he had always harboured some feelings for my mother but when he introduced her to my dad, it was bam! Instant connection. He lived his whole damn life in love with my mom.
Holy fuck.
"Fine. So why now? Why all of a sudden does this matter?"
To be honest, it wasn't the situation that agitated me, because I knew without a doubt that my parents loved each other. They were the perfect complement. Being blindsided like this though, that sucked hard.
My dad's perpetually calm eyes met mine. "Because of Camille."
I swallowed, but my mouth went dry. Yeah, hearing her name tended to have that effect on me. I sank down into one of the unoccupied chairs, giving my pacing a rest, and opened my legs wide.
"What does she have to do with us?" I asked lowly, not looking at either parent.
"My son," my mother began, voice soft and soothing, "are you stupid?"
"Excuse me?" my eyes narrowed.
"Sofia, that was a little harsh," my dad said.
Yeah, geez.
"No, James! This was long overdue! I am Taylor's mother, and I can see things in him that no one else can. And I am telling you, for the fiftieth time, that when my son brought that girl to our home almost two years ago, he was in love. Mark knew it too. Taylor," she said, turning her attention away from my father and back to me. "Your uncle didn't want you to make the same mistake he did. Forget about the fact that the woman is me for a second. He was alone for his too-short life because he didn't tell her he was in love with her. Now, don't get me wrong. I truly believe I was meant to be with your father, but I also know your uncle hurt a lot. Imagine how much pain he would have been in if we were soulmates."
