Harper

Chapter Thirty Five: Utah

Willa and mama drop me off with my dad. Wren and I are spending the next two weeks with the Jamesons, but I would rather be anywhere else because I've never felt so hopeless and heartbroken to consider that Teddy is about to leave for six months, perhaps even a year.  I would be here, starting my new career, bringing Wren up solo, without her, the one person I saw it all with. I had never considered life without Teddy because I knew she would never leave us, not in her entirety, but here she was faced with this awful situation where she had to be everything she had been to me, to her entire family and she must be exhausted. She must be almost at the end of what she can cope with and so I don't call begging her to not go, I don't call at all because it's so hard to not say it when I want to scream and beg her to either stay or to take us with her. I know it's not that easy though or perhaps even possible,  and it would put more pressure on her when she was already about to drown in it, so I don't.

***
"There they are, my daughter and my granddaughter" my dad greets bringing us into his arms.

He looks to Wren "oh she's grown, she's so beautiful Harper... gosh she does have your mamas eyes doesn't she" he says looking at her closely.

I nod and smile, as best I can and he frowns "what's wrong you don't look too happy" he asks.

I shake my head "I'm just tired" I confess.

He nods "okay well in you come, we leave first thing for the lake... most of the Jamesons are coming this year and some friends too" he says and he whisks us into the house and closes the door, leaving our luggage on the porch.

Friends I would soon learn, were the Richards, Ethan's parents and of course he was there, on the family trip, looming like a reminder of what a terrible mistake I had made. I couldn't do it anymore, I couldn't put up with this constant ignoring of my wishes. No means No, and I had learnt that the hard way that this was the most important lesson a person Could learn, and he needed to listen this time and stay away from me.

***
"Here we are" dad called out as we drove up to the lakeside.

Benjamin and Abel scream with excitement in the middle row car seats and Wren wakes up startled and cries. I run my hand over her fair hair, the strawberry in it lighting up as we passed under the sun mottled canopy of trees to the cabins that lined the lake. There are four other cars ahead of us, and of course we wave as we pass my grandparents and Brig, Bram and Charlottes families.

"They are here.... they are here" the family call as my dad slides open the people carrier and my brothers run off into the crowd of younger cousins with their mom Jennifer taking off after them.

I spot Charlie, my closest cousin in age and smile "hi" I greet.

She opens the door and looks to Wren "Oh Harps she is precious"

I turn to Wren and tickle under her chin "she's not far off is she" I return and my grandfather opens Wrens door smiling, and unbuckles her, he pulls her up into his large arms.

She doesn't look impressed so I jump out and round the car "grandad she has to get to know you" I say as she starts to cry.

He nods " I know but this is my first time holding my sweet great granddaughter..."

"Hi" Ethan says coming through the crowd and I pretend I can't even hear him as I take Wren and make my way over to the cabin.

Ethan is hot on my heels "Harper why won't you talk to me" he asks and I open the door and slam it in his face, my phone falling out of my pocket onto the floor without me realising. Ethan bends and picks it up and what followed was something I wouldn't learn of until too late.

***
"Harper your..." and he almost says it and hands it back, but instead he pockets it quickly, looking round to see if anyone spotted him and he walks over to his cabin and stuffs it in his bedside drawer for later.