SMELLING ROSES

Chapter Twenty-One

The night we left the hospital, I called him. But he didn't pick up. I thought I really blew it or maybe his mother got to him before I could. Summer was coming to a close, so maybe it was good our relationship ended before then. But I couldn't stop thinking about him.

How could I become so obsessed with someone so quickly? Every little thing reminded me of him. Every time I got good news, he was the one I wanted to call. Two months ago, I didn't even know him, and now my days revolved around him.

I gave him two weeks. If I hadn't heard from him by then, I'd take it he moved on. But as much as I tried to pretend I was okay, I knew I wasn't. It sucked. Was I supposed to fight for him?

His mother was a problem. And no matter how much he ignored her or cut her out of his life, it didn't change anything. He still wanted to prove something to her. She still had an impact on the decisions he made. And although he wouldn't directly admit it, everything he did was because of her. Even deserting her.

And I'd already lost a battle with her once; I wasn't strong enough to compete with her again.

I grappled for days on what I should do. I didn't want to end things just as much as I wanted everything to end. On the last day of the second week, I decided to give him one more call, but he beat me to it.

"Songbird?"

I thought I'd never hear him say that again. All my doubts disappeared as soon as he said it. He had somehow tricked my brain to associate good things with when I heard it.

"You done ignoring me now?" I asked.

He laughed. At a time like this. When our lives were completely obliterated by our twisted fate, he laughed. It must be in the air because I couldn't help but laugh too. Probably because I had no idea where to start, or if I wanted to start at all.

"Do you still have that yellow dress? Come with me somewhere."

Always spontaneous, Wren wanted me to be his plus one at his sister's wedding. Up until the day of, he declined every invite. According to him, she was the sister he actually liked, and after my little brawl with his mother, word got around. She wanted to meet me. Technically, all his sisters did, but she was the only one he'd allow.

"Blair, Ivy, or Ainsley?" I asked.

The phone went silent. I almost thought he hung up, but then he let out a wispy breath. "You looked me up."

I ignored how upset he actually sounded. I had every right to. "Not that there was much to look up. Your mother did a good job of keeping you all out of family photoshoots and medicine blogs. And with your name change..." Your life before you were Wren Wade was practically folklore. But I didn't say that. If I did, we'd never make it to his sister's wedding. And I wanted to avoid the conversation as much as possible.

He picked me up later than expected. I figured it was his plan all along. We missed the ceremony. I've never seen a wedding. I was a little upset I didn't get to go.

Ainsley didn't do things quietly. One thing I could tell right off the bat? She loved the color pink. Blush calla lilies lined the walkway to the reception hall. Sheer rose-colored tulle hung from the front doors. Fuschia greek statues stood across the grass. Guests took pictures and inspected them like artwork. I could hear the faint sound of a piano playing beyond the doors, and the chatter of voices. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't excited to go inside. I wanted to see what life was like for Wren once upon a time.

At the threshold of the doors, he took my hand. It was warm and filled with sweat. I glided my eyes over his face, but he didn't look my way. He fixated on what laid ahead. He took a deep breath, and we finally walked inside.