Every love has a story. How you first met. Who said the first word.
Even mine does.
Seven o'clock is not the time anyone will think of falling in love. But as our worlds collided, we did just that. In a moment...
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CHAPTER 15
It was the summer before our senior year in high school. Earlier this month, Ariel and Stephen went to their grandmother's place for a vacation. They'd always go there during summer to accompany their grandmother and help around at her bed-and-breakfast near the beach.
Brooks went on a trip with her mom and aunt. Jane was in a sports camp. I'd seen Athan a few times when I was buying groceries from his aunt's convenience store.
I started working as a bookkeeper at my mom's workplace. I still cringed at the sight of Mom and Patrick acting like a couple around each other, but the uneasiness had slowly subsided. Perhaps I was getting used to it, too.
The clock hit four o'clock. After stretching my arms, I tidied my small table and placed the book that I was working on inside the drawer. I took a glimpse of my reflection and put on some powder on my face to get rid of the oiliness.
Taking a deep breath, I picked up my tote bag and tucked in my chair. My small desk was near the pantry at the end of the hall, so I had to pass by every room in order to reach the front door.
"Micaela, are you heading home?" Patrick asked when he saw me. Some days, Patrick was doing a consultation while I was about to leave. But today, there was no patient in his office.
I turned to him, reminding myself to be polite. "I'm going to the mall to pick up some pictures."
"Do you need a ride?"
"No," I quickly declined. "I... can take the bus."
"All right. It's pretty hot out there. Just tell me when you need a ride, okay?" Patrick said.
I subtly nodded.
Slowly, I shifted my footing and headed to the front door. Was this what it was going to be like from now on? So far, Mom and Patrick hadn't mentioned if we would all be staying in one house after the wedding. It made me feel anxious. I wasn't sure if I could do this every day.
"I'm going," I informed Mom, who was sitting behind the reception desk.
She was busy arranging the files and recording them in the logbook. Without taking her eyes off from what she was doing, she said, "We'll be having dinner at Patrick's house. Do you want to come? Laurine is going to be there."
"Did she arrive today?"
"A little later," Mom replied.
"I have to do some reading for school." It was partly the truth and half an excuse.
"Okay. I'll take Katharine with us after her ballet practice at six. You don't have to fetch her today," she said.
"Okay."
"You can reheat the food in the fridge if you get hungry," she added.
