Just around the corner

Chapter 15

I struggled to get down to my car after work, due to the massive bunch of tulips that Jason sent me. They were absolutely beautiful and smelt divine. I hadn't messaged him yet but I will when I get home tonight.

I have tried to call Misty a couple of times on my drive home, but she isn't answering. I let it go. Maybe she is too upset and angry with me like Lacy is, to talk. I don't want to pull the 'Mum card' but I will if I have to. Misty has been really stand offish with me for the past 2 nights. I am just worried that she is now starting to feel like Lacy.

I finally pull up in my driveway and see Misty's car is here. I get out of my side and walk around to the back door where the flowers are. I get them out and struggle to the front door. I kick the door to get Misty's attention. I have no hands to open the door myself.

The door slowly opens. "Thanks Mis, I can't see over these flowers" I say to Misty. "Mum?" the voice behind the flowers speaks. I nearly drop the bunch on the ground, but an extra pair of hands help me steady them. I place them gently onto the floorboards in the entry way of the house and take in the sight of my baby. "Lacy?" it comes out as a whisper.

Tears instantly fill my eyes as I make eye contact with Lace. Her eyes are just as glassy and watery as my own. I step around the bunch of flowers and pull my baby into my arms. Lacy hugs my torso just as hard as I am holding her. Crying together and letting out all of our pain. This is all I have wanted for the past couple of weeks. I just wanted to hold my baby in my arms.

"I am so sorry Lacy. Please forgive me?" I cry out to her. "I should be asking for your forgiveness mum. I was so horrible to you and I had no right to be" Lacy cries back. Lacy and I sit together on the couch. Misty made herself busy so Lace and I could talk. I needed to talk to Misty, but it can wait. I have Lacy here who looks like absolute shit.

Lacy and I spent 3 hours on the couch together hashing out our issues and trying to come to an agreement. I have promised her that I won't ever forget her or Misty. Alex will never be forgotten in this house. His memory will always live on in our hearts and heads and by the photos that are placed around the house.

I sent Lacy to bed half an hour ago. She needs to sleep, and I decided that both girls are staying home with me tomorrow. We need to spend some quality time together. We need to reconnect as a family.

**

After I had climbed into bed, I remembered I had never thanked Jason for the flowers. I grab my phone off the bed side table and shoot off a quick text

Laura- Jason, I would like to thank you for the flowers. They are absolutely beautiful. Thank you again for them. Laura xx

I put my phone on silent and place it back down onto the bed side table. I roll over to face Alex's side of the bed like I do every night. The ache in my heart is still there every time I see his empty spot. I close my eyes and just as I am about to fall asleep, I hear my bedroom door creak open. I pull back the covers on Alex's side of the bed and the person who came into my room takes the invitation.

I pull them into me and cuddle them tightly. "Love you mum" They whisper to me. "I love you too, Lacy. Try and get some sleep baby girl" I give her a kiss on the head and wait for her breathing to even out. Once she has fallen asleep, I close my eyes and fall into a dreamless slumber.

When I woke in the morning, Lacy was still curled up in my arms. The contentment feeling that washed over my body in this moment was something I hadn't felt in a long time. Lacy was in the bed with me. It was like my world was coming back together. I just hope it would stay like this forever.

I climbed out of the bed, making sure to not disturb Lacy. She looked like she hadn't slept in years. Her face was pale, her clothes were too big on her body. Something wasn't right but I didn't want to push her. Not until she was ready to talk about her. We covered the main issues we were having last night, and they were all to do with me moving forward in life. Moving on in my love life.

I walk into the kitchen and head straight to the kettle. Coffee is calling my name. I had my back facing the kitchen doorway and with the kettle boiling, I didn't hear the person sneak up behind me. I only knew there was someone there when 2 small hands wrapped around my waist and a head rested up against my back.

"Morning mummy" The sweet but raspy voice belonging to my baby. "Morning Lace. Sorry if I woke you" I say to her. "No, I wasn't really asleep" she responds. "Did you want a hot chocolate?" I ask her. I turn my head to look over my shoulder and see that Lacy has already started heading towards the cupboard to get out the cocoa powder. She hands me the box as I get another mug down from the shelf.

We take our hot drinks and go sit on the back porch together. We didn't talk, but just being in the same space, bought a comfort to me. I just hope Lacy feels it to.

"Mum, can you tell me about Jason?" I am shocked at Lacy's question. She was hell bent on making sure I didn't date him, but wow. I tell her everything that I could remember about him. I am starting to worry that I am saying too much. I am still not sure how Lacy feels about me going forward in life.

"I would really like to meet him. Maybe you could invite him over for dinner soon?" Lacy asks. I am rendered speechless. Surprised that Lacy was the one to initiate this, I could only hope that she wasn't trying to set me up to fail again.

**

I hadn't heard from Jason since I sent him that message last night. I don't want to come across as needy if I messaged him again, but I am starting to become impatient. My phone is in my hands and nothing new is coming through. The message stays on read. He hasn't even attempted to message me back.

I throw my phone onto the kitchen table and let out a massive sigh. Maybe I missed my chance, even though he only sent the flowers yesterday. I look at the clock on the wall. It is only 3:30 in the afternoon. "Mum, if you don't sit down, you are going to wear a hole into those floorboards, and I don't have the money to fix it" Misty laughs. I glare at her, giving her my best stink eye.

"What's got your knickers in a twist mother dear?" She asks. "I messaged Jason last night to say thanks for the flowers, but I haven't heard back from him. Do you think I missed my shot?" I ask her. Pleading with my eyes. "Yeah, nah Mah. I am pretty certain he is working today so he probably isn't near his phone. Just chill out. Pull your wedgie out and sit the fuck down. Your pacing is giving me a head ache" She says with the biggest smile on her face. I take a seat next to her at the table. "Mis?" "Yeah mum?" "Lacy wants to meet Jason. She told me I should invite him over for dinner" I tell her. "Well what are you waiting for. Send him another message to see if he is interested in having dinner with us?" she responds. Misty slides my phone over to me and gives me her 'take a chance' look. I unlock my phone and punch out a message to Jason

Laura- Hey Jason. I was just wondering, if by any chance you are not busy in the next few days, would you like to have dinner with the girls and I? If you don't want to, that will be perfectly okay. No pressure at all. Have a great day and I hope to hear from you soon. Laura xx