Unlikely Allies - Page 52

"Oh, I like you, but that's all I feel," he said, turning away from me.

"I know you're just saying all of this because you're in pain. I'll be waiting for you when you're ready," I said quietly.

"I wouldn't hold my breath," he muttered as I softly closed the door behind me.

Rejection was a cold slap in the face anytime it happened, but coming from him like that was enough to make me want to curl up in a ball. I resisted the urge, holding my head high as I walked down the hall.

"I'm going home," I told a surprised Rick.

"Kimmie," he said, pulling me in for an awkward hug since my crutches got in the way. "He doesn't mean it. He's just frustrated."

"Maybe, but I don't think my staying is doing him any good. He needs to focus on getting better first. I'll be in touch," I said, holding my tears in by a thread.

"I've really enjoyed being with you this summer, despite the mishaps," Rick said, pulling me in for another hug.

"I feel the same," I said as a tear slipped down my cheek. "I'll be back, Dad."

"That sounds nice to hear," he said, acknowledging the fact that I was finally calling him his parental name.

"It feels right," I said, giving him a watery kiss on the cheek. "I'll call," I said, hurrying down the hall as fast as my aluminum crutches would allow before my tears tainted my exit.

Chapter 16

"You okay?" my mom asked for the hundredth time as our plane landed.

"Mom, I'm fine," I said, exasperated.

"I know, you've said that, but we left in such a hurry that I'm not sure you said your goodbyes properly."

"Mom, you're the one that wanted me to come home," I said wearily, grabbing my carryon bag.

"Not with your tail tucked between your legs," she muttered behind me, grabbing my bag from me and handing me my crutches the flight attendant had handed her.

"When can I be done with these stupid things?" I grumbled, hobbling off the plane.

"I'm taking you to see Dr. Roberts tomorrow. She'll give us a verdict then."

By the time we made it out of the airport, I was ready to throw the crutches into the nearest dumpster. My armpits protested the hard cushions that dug painfully into them with each step I took. It felt better to complain about that kind of pain,

rather than deal with the true pain I was feeling. After much soul-searching the night before, I felt Mason had lied to himself and me about his feelings. I had to fight the urge to run to him and make him admit it. He needed to believe in himself before he could begin to explore the feelings he had for me. Putting distance between us seemed to be the best option I could think of. One day he'd be ready to own up to them, but for now, I'd have to give him the space he needed, no matter how painful it was.

Carol was waiting for me when Mom pulled the car into the driveway. I climbed out of the car smiling, and was surprised when she nearly bowled me over in a bear hug.

"Kim, I've been sooooooo worried about you," she said, dragging out the word.

"When I heard you were lost with some guy, I about died. I begged my mom to let me go with your mom, but she said I would just get in the way. As if, right? I mean, seriously, I'm not a two-year-old," Carol chatted on as she helped my mom drag my luggage down the hall to my room.

"I'll get you girls a snack while you catch up," Mom said, giving me a knowing look.

She knew I was dying to tell Carol everything and was giving me the space to do so. I knew she wanted to know too, but respected the new boundaries I had set up between us. For years, she had been my sounding board, my shoulder to cry on, my everyday champion, but her betrayal, although forgivable, had erected a wall between us that I wasn't ready to scale just yet.

"So, what's the deal with that," Carol asked, settling on my bed beside me.

I shrugged my shoulders "We're working on it, I guess. She came clean for her reasons in Colorado and I forgive her, but it just still feels off. I have so many other things to deal with that I've pushed it to the back of my mind for now."

"So, tell me everything about your accident and trip," she said, switching gears. "How was your dad? And how did you get lost in the mountains with your stepbrother."

"Foster brother," I corrected, sharper than I intended.

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