“Who’s Bella?” Linda asked.
“She’s my Golden Retriever. You’ll have to visit and meet her,” Bailey stated. She took a drink of her lemonade. “Oh, and you’d meet the other little guy, too. I’m getting him soon.”
“Little guy, huh?” Linda questioned.
“Yeah, Amelia’s dad offered us each an Australian Shepherd puppy. Mine is a male blue merle. Amelia’s getting the tri-colored female.”
“Well, you girls will have your hands full. Especially you, Bai, with two dogs.”
“It won’t be too bad. Bella is a mother hen. She’ll help me teach him.”
Amelia laughed. “I’m sure she will. She’s a great dog.”
Linda opened her wallet and left the amount for the meals and a tip on the table. “I’d love to come for a visit sometime.” She scooted her chair away from the table. “Are you ready? I better get you girls to my place so you can start your journey back home.”
When they arrived at Linda’s house, they walked inside and grabbed their suitcases and bags.
“Sorry we couldn’t stay longer,” Bailey apologized to her mother.
“No worries. I’ll visit soon.”
Bailey wrote her address and phone number on an index card. She handed it to her mother. “Here’s my address and phone number. Keep in touch.” Bailey hugged Linda. “And for what it’s worth, I’m proud of you.”
“Thank you, Bai.” Linda wiped tears from her cheeks. “I’m so glad you came to visit. Six years was too long. I’ll never lose you again. I promise.” She hugged Bailey and then hugged Amelia. “Thank you for coming with Bailey. It was nice meeting you.”
Amelia nodded. “Same to you.”
“You girls have a safe trip back. Will you call me when you get there, Bailey? Please?”
Bailey nodded and hugged her mother. “I need your number.”
Linda quickly wrote her number on paper and handed it to Bailey. “You better get moving. It’ll be dark soon.”
One last hug and Amelia and Bailey were out the door.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?”
Bailey shook her head. “Not at all. It felt good letting go of all the frustration and anger.”
“I’m sure she feels the same way.”
“I should be mad at Kim, but I’m not going to be. Six years of being angry and hurt was long enough. I’m not wasting more time being angry.”
“I understand.” Amelia said as she reached over and turned up the volume on the radio. Amelia was relieved that Bailey and Linda were at peace now. She couldn’t imagine feeling hate or anger towards her parents. Let alone live with it for all those years.
The sun set as Amelia pulled the car into her driveway. “That was a long drive, but definitely worth it,” Amelia said.
“I agree.” Bailey opened the door and got out. “I’m going to go home and see Bella. Maybe I’ll just come over tomorrow?”
Amelia nodded. This vacation was a lot of fun and a great time, but it was emotionally exhausting. “Sounds good. Relaxing sounds so good right now.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Okay,” Amelia said as she climbed out of the car. She opened the trunk and helped Bailey get her suitcases and bags out.
“See you tomorrow,” Bailey said as she carried her things across the street.
Amelia grabbed her suitcases and bags. She walked up to the door and unlocked it. She walked into her house. “It’s so good to be home,” she said as she walked through her kitchen. As she reached for a glass in the cupboard, she saw a red light as it blinked on her phone. “Four messages?”
She pushed play.
“Amelia, it’s Mom. Just checking to see if you’re home yet. Love you.”
The next message was her mother again. “Amelia, Zach called. He said he needs to talk to you. Are you home yet?”
“Amelia, it’s Zach. When you get this message, call me. I need to talk to you.”
The last message played. “Amelia, it’s Mom again. Did you get ahold of Zach? It sounded like it was urgent that he talked to you. Call me when you get this. I need to talk to you. Love you.”
Amelia picked up the phone after she hit the delete button. She dialed Zach’s phone number. He answered on the first ring, “Hello?”
“Zach? It’s Amelia.”
“Are you home? I’ll be there in a few minutes.”
Amelia could not reply back soon enough. Zach had already hung up.
Within minutes, Zach walked through her front door. She ran to him and leaped into his arms. He caught her and hugged her. “I missed you so much,” she told him.
“I missed you, too.” Zach said, his voice low and depressed.
Amelia put her feet on the floor and stood in front of him. His eyes were swollen and red. He had been crying. “You missed me that much?” she joked while she wiped his tears away.
“Anna…” Tears streamed down his face.
Amelia froze still. “Anna? What about Anna?”
Zach sobbed. “She has cancer.”
Amelia stood still. Completely frozen in the spot she stood. She struggled to find the right words to say. Where’s Bailey when we need her? Amelia thought. Bailey would know what to say.
Instead of saying anything, Amelia hugged Zach as his body convulsed as he sobbed. She had no words. She wished she was like Bailey. She kept her arms around him as he cried. He got angry and cried more. He was on a rollercoaster of emotions while Amelia struggled to find the right words to say. She struggled to comfort him.
“Why her? Why now?” He pushed away from Amelia. He balled his hands into fists. With his jaw clenched, he snarled, “First my Grandpa, now her? Why?”
Amelia could do nothing but shake her head. She wiped the tears that had fallen from her eyes.
“They raised me! Do you know that?” His face twisted in anger.
Amelia shook her head. She did not know much about him.
“My shitty parents left me behind. They got into drugs. My father, or sperm donor, whatever you want to call him, is in prison now. He’s looking at life in there because he killed some guy over not paying him.”
Amelia put a hand over her mouth. She had no idea his life was complicated. “Where’s your mom?”
“I have no idea and I don’t care.” He cried harder now. He knelt down. His shoulders slumped forward. “This isn’t fair!”
Amelia sat beside him and draped her arm around him. She did not know what to say but she wanted him to know she cared. “Zach, I’m sorry. I can’t imagine.”
Zach shook his head. “I should’ve told you about my parents when we started dating.”
“You don’t have to tell me anything unless you want to. Knowing this doesn’t change how I feel about you.”
Zach sat up and looked at her. His eyes were bright red and swollen from crying. “I’ll tell you. I have nothing to hide. I’m not ashamed.”
This was a side of Zach that Amelia had never seen. She was not nervous by his anger. Unlike Ryan’s anger, Zach’s was controlled and he was not violent.
“You have no reason to be ashamed. It’s not your fault. We have no control over how our lives are while we’re growing up. We only have control over how we react to it.”
Zach nodded. He wiped his face with the back of his hand. “Look at me crying. That’s so manly. Pathetic.”
Amelia shrugged. “You’re human and have emotions. I like that trait in men. I don’t like macho men nor do I like robots.” She said with a wink.
He smiled. “Okay, then. I can continue to be a crybaby and you’ll still like me? Good to know.”
Amelia nudged him. “You know what I mean.”
They moved from the floor and sat on the couch. The thought of Anna with cancer was devastating.
“Where’s Anna now?” Amelia asked. She hated to ask, but she wanted to know.
“She’s at home. The doctor said she has less than six months to live.” Zach looked sad but he did not cry. He
clenched his jaw.
“That’s hard to believe.”
Zach nodded. “The doctor said he thinks the cancer started in her lungs, but it’s hard to tell. The cancer has spread throughout her body.”
Amelia thought about Anna at the store on lunch break. It made sense now why Anna hadn’t ate lunch. She was too sick and without an appetite. “What about chemo?”
“It’s in its final stages. Chemotherapy wouldn’t faze it.”
“How’d she take the news?”
“She’s known for two weeks. She just told me the day you left town.”
“Two weeks?” Amelia thought back two weeks ago. “That’s why Courtney was working for Anna. And the errands Anna said she had to do…” Amelia went silent.
“Doctor appointments.” Zach confirmed Amelia’s thoughts.
Amelia shook her head. In the short time she had known Anna, they had become great friends. It pained her to think of losing a dear friend. It pained her more to know Zach was losing much more than that. “Zach, I’m sorry.”
Zach looked down at the floor and twiddled his thumbs. Amelia could tell he was trying hard not to cry. She reached over and grabbed his hand.
“I think it’s meant to be. My grandparents have been together since they were kids. A year is too long for them to be apart.”
Amelia squeezed his hand. “You may be right. Only God knows. He has plans and reasons no one will ever know.” Amelia hugged him tightly. “One thing we both know is we have each other. I’ll always be here for you.”
A knock on the front door interrupted their conversation.
Amelia hopped up. “I bet it’s Bailey.” She walked quickly to the door and opened it. “Bai…”
Her voice trailed off when she realized the person who knocked on the door wasn’t Bailey. “What’re you doing here? Why are you here?” Her face turned beet red. She crossed her arms in front of her.
“I wanted to see you. I want to talk to you. I miss you.”
“How’d you find me?”
“Your mom gave me your address. Can I come inside so we can talk?”
“Ryan, no. Right now isn’t a good time.”
After he heard Ryan’s name, Zach walked up behind Amelia. “Is there a problem here?”
Ryan’s eyes narrowed. “I see you’ve moved on. You’ve found another man.”
“It’s not like that at all and you know it!” Amelia yelled.
“Amelia, please, let me come in so we can talk. It’s cold out here.”
Zach approached the door. “I think it’s best if you leave now.”
Amelia grabbed Zach’s arm. “Wait. Let him say what he has to say. It’s not going to change anything.”
Zach gave her a puzzled look but nodded his head and shrugged his shoulders. “Alright.”
She opened the door and allowed Ryan to walk into her living room. Ryan looked at Zach and back at Amelia. “Is he staying here while we talk?”
“Is there an issue?” Amelia asked.
Ryan shook his head and took off his shoes. “Just awkward is all.”
Zach looked at Amelia. “I don’t need to be in here as long as you’re comfortable with him by yourself.”
Amelia nodded. “I’ll be okay.”
Zach kissed Amelia’s forehead. “I’ll be on the front porch if you need me. I’ll let you two talk alone.”
On his way to the door he passed Ryan and looked at him. His eyes narrowed and his lips locked tight. Amelia noticed the look and was happy Zach was protective of her. Zach impressed her daily. He was so mature. More mature than this guy who stood in front of her could ever be.
Amelia pointed to her living room furniture. “Let’s sit down.”
They walked over to the furniture and sat down. Ryan sat in the chair. Amelia sat on the couch. She was far enough away from him so he couldn’t touch her.
“Amelia, I’m sorry I hurt you the way I did. I was wrong.” He rambled on. “I should’ve never done what I did.”
“I trusted you. You abandoned me when I needed you the most. The cheating and the lying, we could’ve worked through. But when you continued to cheat…” Her voice trailed. She pulled herself together. Keep your emotions under control, she told herself. Don’t let him see you fall apart. “And you left me after I lost the baby. Our baby.” She pointed a finger at him. “You should’ve been there.” Her voice trembled and her bottom lip quivered. She looked away from him.
“Amelia, I know. I’m sorry. I came to tell you that. I know I messed up. I cheated, I lied, and I left you. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t love you. I loved you then and I love you now.” He stood up and walked toward her. “I miss you.”
Amelia held a hand up in front of her. “Don’t.”
He sat on the other end of the couch.
“I trusted you and you broke that trust. You can say anything you want to, but I refuse to believe you.”
She looked at him. She saw pain and hurt in his eyes. The pain and hurt she saw in his eyes was nothing compared to the pain and hurt she had felt.
“I love you, Amelia. I want you back.”
Amelia shook her head. “No. I’m happy where I’m at now. It has been a year. Your words mean nothing to me now. I know I can never trust you.”
Ryan looked away. He stood up from the couch. “Then I guess I should get going. I’m sorry I came over. I meant what I said, though. I still love you and I miss you.”
Amelia looked away as he walked toward the door. She watched him closely as he opened the door. He turned to face her with a somber expression on his face. She looked away from him and avoided eye contact. He turned around and walked out the front door. She heard Ryan’s car drive away.
Zach walked inside and sat beside her. “Are you okay?”
Amelia nodded. She wiped tears away from her face. “Yes, I’m fine. I wasn’t expecting him to show up.”
“I’m glad he did while I was here.” Zach grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“He wouldn’t have hurt me.” Her voice trembled as she tried to hold back the sobs.
Zach gave her a look of question. “Because he’s never hurt you?”
Amelia shook her head. “Not physically.”
Zach sat still. A look of confusion crossed his face. “Today has been a rough day. Everything’s snowballing out of control.” He clasped his hands together and turned toward her. “I need you to be honest with me.”
Amelia knew exactly where this was going. She had no clue how she was going to answer his question. Her mother always told her to follow her heart. But what if your heart’s torn into two pieces? Then what?
“Do you still love him?”
There it was. The question she had dreaded him to ask. A knot formed in her stomach. She swallowed hard. Her hands became sweaty as she clasped them together.
Zach lifted her face to look at him. “It’s okay to say yes. I won’t be mad.”
She looked away. She wasn’t sure how to tell him. She was sure of her feelings, but not sure of her words. She wasn’t sure if the words would come out right. She started by saying, “It should be simple.”
Zach shook his head. “Nothing in this life is simple. Nothing about this last month has been simple.”
Amelia nodded her head. He’s right. Life is complicated. It was complicated until he came along, she thought.
“I did love him. I loved him a lot. He was my first love and only love. We spent five years together. But honestly, through all of the pain and hurt I’ve felt over the last six years of my life, it’s time for me to let it go and move on.”
Zach took Amelia’s hand into his and squeezed it. “Sometimes letting go is painful, but sometimes it’s the greatest gift we can ever give ourselves.”
She leaned into him. He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight. “You’re everything Ryan wasn’t. Zach, you’re everything to me. I believe we’ll get through this together. I honestly believe this is our second chance to get it right. You’re my s
econd chance.”
Zach smiled and said, “I love you, Amelia Jean Edwards.”
Amelia grinned. “I love you more, Zachary Michael Gallagher."
About the Author
Christina Butrum lives in a small Iowa town. When she is not writing, she can be found working as a Paramedic, hanging out with her family, reading books, or thinking about her next book.
She started writing in the summer of 2014. Second Chances is her first published book, but definitely won’t be her last. She is looking forward to writing the next two books for Second Chances series.
She is passionate about friendships, family, and happy endings. She loves to interact with everyone and loves connecting with readers. You can find her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/authorcbutrum
Second Chances (Fairshore Series Book 1) Page 18
