Chapter 9

 

 

After spending the morning helping Kirsten check out the last of the guests – at least the last guests before the wedding party checked in – Haven drove to her parents’ house. She got out, knocked briefly and went on inside.

“Ma, where are you?”

“I’m upstairs,” she said. “In the bedroom.”

Haven went up to find her mother holding a dress in front of herself, looking in one of those oval, free-standing mirrors.

“Dad told you about leaving the doors unlocked,” Haven said.

“Your father is something else…ain’t nobody ‘round here.”

“Yeah, well, I saw a video of a bear actually turning a doorknob to get into somebody’s house, so if you don’t want your friend Mr. Grizzly chillin’ in the living room waiting to make a snack out of you, I suggest you lock that door.”

Cecily laughed. “Chile, the only bear I have to worry about jumping on me is your daddy.”

“Oh, jeez. The visual…”

Cecily laughed more. “You’ll have your own bear soon enough.”

“If you say so…” The words slipped out before she was aware of what she’d said.

“What do you mean by that?” Cecily asked, her radar going off already.

Haven dodged the question by asking one of her own. “Why are you picking out dresses?”

“Your father is taking me out Friday night…wanted to woo him. You gotta show your man you still got it.”

Haven smiled. She hoped she’d be in love like that when she was her mother’s age. First, though, she had to find a man. She wanted Titus to be that man, but after last weekend, she wasn’t sure.

Cecily placed a shimmery, emerald green dress on the bed and asked, “When did Titus leave?”

“Sunday night.”

“I thought you two were going to come by here before he left.”

“We were supposed to, but things didn’t go as planned.”

“What happened?”

Haven shook her head. “Let’s just say spring break has taken on a whole new meaning.”

“You two didn’t break up did you?”

“Well, sort of.”

“Oh, no,” Cecily said, looking distraught. “What happened?”

“I don’t know, Ma. I just—”

“Here, come sit down,” she said patting the area on the bed next to her.

Haven sat down and thought for a moment, not knowing where to begin. “Um—” she shook her head. Lips trembled. “It’s all my fault.”

“What’s your fault?”

“I told him I needed time to think because I feel like I’m so far behind him in life. I’m constantly playing catch up and he needs to be with someone he can grow with. I need to be with someone I can grow with. Someone who’s on the same page as me.”

“Let me tell you something, honey. If we all waited for that, nobody would be together. That’s the beauty of relationships. You meet someone and learn each other. You grow together.”

“But he’s so far ahead of the curve. I feel like I’m in my early twenties when I’m with him.”

“Then for goodness sakes, if the man makes you feel younger, he’s a keeper!”

Haven laughed through her sadness.

“Haven, I want you to be happy. If you need a few days to think it through, then you take that time, but if you come to the conclusion you want that man, you better reclaim him, honey.”

Haven chuckled.

“He’s a catch and so are you. You two are perfect for each other.”

“He told me he loved me.”

Cecily brought her hands to her face in sheer elation. “Aw, Haven—”

“He told me he loved me and I broke his heart,” Haven said with tears in her eyes. “You should’ve seen the look on his face when he left. He didn’t do anything to deserve that.”

Cecily took her daughter’s hand and said, “It’s going to be okay, Haven. It is. Trust me.”

“How can you be so confident about that?”

“Because I know how these things work. Do you love him?”

“Yes. I do love him.”

“Then nothing else matters. Let me tell you something—did you know I broke up with your father when we were dating?”

“You mean way, waaay back in the stone ages?” Haven joked, then laughed while brushing tears from her face.

Cecily bumped her with her shoulder. “Yeah, waaay back when—we broke up after we were a good…um…I wanna say four months in.”

“Why? What happened?”

“I guess I was feeling like you—like we weren’t compatible. I think all relationships go through this phase, but keep in mind that this is a confusing time for you as well. You’re starting a new life outside the Bed & Breakfast. I know that’s going to be a challenge for you, but honey, don’t let Titus go because of a challenge. If you know in your heart he’s not right for you, that’s a different story. If that’s the case, you should let him go. If you know he’s right for you and you’re just in a difficult place right now, that’s fine but it doesn’t mean you end the relationship. It means you find ways to work through it.”

Haven nodded. “Thank you, Ma. I always appreciate your advice.”

“And I appreciate you for coming to me with this.”

Downcast, Haven confessed, “I probably should’ve come to you sooner.”

“You don’t think it’s too late to fix things with Titus, do you?”

“No, but first I have to fix myself. You’re right about the Bed & Breakfast being my life. I grew up there. It’s been my home for a very long time. Now, I have to find a new home and a new job. I have enough in savings to hold me over until I get a steady job but I don’t know where to go at this point. Titus asked me if I had any ideas. I think he was upset when I didn’t mention anything about moving closer to him.”

“I think you should move close to him. You two are going to make it. I can feel it in my soul. Your father and I were considering moving to Florida, but we found a nice condo on Myrtle Beach instead.”

“Are you serious, Ma?” she asked, her face brightening.

“Yes. Myrtle Beach. We figured you and Titus were going to settle down somewhere in North Carolina and I didn’t want to live far away, especially when the grandbabies start rolling in.”

Grandbabies…

Haven could only shake her head.

“So, you go on and straighten things out with Titus. Ain’t no need in letting little problems go unresolved.”

Haven gave her mother a quick side-hug. “Love you, Ma.”

“Love you, too, Haven.”