Time and Time Again (Maybe #2.5)(20)

Tag makes a strangled sound. “She does, but I didn’t look at them once. She was telling me about Bella’s role in a play they’re doing next week. She’s going to be an ice queen from some kid’s movie.”

“Have you ever slept with her?” I blurt out.

“My kid’s teacher? Jesus, is that what you think of me?” he asks, sounding offended.

I didn’t know what to think. I just wanted to go home and sleep.

“Come on,” he rumbles in my ear. “I’m taking you home. I’ll call someone to cover our shift.”

He carries me in his arms like a bride and takes me to his car.

I fall asleep as he organises someone else to come in and cover for us.

*****

The next morning, I decide I have to face my problems.

“Are you going to talk to him?” Tag asks as he butters some toast.

“I guess so. I don’t think he’ll go away otherwise,” I say, looking down into my cup of coffee. “I think I need to try and forgive him so I can move on with my life, but that doesn’t mean I want him in my life.”

Tag walks over and puts the toast down in front of me. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“Would you mind?” I ask in a small voice.

“Do you even have to ask that?”

My lip twitches. “I guess not. Thanks, Tag. I mean it.”

“You don’t have to thank me, Clara,” he says, bending down to kiss my head. “I’m jumping in the shower then going to drop Bella off. Let me know what you want to do.”

He leaves the room, and I look down at my phone. Do I want to see him? No. Do I want this to end? Yes. I press dial his number, remembering it from the top of my head. Once upon a time, it was a number I called every day.

“Clara?”

“If I meet you, will you leave me alone then?” I ask, getting straight to the point.

I hear him sigh. “I want to meet you so we can part on good terms. I want you back in my life.”

“Not happening.”

“Clara—”

“No.”

“I’m sorry okay?” he says, rushing the words out. “I’m sorry for what I did to you and your mother, but I love your sisters too, so I can’t exactly regret it.”

Wow. Okay then.

“Why don’t you just go and be a good father to them,” I say quietly. “Be there for them. I don’t need you anymore, Dad, and I don’t want you in my life. I’m sorry if that hurts you, and that isn’t why I’m doing it. I’m doing it for me because I just want to forget about everything.”

He’s silent for a few moments. “Will you come and visit us for holidays? Your mother didn’t do anything wrong, and you’re punishing her too.”

Now he cared about my mum’s feelings? How rich.

“Fine, I’ll come for Christmas,” I say, relenting. “If you leave.”

“Okay, I’ll leave,” he whispers.

I hang up. Guess I don’t have to go and see him after all, but I do have to see him on Christmas. I could be civil, for my mother’s sake, couldn’t I?

I could try, and it was a start. I couldn’t be okay with everything over night, but I could work on it, and I would.





The time had come for me to move out. Tag loads my bags into his car, the silence between us filled with tension. I know he doesn’t want me to leave, but I want to do this for me.

“Is that everything?” he asks, his tone subdued.

“Yes.”

He opens the door for me, and I get in while he walks around the car and gets in the driver’s seat.

“It’s only five minutes away,” I say, twisting my body to face him.

“I know,” he says. “You’ll call me if you need anything, right?”

I nod, but I wasn’t sure that I would. Tag had done more than enough for me, and I can’t keep asking him for more. He reaches his hand over hand and rests it on my thigh, leaving it there for the rest of the ride.

Tag parks the car then gets out and carries my bags. We walk up one flight of stairs, and then I look for room twenty-eight.

“This way, Sweetheart,” Tag says, pointing to the right. I follow next to him until we walk up to the door. Knocking, I look at Tag’s face as we wait. Staring at the muscle ticking in his jaw, I turn when the door opens. A man stands there, dressed in nothing but a pair of basketball shorts sitting low on his lean hips. His body was toned, lithe. An athlete’s body. This was one of my roommates?

His eyes widen. “You Clara?”

I nod.

He puts his hand out. “Brandon.”

I shake his hand and then he raises it to his lips, placing a kiss there. “Nice to meet you.”

Tag clears his throat and moves closer to me. Brandon takes him in and takes a step back.

“This is Tag,” I say.

Tag grins, all teeth. “My woman gonna be safe here?”

Brandon nods, swallowing. “She will.”

“Good,” Tag replies in a smug tone.

Brandon gives us a quick tour. The apartment has three bedrooms and two bathrooms and is quite lovely and spacious. Tag carries my bags to my new room then sits on the bed, looking around.