Blind Side(94)

“That’s not happening,” Holden said, as if it wasn’t even an option to consider. Zeke’s equally stern glare told me he felt the same.

“We will figure it out. Just give us some time to think,” Riley said. “And until then, your mom is an adult. She can take care of herself — the catch is, you have to let her. You have to take the crutch away and show her that she doesn’t need it. She can walk on her own.”

“And if she doesn’t? If she falls?”

Zeke looked at Riley and then back at me. “She’ll get back up. That’s what we all do — we get back up, and we try again.”

I shook my head, even as their words started to clear the fog in my head. “I already accepted that check from Cory. Mom cashed it. She’s in rehab on his dime. And he… he cares about us,” I said, not realizing how much that hurt until the words were out. “In his own fucked-up way, this is him showing that.”

“This is him getting what he wants,” Riley argued. Zeke gave her a pointed look that made her zip her lips shut, though I could tell by how red her cheeks were that it was an effort to keep from saying more.

“Tell him you appreciate his help and his offer, but that you’ve changed your mind,” Holden said calmly. “And if he takes the money back and she has to go back home? Again, we’ll figure it out.”

“And by the way, I know she hurt you in the past, but none of this is fair to Maliyah,” Riley added, unable to stay quiet any longer. “You and Cory are a lot alike, I can see that just from what you’ve told us. You both want to help people you love. But this isn’t the way to do it.” She shrugged. “Your mom is hurting. So is Maliyah. They’re probably regretting decisions they’ve made that led to where they are now. But that doesn’t mean you take it on you to fix it all and make everything better — because that only leaves them feeling emptier.”

“So what am I supposed to do then?” I challenged.

“Just be there for her,” Riley said, shaking her head as a smile curled on her lips. “Tell your mom you love her and you understand. Listen to her when she needs it. Support her when she asks for your advice. When she decides what she wants to do next, offer whatever help you can within your physical, emotional, mental, and financial means.”

“Love her through the hard time while reminding her it won’t last forever,” Holden added, and again, there was something so solemn in his gaze that I wondered if he was speaking from experience, from a lesson he’d learned himself.

“You have a right to be happy, Clay,” Riley said softly. “And you do not have to bear everyone else’s burdens. You’ve done enough of that.”

I swallowed, head falling back as I looked up at the showerhead. “I don’t want to hurt her.”

“She’s your mom,” Zeke said instantly. “If anything, she will be proud of you for setting boundaries. She wants the best for you, too. And she will be okay, man. I promise.”

I closed my eyes, shaking my head, not because I was refusing to listen, but because I hated how much everything they said made sense. Maybe it was something I’d known all along, something that swam under the surface of my need to be the one to fix everything for my mom, for Maliyah, for anyone in my life who was in trouble.

“Where was all this sage advice two weeks ago?” I whispered on a sad laugh.

“Right here. You were just too damn prideful to come to your friends and ask for help,” Riley said.

“Fair,” I admitted on a sigh. Then, I looked at each of them. “I hear you. And I… I know you’re right.”

“How badly did that hurt?” Zeke teased with a smirk.

I tried to smile, too, but it fell flat as I considered everything. “I’ll talk to Cory. And I’ll call my mom, explain everything. Maliyah wants to get sushi right after this, so I guess I can face her first. She deserves to know the truth.”

My stomach curled at the thought. It would be back-to-back disappointment from each person, but I knew I had no choice but to face the mess I’d created.

“And Giana?” Riley pressed.

My chest ached. “She’s moved on.”

Riley frowned. “Okay, I love you, Clay, but how stupid are you?” She shook her head. “That girl is far from moved on. She…” Riley inhaled a breath that stopped her next word. “You need to talk to her.”

“She’s with Shawn,” I said, the words nearly killing me as I croaked them out. “I’m too late.”

“What are you talking about?” Riley asked.

“I saw them together on Sunday. They were at the coffee shop.” I swallowed. “He was hugging her, and she was staring up at him, laughing.” I paused. “As she should be. I want her to be happy.”

“Oh, cut the shit,” Riley said, abruptly standing. “She’s not with Shawn, you dummy. She met up with him to tell him everything that happened. She needed some sort of closure — and she knew it wasn’t coming from you.”

Zeke and Holden stood with her as I shook my head, confused. “How do you know this?”

She tilted her chin. “Don’t worry about how I know it. What you need to worry about now is how you fix this.”

My head was spinning, and I stood to join them, carefully maneuvering the towel so it stayed covering me until I could tie it around my waist.