All I Ask(46)

The next day, she touched my cheek, kissed my nose, and told me love worked in mysterious ways and some people get lost on the journey.

I still don’t know if she was talking about me or him.

“We have.”

“Oh? That’s wonderful. I hadn’t heard…”

I tilt my head to the side and grin. “That’s interesting, since you usually know before the people involved figure it out.”

She laughs and waves her hand at me. “Now, that’s just silly. How did it go? Are you friends again?”

I don’t really know where we stand since the night at the bar. I haven’t seen him.

Before the kiss, though, it was great. I smiled—truly smiled. I wanted things to stay that easy between us, but hurt isn’t something that I can just release because he offers me pretty words.

“We’re…working it out.”

She climbs down. “Maybe it shouldn’t be work?”

“Isn’t it you who told me every relationship that matters takes effort?”

Mrs. McCutchrey laughs once and nods. “I’m sure I said something like that, but we were discussing your mother at the time, dear.”

“Now, that is work.”

“Yes, but she loves you, just as I suspect the young Dr. Hartz does. You know”—she heads to the register—“I like to think I have a sixth sense about men.”

I love her but she’s nuts right now. “You do?”

“I do. I think you’ll be surprised.”

That’s already happened, but I can’t tell her that. I need to figure out how to deal with seeing him first.

“I’ll let you get back to your display. That’s a surprise I’m looking forward to.”

“All right, honey. I’ll be sure to stop by the store this week and we can catch up.”

In other words, she plans to grill me.

Another person to add to my list of people to hide from. Although, she’s probably the one I could never actually avoid. She’d find me.

“I will.”

I bag up my supplies of cereal, milk, eggs, chips, whipped cream, and the cookies that I really shouldn’t be eating, but don’t care. Tonight, calories don’t count. It’s all about me and Chas hanging out. She’s been looking forward to it all week and so have I.

Hence the chocolate cake that’s waiting for me at home.

Once I’m all checked out, I wave to Mrs. McCutchrey and head out before she can accost me. I’ve gotten really good at avoidance of late.

The drive over to the Hartzes is weird. I can’t remember the last time I was here. Not since before Derek’s wedding, I think. When I pull up, memories of my childhood flood me. This house was always so warm and inviting.

It was the house where the door was always open to any person or animal that needed someone. I loved Mrs. Hartz very much. Even knowing that I wasn’t the best person as a teenager, she never made me feel unworthy.

I’ve missed her cookies and wisdom.

“Teagan Berkeley, you get in here,” Mrs. Hartz yells from the door.

I smile, and get out of the car. “Sorry.”

“What were you doing out there?”

“Remembering.”

Her eyes soften and her lips pull into a sad smile. “I remember too, honey. But look at you…you raised a wonderful, smart girl.”

“The only thing I seem to have done right,” I say as a half joke.

“Now,” she chides. “I’ve known you a long time and you’ve never fished for compliments before.”

Busted. “Forgive me?”

“Nothing to forgive. Us mothers are always trying to figure out if we’ve screwed up or finally done something right. I still feel like I’m behind the curve, and my son is grown and raising his own…teenager.”

“How is Everly?” It’s easier asking about her to Mrs. Hartz, and I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because there’s a lot of Meghan in Everly and that scares me. I wonder if she hates me because her mother did or because she hates everyone.

Mrs. Hartz sighs. “She’s going through a lot, but…it’s been hard for her, and Derek is beside himself on what to do. I don’t like the way she’s acting and I’ve made my thoughts clear on that. Being angry and hurt doesn’t give anyone the right to treat another person poorly.”

I try not to smile because I remember the rest of that saying all too well. “It’s the measure of a person’s character to behave, even when we feel the worst about our situation.”

She touches my arm and nods. “That’s right.”

Those words were what snapped me out of my poor life choices. One day when I was waiting for Derek to be done with his dad, I was talking to Mrs. Hartz about things I was feeling. She was so different from my mom. Her nature was calm, understanding, and she never judged me. I didn’t want to be the person who kicked others when I was down. I wanted my character to show that even if I was low, I would help lift another instead of bringing them down to my level.

Mrs. Hartz doesn’t know how many times I’ve uttered those words to myself. When Keith was dragging me through the mud, I tried to be my best self because that was all I could control.

“Teagan.” Derek says my name from behind his mother.