"And this is your room," Brooke explained, leading me into the bedroom in the hall past the stairs. It had tall ceilings, a large queen size bed near the window, a desk with a new laptop on it, and the biggest closet I've ever seen. "If you're not doing anything today, I thought we could drive to Charleston and go buy some new bedding, maybe pick out some new wallpaper?"
"I have plans," I mumbled, brushing past her. I set my suitcase next to the bed, and started to unpack.
"Oh, ok, well do you want to go get breakfast? I'm sure you haven't tried everything on the menu at Karen's and I know you'll just love their French toast." She chuckled.
"Aren't you, like, married?" I asked, when I'd arrived I'd only noticed her car, and from what I could gather no one else lived here except for her.
"Oh," she said, looking down. "Um no, I was engaged to this guy Julian, but we just didn't work out." She blushed, and started to walk around the room. I felt a little bad for being such a bitch to her, but I was still mad about the secret.
"Maybe," I took a deep breath, "maybe we can go to Charleston tomorrow?"
"Of course," she beamed, "we'll make a day of it." She stepped closer, and brought her arms up to hug me. I ducked my head, and quickly moved to the other side of the room. Grabbing my purse, and slipping on my flats.
"I have to go, I'm going over to Lennie's house for a project." I started for the door.
"Oh ok," Brooke said coming up behind me, "just call me when you're ready to come home." We both stopped. Home. This was my home now, and the word made us both speechless for a few seconds.
"Yeah, I'll call you. Bye." I stepped out the front door and made my way to Lennie's house. I was half way there when a cobalt blue mustang pulled up next to me.
"Archer, what are you doing walking the streets all alone?" Mather asked, rolling down his window and showing off that movie-star grin. "It's dangerous out here."
"Hmm, last time I checked this was Tree Hill not the Bronx. Besides, I'm just heading to Lennie's place," I laughed.
"Yeah well I'm not letting a lady walk alone, get in." He stepped out of the car, and opened the passenger door for me. I gawked at him, was he serious? Was this whole southern gentleman thing an act? I'd had experience with boys, but not with boys like this. Well, not with boys who made me feel like this. Like I was special and worthy of opening car doors for, and that I wasn't crazy or over-emotional when I cried. I liked Mather, I liked him a lot. He was pretty much the only thing keeping me sane right now, him, Lennie, and Sawyer. They were the only ones I had room in my heart to love these days.
I slid into the passenger seat. When we got back on the road, Mather reached over and grabbed my hand. "So how are you?" He asked, "How is living at casa Davis?"
"It's like living in a bed and breakfast," I chuckled, "The house is spectacular."
"But what about you, Gem? Where are you at?"
I smiled, he knew I wasn't alright. "She's trying really hard," I sighed, letting my head fall back onto the seat, "Brooke wants to be my mother and I want to let her. I just can't shake the feeling that if I do, everything will go wrong. Or that I might be losing my mom all together."
"You'll always have your mom with you, Gemma." Mather said, taking a right on Lennie's street. "But maybe that's why Brooke is trying so hard, she knows she can't replace the last 16 years you had with your mom. She can only focus on being a good mother to you now."
"You're a walking self-help book, Mather Kent." I said, squeezing his hand.
"That's what happens when your parent's are the town therapists." He laughed, pulling into Lennie's driveway. The Vreeland's were your picture perfect family. With a large colonial mansion, white picket fence, and their golden retriever, Jayce. I loved coming over mostly because it felt like a vacation. It was what a family should look like.
"Thanks for the ride." I smiled, reaching over to open the car door. Right before I stepped out of the car, Mather grabbed my hand and pulled me back in. He put his palm up to my cheek, and then pulled my face to his. The kiss started out slow and gentle, then it became more heated, and I had to remind myself that I was in the Vreeland's driveway.
"You're welcome." He winked, when we finally pulled apart. "Call you tomorrow?" I gave him a smile, as I forced myself out of the car.
Lennie met me at the door, a huge grin on her face. "That was so hot."
"You saw?" I whined, I felt heat spread from my neck to my cheeks.
"I'm pretty sure everyone saw, even my gardener." She laughed, nodding towards the man who was planting flowers on the edge of the drive way.
"Oh god." I said, covering up my face in my hands.
"Come on you little harlot," Lennie giggled pulling me inside, "this project won't do itself."
"Mom!" I screamed, jerking up in my bed. I was breathing hard, and my hair was stuck to the back of my neck. I'd been having the same nightmare for weeks. My mom was standing at the edge of a lake, and whenever I tried to step closer to her she'd disappear farther and farther into the lake, until she was completely submerged.
I hugged my knees to my chest, and cried. I was sobbing so hard, I didn't realize Brooke had turned the light on and was sitting next to me on the bed. I turned to her, tears clouding my vision. "I miss her," I whimpered. Brooke pulled me into a hug, she stroked my hair as I cried. "I know you do, honey." She whispered.
"Will you stay with me till I fall asleep?" I asked.
"Of course." She replied. "You just lay down. I'm not going anywhere"