Wrenn
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I’d never been to Los Angeles before.
It was pretty much as I’d expected: lots of traffic, people, and noise. Dalton snuck glances at me as we drove down the M1 heading toward Lanyard, where his mother lived.
We’d be staying with her for a few weeks, and then moving on to Boston where we planned to get a place together, ready for the start of university.
I was nervous about meeting his mom. She would’ve known my mom, and that connection gave me some relief. It was like we were all intertwined in each other’s lives, and it was inevitable that we would one day meet.
Dalton’s mom lived in a huge two-story brick house that overlooked Potter’s Lake. The gardens were perfectly manicured, and the place was nicely kept. My heart was pounding as he pulled into the driveway.
What if she didn’t like me? What if she thought I wasn’t good enough for her son? As if sensing my concerns, Dalton gave me a smile, putting his hand on my thigh.
“She will love you, just like I do.”
I turned to him. Though he had made his feelings clear, that was the first time he had told me he loved me. I brought his hand up to my mouth and kissed his fingers. “I love you too. So fucking much,” I said, my eyes brimming with unwanted tears.
He chuckled and reached over to me, wiping them away. “Don’t cry. This is a happy moment. Enjoy it.” He smiled at me again. “I love you, Wrenn.” He kissed me tenderly, his fingers brushing wisps of hair away from my face.
He was right. I deserved to enjoy this. Him. Everything. This was my happy ending. No matter what the future held.
***
Mary, Dalton’s mother, turned out to be a lovely woman who I instantly liked. She hugged me as if we were old friends and ushered us inside. She took us through to the kitchen and demanded we sit down while she made coffee.
“It’s lovely to finally meet you, Wrenn. I’ve been hearing such wonderful things about you.”
I smiled. Who had been talking about me—Dalton or Layna?
“It’s great to meet you too,” I said earnestly.
She set a mug of hot coffee in front of me, and then Dalton. When she looked at him, I could feel the love. It almost took over the room. He was her baby and she would do anything to protect him. Only there were some things he couldn’t be sheltered against.
“Did you make the appointment?” he asked her, fingering the handle of his mug. He looked up and waited for her to answer.
She nodded, biting her lip, her face giving away her anxiety.
“Thanks, Mom. It’ll be fine,” he assured her. “I’ll be fine. No matter what, I’m okay. You don’t need to worry about me.”
She laughed, tears welling in her eyes. “Honey, I’m your mom. I’ll always worry about you. It’s my job.”
***
It was after dinner, and Dalton had gone out to meet up with some friends. He had wanted me to go, but I’d claimed I had a headache. At first he’d wanted to stay, but after five minutes of me insisting he go out and enjoy himself, he relented. After he’d gone, I crept out of the guestroom, making my way to the living area, where Mary was reading. She smiled at me as I entered, putting down her book.
“How’s your headache, honey?” she asked, her brow creased with concern.
“Better,” I said, a wave of guilt washing over me. There had been no headache. I just needed an excuse to spend time with Mary. There was so much I wanted to know.
“Can I get you anything? A soda? A tea?”
I shook my head, curling up in one of the armchairs, my legs under me. I had no idea of how to broach the subject of the disease.
“Would you like to chat?” she asked gently.
I smiled and nodded.
She sat down in the chair next to me. “You’re a strong girl, Wrenn. I know this feels overwhelming, but cherish the time you do have with him.”
“What was it like? Watching your husband suffer?” That was the thing most on my mind, and something only she could answer.
“Awful. It was hard. And as bad as it was for me, I know it was worse for him.” She took a deep breath, and then sighed. “Losing Derek was horrible, but I am thankful for the wonderful years we had together.”
“Did he suffer?” I asked softly.
“The last few months were hard for him. I’m sure he was suffering, but by then he had trouble communicating...” Her voice trailed off as tears filled her eyes. I felt bad for bringing it up. “You can’t control who you love, Wrenn and I think you know that better than anyone. If I’d known about Derek’s illness, it wouldn’t have changed anything. My love for him wouldn’t have disappeared. The only thing that might have changed was that we wouldn’t have had Dalton.”