Page 66 of Before We’re More Than Friends (When We Faced the Music #1)
“I get it, Mom.” Arielle got up to hug Mom. “I really do.”
I stood up to join the hug, fighting the tears that threatened to surface.
I didn’t want to keep crying. I didn’t want to fight the brain fog that came from every crying session.
I just wanted to be with my family. And as Nonno joined our hug, I knew that whatever happened, we’d make it to the other side of the rainbow.
Not too long after dinner, I heard the front door open. I looked out my window to see two cars in the driveway, Sienna’s red Toyota and a black Mercedes that looked similar to the one in Gracelynn’s driveway. Had she driven one of her parents’ cars here?
I went downstairs to greet the girls, only to see Jennifer Naysmith sitting on the couch with Mom and Nonno. And they were laughing .
Was my mind playing tricks on me?
“What’s going on?” Arielle asked as she followed me down the stairs. “Are we having a little party?”
“It would be the lamest party ever,” Sienna said from the foyer, putting her keys in her purse. “Caleb would be offended at the lack of chips.”
“And I’d be out the door at the sight of Caleb,” Gracelynn said with a small smile.
Arielle rolled her eyes. “He’s not that bad now. ”
“I bet every penny in my bank account he is.” Gracelynn followed Sienna to where we were standing near the couch.
“Hey, girls,” Mom said. “Jennifer decided to come over to catch up with me.”
“Hey, Jen—er, Mrs. Naysmith,” I said. “It’s nice to see you again.” I swallowed. “I’m sorry about what I said when you last came over. It was very bit—I mean, rude of me.” Had I forgotten how to speak to this woman?
Mrs. Naysmith smiled at me. “Thank you, Raina. I hope this visit goes better.” She looked at Mom.
“It’s good to hang out with your mom again.
It’s been so long.” She faced her daughter.
“Thank you, Gracelynn,” she said softly.
It was rare when she showed emotion other than pride or anger, but right now, she looked endearingly toward Gracelynn.
Gracelynn gave her a small smile. “You’re welcome.” She sighed, her eyes meeting mine. “Want to talk upstairs before we hang out with Sienna and Arielle?”
“Sure.” I led her up to my room, where Penrose sat on the clothes she’d knocked out of my hamper.
“Penrose still likes to sit on your bras?” Gracelynn asked as she sat on my bed.
My cheeks flushed as I thought about the time Dallas had visited. “And apparently gift them to people.”
She frowned. “Where’s my gift? I mean, your boobs are twice the size of mine, but still.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m sorry about what happened this week,” I said, sitting on my bed. “Really, I am. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset about your way of pushing your mom to reach out. And it wasn’t like my mom had reached out herself before either.”
“I’m sorry, too.” She traced her finger along the lavender duvet. “What happened stung, but I shouldn’t have yelled at you just because my mom accused me of talking crap about her.”
I sighed. “So are we good? I don’t like cold shoulders.”
“I only like them after a long day of dancing.” Gracelynn giggled. “We’re good.”
I smiled and wrapped her into a warm hug, her chestnut hair brushing against my skin.
After a few seconds, Gracelynn pulled away. “All right, that’s enough.”
“How can you not like hugs?”
“How can you like being suffocated for so long?”
I rolled my eyes.
Gracelynn swept a hand through her bangs. “I’ve been talking to my mom lately. More than I usually do. I’m trying to convince her to let me go to Apple of the Arts. Dad and Hunter are on board, but she’s resistant because . . . well, she has a truckload of reasons.”
“I can only imagine.” While Mrs. Naysmith had paid for Gracelynn’s dance programs her entire life, she always hoped that Gracelynn would change her mind and work at their law firm instead. “Hopefully, your dad will be able to convince her.”
“I don’t know. The only thing that would motivate her to let me go there is that it was Faith’s dream to go there, but Mom and Dad never let her.”
I gasped. “Faith wanted to go there?”
I didn’t know much about Gracelynn’s late sister.
She’d been a dedicated ballerina with big dreams, but a night of drinking at a college party wiped that away.
It’d happened when Gracelynn was seven, when I’d barely known her.
We’d attended the funeral, which had so many people that it’d felt like Faith had been famous.
Even then, the Naysmiths had maintained their prim and perfect appearance, barely shedding any tears .
Gracelynn let out a sharp breath. “I-I promised I’d go there a few days before she died. It was a very spur-of-the-moment thing, but it was the last promise I made to her. I can’t let her down.” She shook her head. “Anyway, all of that led to me snapping at you, which I shouldn’t have done.”
I frowned. “I’m sorry about everything that’s going on.” I thought about how Caleb also applied to attend Apple of the Arts. Crap, hopefully, they wouldn’t have to interact. Maybe Sienna or Arielle had warned her about it already. Either way, I didn’t want to influence her decision.
She couldn’t give up on what she promised her sister. If I were in her situation, I would’ve done the same for Arielle.
“You have it worse,” Gracelynn said, sympathy in her voice. “I mean, you started the year with two parents, and now they’re both gone before your birthday.”
I flinched at the thought of my birthday at the end of April. It would be the first birthday Dad would miss. Would Mom be there? Or would she still be in rehab?
“We shouldn’t compare our pain,” I told Gracelynn. “We’re still both hurting.”
“We are.” She gave a slow nod. “And we should both be gentler with each other.”
“We should,” I agreed. “We’ll be okay one day. Even if it takes a while.” And I truly believed it.
She smiled. “We will.”
I smiled back. “Okay, but seriously, this is the perfect moment to hug.”