Far From Home

by Megan Nugen Isbell

  When we finally got to his place though, I settled in quickly and Robin did her best to make me feel at home. I even went shopping with her the day after my arrival. The last time I’d been back, when I’d run away from Carver and my problems, I’d promised her I would. We actually had a pretty decent time and even though I tried to tell her no, she insisted on buying me a new pair of boots and a few shirts. I had to admit, as much as I had wanted to dislike Robin when she and my dad first got together, I couldn’t anymore. She loved my dad and he loved her and there were definitely worse people he could be with. I could totally handle Robin as a step-mom. Thanks to this revelation, I wasn’t entirely surprised or upset when Robin and my father took me out to dinner after our day of shopping and told me they were getting married. It took me a second to find my voice, but when I did, I congratulated them both and Robin eagerly pulled out the ring she’d been hiding since my arrival. Although it was strange to think of my dad being married to someone besides my mom, I was happy for them and I could see the relief on both of their faces at my tame and supportive reaction. The last time they’d spent any real time with me, I’d been a hormonal mess. I was certain they both were nervous to tell me. I’m sure they wondered what my reaction would be and were probably a little surprised with what they got.

  The trip had started off great and once they broke the news of their engagement, Robin and I even talked a little about wedding plans. She insisted I be one of her bridesmaids and I gladly accepted.

  When my dad surprised me with tickets to a Red Sox game at Fenway, I was ecstatic. I hadn’t been to a game in a couple of years and couldn’t wait to go. He even invited my two best friends from Boston, Natasha and Courtney, to come with us. We pigged out on Fenway Franks and belted out “Sweet Caroline” in the middle of the eighth inning and for a little while, it felt like I’d never left.

  I missed Carver though and I missed Jesse. Things had seemed okay with him lately, so I wasn’t too worried about him while I was away. We talked every night and he sounded the same as he had for weeks. He spoke to me with quiet reserve and I knew his mind was still on other things, obviously. He never talked to me much about the financial aspects of his father’s business, but I knew it was stressing him out. He’d alluded to the fact that Glenn might be stepping up to help with that. I’d hoped he would so Jesse wouldn’t have to worry so much.

  The day after the baseball game I was tired. It’d been a night game that extended into extra innings, so we didn’t get home till after midnight. Natasha and Courtney had slept over and we stayed up talking till nearly three a.m. Because of our late night, they were still crashed out on the floor of the guest room I was staying in, and I had just woken up when my phone rang. It was just after eleven o’clock and I was surprised to see Jesse’s number flashing on the display.

  “Hey,” I said, trying to clear the tiredness out of my voice.

  “Hey, babe. Did I wake you?” he asked and I immediately noticed the change in his voice. He sounded excited and that immediately piqued my curiosity.

  “I was just laying here.”

  “Kinda late, don’t you think,” he said and I could hear the laughter in his voice.

  “I had a late night with Tash and Courtney. The game ran late and then we started talking and well…that doesn’t matter. We just got to bed late,” I rambled before turning my attention back to him. “I didn’t expect to hear from you this early. I thought you’d be at the shop.”

  “You are not going to believe this,” he said, his voice lowering, but the enthusiasm still prevalent.

  “What’s going on?” I asked, both excited and worried at the same time as I waited for him to fill me in.

  “My mom is here,” he said and I felt my body freeze as I processed what he’d just said. Those were the last words I’d expected to hear. “Riley, are you there?” he asked a few moments later. My silence had obviously been noticed on his end of the line.

  “Yeah, I’m here,” I stuttered. “Did you say your mom’s there?”

  “Yes! She’s sitting in the living room right now,” he exclaimed quietly.

  “What?” I asked more to myself than to him. “When did this happen?”

  “I was getting ready to head to work when I saw a car pull up. It was her.”

  “Are you sure?” I asked nervously.

  “She had pictures of us together, with my dad too, and she looks like the woman from the pictures. So, yeah, it’s her.”

  “Where are you?”

  “I’m on the porch. I had to call you and tell you.”

  “She just showed up after all these years? Just like that?” I said doubtfully.

  “I know. It’s crazy,” he said and I couldn’t help but notice how hopeful his voice sounded. I, however, wasn’t as excited. I had a pit in my stomach.

  “Yeah, that is,” I agreed softly. “What’s she like?”

  “I don’t really know. She just got here about thirty minutes ago. We haven’t had a chance to talk much. She wants to take me to breakfast.”

  “Are you gonna go?”

  “We’re leaving in a few minutes,” he said, the excitement returning to his voice. “I just had to tell you.”

  “Jesse…I’m…wow…I’m happy for you,” I stammered, even though I wasn’t sure happy was the right word. I’d reserve judgment for when I got back to Carver and met Marlene.

  “I just had to tell you…I had to tell someone. I’ve gotta go though. I’ll see you in a couple of days. I love you, Riley.”

  “I love you too,” I said and then the line went silent. I stared down at the phone, still in shock over what I’d just been told. Jesse’s deadbeat mom, the woman who had ignored him for the past 16 years, the woman he said he had no desire to know, was sitting in his house. I wanted to be happy for him, but all I could do was worry.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  My mom and Jack picked me up at the airport on Sunday evening. I’d tried not to let the news of Jesse’s mom’s reappearance taint the rest of my visit, but no matter what I was doing, I was always thinking about him in the back of my mind, wondering what he and his mom were up to. We’d only talked once since he told me, and it hadn’t been for very long. He’d told me his mom had made him a big spaghetti dinner and had washed and folded all of his laundry. He sounded like a little boy and all I could do was listen and wait for the opportunity to meet this woman.

  I knew my mom wouldn’t like it if I took off to Jesse’s the moment I got back to Kansas, so instead, I let Mom and Jack take me to dinner in Wichita. I filled them in about Jesse’s mom while we ate and also told my mom about my dad and Robin. I thought their engagement might bother her, but she looked totally at ease. She seemed more concerned with Jesse’s situation.

  When I got back to Carver, I texted Jesse, telling him I was home and that we’d meet up the next day after work, even though it would kill me to wait that long.

  Jill was already there when I got to work the next morning, but Matt wasn’t. I was disappointed because Matt had become my resident therapist through all of the Jesse drama I’d experienced over the summer and I was anxious to get his take on this latest turn of events.

  “How was your trip?” Jill asked as I got settled.

  “Great. It was nice to spend some time with my dad. Thanks again for the time off,” I told her and then I heard the familiar jingle of the bells on the door. I looked up and watched as Matt walked in.

  “So, you finally decided to come to work?” he remarked playfully as he removed the faded Cardinals hat he was wearing, running a hand through his wavy dark hair. I just smiled and he nudged me as he walked by me. “It’s good to have you back. I can only talk to my mother for so long without going crazy.”

  Jill just glared at her son, but then Matt went over and hugged her and she smiled.

  “So, how was Boston?” Matt asked as he started doing something on the computer.

  “It was great. I had a good time.”

  “What�
��d you do? Anything fun?”

  “Well, I found out my dad and his girlfriend are getting married.”

  “Is this a good or bad thing?” Jill asked.

  “I used to think it would be a bad thing, but now it’s a good thing,” I said and Jill smiled.

  “How was the Red Sox game?” Matt continued.

  “How’d you know I went?”

  “If you were trying to keep it under wraps, you probably shouldn’t have posted a million pictures from the game on Facebook.”

  “You’re probably right. I keep forgetting ever since you friended me, you have access to all my dark secrets,” I laughed.

  “Yes, and I keep tabs on everything you do,” he grinned, his face glued to the computer.

  “Stalker,” I said, throwing part of stem Jill had cut from a rose at him. He just looked up and laughed.

  I wanted to tell Matt about Jesse’s mom, but Jill was always around and I didn’t feel right exposing Jesse’s business to her. Matt was a different story. I’d been doing it all summer.

  Jill didn’t leave the shop all day, so I figured it would have to wait until the next day, which may be better anyway since by then, I’d hopefully have had the chance to meet Marlene.

  My cell phone rang about an hour before I was supposed to get off work and I was surprised to see it was Jesse.

  “I’m dying to see you,” he said the moment I answered. There was a longing in his voice I hadn’t heard in forever and it made me smile.

  “Hello to you too.”

  “When do you get off?”

  “About an hour.”

  “Can I pick you up on my way home? Around 5:30? I want you to meet my mom. She wants to fix dinner for us.”

  “Definitely,” I said, glancing at the clock, anxious for the time to pass so I could meet this woman.

  ****

  When I got home from work, I freshened up by touching up my make-up, running the flat iron over my hair and changing out of the jeans and blouse I’d worn to work and into a black knit dress and leggings. For some reason I didn’t know, I wanted to make a good impression on Jesse’s mom when I met her.

  “You look nice,” my mom pointed out when I came downstairs to wait for Jesse to pick me up.

  “Jesse wants me to meet his mom. I guess she’s cooking us dinner,” I said, sitting down on the couch.

  My mom seemed skeptical about the sudden reappearance of Jesse’s mother too and she sat beside me on the couch, taking my hand and holding it with both of hers.

  “I’m worried about Jesse,” she said and I nodded.

  “Me too.”

  “This whole thing with his mom concerns me. She hasn’t been around for practically his whole life and now all of a sudden she’s back? It doesn’t make sense to me.”

  “Me either. I want to be happy for him, but I don’t feel that way. I mean, maybe I will after meeting her, but right now, I’m just worried.”

  “Just see how tonight goes and we’ll see what happens,” my mom said as we heard Jesse’s Wagoneer rumble up the driveway. I stood up and grabbed my purse and the gift I’d got for him during my trip.

  “Good luck,” my mom said as I opened the door.

  “Thanks. I’m sure we’ll have lots to talk about when I get home,” I told her and then walked outside.

  Jesse had turned off the Jeep and was walking towards the door to get me. He picked up his pace when he saw me walk outside and once we met, he engulfed me in a tight bear hug. He breathed in deeply as if taking me in and I did the same. I’d missed his arms around me during our six days apart and I was relieved to be with him again. When we finally pulled back, his face was elated and I hadn’t seen him look so happy since before his dad died.

  “God, I missed you,” he said before pulling me to him and kissing me hard. For a moment I forgot about the fact I was about to meet Jesse’s estranged mother and just melted into his kiss.

  “I missed you too,” I said breathlessly and then pulled the gift out of the plastic bag. “I got you something.”

  “Oh yeah?” he asked and I reached up, placing it on his head.

  “A Red Sox hat?” he groaned playfully.

  “Yup. Brought to you directly from Fenway Park. Your Royals hat is looking a little rough.”

  “You know I only tolerate this because I love you so much.”

  “I’m well aware of that,” I laughed as he took my hand and led me to the Jeep, opening the passenger side door for me as I climbed in.

  I watched as he crossed in front of the Jeep and then got in beside me, the thunderous engine coming to life a moment later as he pulled out of the driveway.

  “You look hot,” he grinned, pulling his eyes from the road momentarily to move them up and down my body quickly before looking back.

  “I thought I’d try and make a good impression.”

  “You already have. I told her all about you.”

  “So…” I began nervously. “How’s everything going with her…your mom?”

  I saw a smile spread over his face as I waited for him to fill me in.

  “Things are good. Really good.”

  I paused for a moment, wondering how I should approach the conversation.

  “You seem really excited about her coming back,” I finally decided on.

  “I am. I mean, I was confused at first, but it’s good, Ry. We’ve had a lot of time to talk.”

  “It’s just…that night we looked at pictures and I slept over…I asked if you ever wanted to find her. You were adamant that you had nothing to say to her.”

  “I was adamant, but that’s before I met her and heard her side of the story.”

  “And what’s her side of the story?” I asked and I knew my voice was snide.

  “Riley, things aren’t always what they appear to be,” he said, a warning tone to his voice.

  “I know that. I’m just wondering how she explained abandoning her two-year-old son sixteen years ago. What reasonable explanation could she have possibly given?”

  I felt the Jeep lurch to a stop as Jesse pulled it off to the side of the road, putting it in park and turning to me. He looked defensive and hurt.

  “I know this is hard for you to understand, Riley because you still have your parents…both of them. I had no one until she showed up. And now, who knows? I can have a mother for the first time in my life. I just wish you could show a little support for me right now.”

  I felt my eyes grow warm. The last thing I wanted was for him to think I wasn’t supporting him. All I wanted to do was support him. I just didn’t want to see him get hurt. I was afraid of what would happen to him if he experienced another loss in his life right now.

  I took his hand and held it tightly as I thought about what to say to him.

  “I do support you. I just don’t want her to hurt you again.”

  “She’s not going to,” he said, staring back at me. “She had her reasons for leaving my dad and me and while I won’t defend those reasons, I’m trying to understand and accept her apology for doing it.”

  “Why’d she leave?” I asked hesitantly and he sighed, pausing for a few moments before telling me.

  “She was messed up with drugs, just like I’d been told. She wasn’t thinking right. She didn’t think she could take care of me the right way. She didn’t want me growing up with a junkie for a mom. She thought she was doing the best thing by leaving me with my dad.”

  “That was the best thing,” I agreed and he nodded.

  “I know it was, but it doesn’t mean I didn’t miss her growing up.”

  “Why didn’t she ever contact you?”

  “She was afraid to. She thought I’d be mad. She thought I hated her.”

  “Didn’t you hate her?”

  “Probably,” he nodded. “At least I told myself to hate her. It was easier that way. I told myself I didn’t care and I didn’t want to know her, but part of me always did care and I did want to know her.”

  “And now that you do
know her?” I questioned.

  “I don’t hate her.”

  “I’ll try not to hate her then either,” I said softly and he kissed the back of my hand, but then I looked at him, needing to ask another question. “Why’d she come back now?”

  I heard him breathe in deeply, looking away for a moment before his eyes met mine again.

  “She got word my dad died and she didn’t want me to be alone.”

  “How’d she even know? You told me yourself your dad searched everywhere for her while he was filing the divorce papers and he never found her.”

  “I guess she has a friend that still lives here and told her about my dad.”

  “Where has she been?”

  “Lots of places, I guess. Right now she’s living in Arkansas, near Little Rock.”

  “How long is she planning on staying in Carver?”

  “Not sure yet. We’re gonna see how it goes.”

  “Where’s she staying?”

  “With me,” he answered and I felt my mouth hang open.

  “She’s staying with you?” I asked doubtfully and he nodded. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”

  “Riley,” he said gently, taking my hand again. “I know you’re concerned, but please, reserve your judgment for after you meet her.” I nodded and he kissed my hand, before pulling the Jeep back onto the road, my heart pounding, and not in a good way, as I prepared to meet the woman who had abandoned the person I loved most in this world without a second thought.

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Jesse held my hand as we walked up the steps. I could instantly smell the food cooking when he opened the door and I had to admit it smelled good. We stepped inside and my eyes were immediately drawn to the woman stirring a pot on the stove. She was shorter than I expected, especially since Jesse was so tall. Her hair was a little lighter than the dark blonde it had been in the picture I’d seen of her and it was shorter too. She was thin, almost too thin for my taste, and when she turned around and smiled at me, her teeth looked a little off, like she’d smoked too many cigarettes in her life. I didn’t think she looked a thing like Jesse, except for her eyes. They both had the same gray eyes.