Dearest sister,
Thank you so much for sending the photos of Drake, he’s just gorgeous! If you can believe it, Mom and Dad agreed that he was as well. Mom of course, acted as though she were embarrassed to say so. Perhaps she’s getting a little soft. We can only hope, right?

I hate to ask but I feel that it is important; is everything going alright with Ben? In your last letter you didn’t speak much about him. I suppose you could have been just so excited and in love with your little boy that you didn’t think about it? Unfortunately Mom also noticed, and is sure the marriage is about to fall apart. I certainly hope that is not the case.

In semi-related news, we had a visitor this past week. It was someone you know quite well, and I have to say I was very surprised to see him in the living room with Mom when I came home from school. He looked somewhat troubled, and Mom strangely enough was more than happy to console him. I suspect by now, you know who it is I am referring to.

I didn’t stick around to eavesdrop (perhaps I should have!), but I can honestly say that Aidan was quite upset, and I have a feeling it largely had something to do with you. Of course, we both know what happened before you left, and it would be quite understandable for him to be upset (and I’m not judging your decisions, by the way!), but there was just something strange about the whole thing. We both know well enough that in the end Mom didn’t particularly love Aidan. I wonder if he is the person she’s been hounding since your first letter. If that were the case, I wonder what she was up to.

I’ve been thinking a bit about my near future. It’s about time I start looking into colleges, and I thought that seeing as we haven’t been able to spend time together in nearly two years, perhaps I should go to school in your vicinity. Then I could come by often and get to know your family. Of course I wish to know your thoughts on the matter, as I wouldn’t want to impose. I am sure you have plenty to do every day and I would hate to cause any trouble.
I look forward to hearing from you again! Take care.

Love,
Gary


Dropping the letter, I hurried to the phone and quickly dialed my old number. Waiting for someone to answer, I bolted across the living room and opened the door to the bedroom a crack. Ben was snoring on the bed, his limbs wrapped tightly around a mound of blankets. I quietly closed the door and returned the phone to my ear.

“Bloody hell guys, answer the damn phone.” I waited for the end of the insufferable ringing, pacing the floor behind the couch. I was just about to hang up, when someone answered.


“So sorry, I just came from the garden!” my mother cried into the phone, breathing heavily. “I hope you weren’t waiting too long.” I sighed and rolled my eyes.

“I nearly hung up, actually,” I groaned. The other end fell silent for a moment, and I envisioned my mother scowling at the sound of my voice.

“Aimee?” she asked quietly. “Is that you, dear?” I narrowed my eyes.

What the hell was that crap? She almost sounded happy to hear me! Something was going on for sure.

“Yes mother, it is,” I barked, crossing my arms. “You want to tell me what the hell you’re up to?”


“Don’t speak to me like that, young lady!” she growled. “And what makes you think I’m up to something?”

Yeah, here we go. She’s playing dumb.

“I heard Aidan was there recently,” I started. “Gary said you were all sympathetic and shit, and we both know you hate him!” My mother let out a surprised laugh, causing me to roll my eyes. Every sound that came out of her mouth annoyed the crap out of me.

“Oh come on Aimee, you know I don’t hate him,” she began. “He came over here one day as upset as could be, so I simply comforted him.”

“I don’t believe that for a second,” I retorted, resuming my pacing. “Why would he go to his ex’s house and cry on her mother’s shoulder, hmm? Tell me what you’re doing!”

“Darling, you’re overreacting,” she sang. I wanted to slap the stupid smile off her face that I was sure she was sporting. “Aidan didn’t feel he had anywhere else to turn.”


“Bullshit!” I screamed, throwing my arm up. “He has a wonderful mother, remember? A mother that didn’t force him to give up something so fucking precious to him!” I could feel the heat crawling up my neck to my face.

“I made the right decision, you’ll come to see that,” she started. “And his mother isn’t so wonderful, Aimee.”

“Whatever!” I cried, squeezing my eyes closed. “Was it him that called me? Did you put him up to it, Mother?”

“Who called you?” she asked. “I didn’t put anyone up to anything. Goodness Aimee, you’re so critical of me.”

“Shut up, and tell me!” I screamed. “You told him to call me and fuck with my head, didn’t you?!”

My head was spinning. I felt as though I would drop to a heap on the floor any second, and go into a screaming fit. Why did she always do such horrible things to me? I was her daughter for Christ’s sake! And here she was, suddenly all quiet. The silence cut me like a knife.

“I didn’t put him up to it,” she whispered, finally. I breathed heavily, fighting off the sobs that would burst out any moment. “He looked you up all on his own.”


“Oh God,” I whimpered, dropping my chin against my chest. I closed my eyes and held back the tears.

“I did call him and tell him about Ben, and the baby,” my mother continued, her voice low. “I knew you were making a huge mistake, and even now I can sense that you’re not truly happy.”

“No,” I agreed, my eyes still closed. “I’m not. Especially not now. But, it wasn’t your business to meddle.”

“He is your true love, Aimee,” she whispered. Her voice seemed a little broken. Was she crying? “You need to be with him. You know you do.”

“It’s too late,” I weakly offered. “I’m married, and my son needs us together.”

“It’s not too late, Aimee,” she pressed. “Everyone gets a second chance.”

“Not me,” I breathed. “I blew it.”

“But you do, you don’t understand,” she began. “It’s right in front of you. Or, at least it will be.”

Why was she acting this way? Why did she suddenly seem so interested in the two of us together? She was the one that started the downfall, she destroyed us. But, now she was being nice to me. What was going on?

“What are you talking about?” I sobbed, brushing away a tear. My stomach announced its discomfort.


“He’s coming, Aimee,” she laughed. “He’s on his way to Pleasantview!”

I gasped and dropped the phone, struggling to catch my breath. With wide eyes I stared at the floor, grasping my chest. He couldn’t come to Pleasantview, he just couldn’t! I’d take one look at him and see her; all the memories I’d been struggling to lock away would just explode within me. I didn’t want to hurt like that again, I just couldn’t bear it.


I picked up the phone and listened to my mother breathe. She was waiting for me to calm myself. It wasn’t going to happen.

“I can’t do this, you have to stop him,” I whispered. “Don’t let him come here.”


“Honey, I can’t stop him. He didn’t leave me a number to contact him,” she explained. “He said he’d call me when he had you back.”

So he was really determined. Oh God, how was I going to get through this? How could he think I’d just drop everything and go running back home with him? I had a child now, he had to understand that. A heavy sigh escaped my lips, and I closed my eyes as my stomach tied in knots. God, he was really coming. And there was nothing I could do about it.

“Did you tell him to come?” I asked.

“No, I didn’t,” she assured me. “He told me he didn’t believe you were happy, and that he had to see you. He wanted to save you.”


“Honestly? You promise?” My mother laughed softly.

“Yes, Aimee,” she continued. “He couldn’t stand the thought of you unhappy, and didn’t want your son to grow up in such an environment.”

“I need to go,” I whined.


“Honey, I’m so sorry for what has happened!” my mother cried. “I wanted to make it up to you.”

Without another word, I hung up the phone.

I needed to move away, like now. I needed to pack up everything and just disappear. But I knew I couldn’t. I would just have to deal, and lay low. I couldn’t let him find me.

Continue to 1.16