Page 108 of The Scientist
“A little," I disclosed. "It bothered him how pushy Garrett was being."
My mom's face hardened with concern. "What do you mean?"
“He didn't hurt me," I assured her. "He didn't know I was seeing someone else, and I think he expected me to be thrilled that he came all this way to see me."
"But you haven’t even talked to Garrett in months, right?”
“No, I haven’t,” I said. “Which was the reason I think Lex was so annoyed. Garrett kept pushing for me to give him another chance instead of accepting that things were over."
My mom shook her head. "You really had quite the evening."
"I wish that had been the end of it, but the scene continued into this morning when he came to say goodbye," I told her. "He was trying to get a rise out of Lex, talking about that trip we took to Cancun and asking if we could try to be friends once I got back to New York.”
“What did you say?”
“I said ‘maybe’ just to get him out the house, but there’s no way. I don’t think we could manage it after all this.”
Her expression became unreadable. “Interesting,” she said cryptically.
“What’s interesting?”
“Have you thought any more about what I said?” she asked, not answering my question.
“You’ll have to be more specific,” I responded. “You talka lot.”
She smirked. “I don’t think you’re allowed to speak like that to a woman with no eyebrows.”
I chuckled. “I’ve actually enjoyed that particular side effect. Your reactions to my insults have become more subdued.”
She gasped, placing her hand over her heart. “I am shocked you would say such a thing, Hadley Marie Olivier.”
“I would have no way of knowing that from your expression.”
Her mouth slowly spread into a wide grin. “The woman who raised you must have been truly appalling.”
“Truly.” I smiled back at her. “So, what is it you want to tell me, mommy dearest?”
She had that teacher look on her face, so I knew I was about to hear a life lesson.
“Now, I don’t want you to bite my head off again, but I know you, Hadley,” she started. “I can tell you and Lex are only going to get more serious about each other.”
My brows pinched together. “Is that a bad thing?”
“Not at all. Lex is a great guy,” she said. “The whole saving my life thing really convinced me of that.”
I shrugged. “I’m still on the fence.”
“Tell me something,” she said more seriously. “Do you miss New York?”
“Of course I do,” I answered automatically. I knew where she was going with this, and I could already feel my defenses going up.I wasn’t sure if I was ready to revisit this conversation just yet.
“What is it you miss, exactly?” she asked.
“Everything,” I said. “Sunday picnics in Central Park, walking the pier at Coney Island, ice cream in Chinatown…”
She nodded her head. “All the things you used to do with Daddy.”
I stared straight ahead. I could feel the raw emotions wanting to take over for the logical side of my brain that was telling me she was right. If I thought of what I truly missed about New York, it was the memories I had with my dad, and how it always made me feel closer to him to still do those things.