Page 72 of No More Hiding

She walked to the back to fix her face and hair before her client arrived.

She’d never thought she compared herself to others, but when she thought of family—even Brent’s—that was when she got bit by the green monster.

Brent’s family had a loss in their life, but they'd held onto each other for support to get through.

That was what she had with her grandparents...who were gone.

The sad truth was, she was lonely and sick of being by herself and having no one to talk to about it all.

But she didn’t know if she could tell anyone either.

23

Give Just Enough

Over a month later, Vivian was riding with Brent to his parents’ house for Thanksgiving. It’d been years since she’d celebrated with anyone, opting to spend the past few alone.

That is what she was in this world. Alone.

Prior to her grandparents’ death, they’d gone out to eat. Being only the three of them, there was no reason to cook a big elaborate dinner.

The last Thanksgiving dinner she had with more than her grandparents was the one before her father’s arrest. She’d been fifteen at the time. Almost half her life ago.

So spending one with a family now, and with the man that she’d not only consider her boyfriend but the person she was in love with was on the north side of daunting.

The last time she’d seen Brent’s parents and brother was the time she met them. Over two months ago on Labor Day.

Brent hardly talked of his family, but she knew they were in his life. They gave him space he seemed to need but kept in touch. If they thought he was falling down a rabbit hole of despair, she knew they’d be knocking on his door with ropes and shovels to get him out.

But between Sammie and her in their son’s life, they seemed to think he was doing fine.

She figured he was too.

No, he didn’t talk about his sister or Rob to her. Not after he confessed he talked to them in his dreams.

She’d even woken him up one night when he was tossing and turning in bed. She’d thought he seemed agitated or was having a nightmare, but he’d told her his sister was annoying him.

She’d thought it was funny but since he didn’t volunteer what the conversation was about, she didn’t ask.

It was probably no different than a private phone conversation he might have with his family.

“Why do you seem nervous again?” he asked.

“What? I’m not. Why do you ask?”

“You’re quiet and we know you aren’t always. You’ve met my family before. You admitted they weren’t that bad.”

She smiled. “No. They aren’t bad. It’s been a few months since I’ve seen them. I guess it has more to do with the fact this is the first bigger family holiday dinner I’ve had in a long time.”

“Since your mother passed?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said. That was the truth so she had no problem saying it. “When I lived with my grandparents it was just the three of us for holidays and we normally went out to eat.”

“Your mother was an only child, you’d said before. What about your father or his side of the family? You never say anything there either.”

And this was another reason why she found she didn’t get too close to people. They wanted to know more than she was willing to say.

Only this time she was wondering how she was going to give just enough.