“Of course, you will.”
There was a knock at the door, and a tall man stood there with a wide grin on his face. “Hey, Alec, are you ready for me to torture you? I’m Joey, your physical therapist. Today is the first day of your road back.”
“Let’s do this,” Alec said.
“Who is this?” Joey asked, as he moved behind Alec’s wheelchair. “Is this your girlfriend?”
“Nope. She’s so much more. I guess we can call her my conscience. My guardian angel. And my best friend.” His eyes were wet with emotion and I fought back the lump in my throat.
“Wow. I like a girl who wears a lot of hats. Are you coming with us?”
I nodded. “Yep. Let’s kick his ass today.”
Joey laughed. “I like this girl.”
“Yeah. She’s the best,” Alec said, smiling up at me.
I cheered Alec on through a couple hours of grueling physical therapy. I truly believed for the first time in a long time, that he was going to be okay and find his way.
I hurried home and opened my laptop before texting the girls.
Me ~ I’m sorry I’ve been MIA. So much to tell you. But I need to find Jett. He hasn’t responded to my texts and I need to talk to him.
Coco ~ Girl! I missed you. He has a fight tonight. They reopened. Wren agreed to let him have a few fights before he leaves for school. Let’s all meet at Addy’s in ten minutes, and we can go to the warehouse together. Good to have you back, bitch.
Gigi ~ Thank god. Yes, I’m down to go. I missed my girl.
Maura ~ I’m in. Love you, Addy. See you soon.
Ivy ~ It’s about damn time. We haven’t put one thing in the book since you went radio silent. Magic Willow meeting tomorrow. But tonight, we have a fight to attend.
Ivy ~ That’s going in the book by the way.
I laughed before staring at my laptop and hitting accept.
Me ~ See you soon. Love you.
I jogged downstairs and found Clem and Dad sitting in front of the TV. Mama walked in holding a laundry basket and set it on the ground.
“I made my decision about school. I’m going to attend TU. It’s an amazing opportunity for me, and I hope you’ll support me. As far as my personal life goes, I will support Alec as much as I can, because I really do want him to be okay. But I love Jett, and nothing is going to change that.”
“Yes.” Clem fist-bumped the sky. “You make me proud, Sissy.” She hurried to her feet and hugged me tight.
My dad stood and walked toward me. “Proud of you, Ladybug.”
“Thanks, Daddy.” He wrapped his arms around me and kissed the top of my head.
When he pulled away, I looked up to meet my mother’s gaze. Her eyes were wet with emotion, and she cocked her head to the side. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes.” Her words broke on a sob, and I hurried toward her, but she put her hand up to stop me. “Let me say this.”
I nodded.
“I’m proud of you, Adelaide Charlotte. I’m so sorry. I’m going to do better if you’ll give me a chance,” she said, tears streaming down her pretty face.
“Of course, I will. I love you, Mama.”
I hugged her, and we both cried as we stood there in the living room.
The doorbell rang and I pulled away. “Okay. The girls are here. I haven’t spent any time with them, and we need to catch up. I won’t be home late.”
Dad chuckled. “Tell Jett we said hello too.” He raised a brow as if he knew where I was going. He wasn’t wrong.
“I will. Love you,” I said as I made my way to the front door.
I filled the girls in on all that had happened with Alec, and the conversation between Mama and Lila. They understood my need to support Alec, even though they were all struggling to forgive him at the moment. I hadn’t forgiven him for getting behind the wheel drunk or for putting his hands on me. But I would support him and give him a chance to do better. Because I wanted that for him.
I’d seen the remorse in his eyes when we spoke. And maybe for the first time ever, Alec was taking accountability for his actions. I understood that his parents’ divorce and learning that he was going to be a father had been a lot to process, and though there was no excuse for what he’d done, I could empathize with what he was going through. “Oh. And in other news. I’ll be attending TU with you, Gigi. I hit accept just a few minutes ago. You didn’t find a new roommate over the past week, did you?” My chest filled with something I couldn’t explain.
Joy.
Hope.
Excitement.
“Hells to the no. It’s you and me, girl.” Gigi leaned over and hugged me.
“There is so much to put in the book today,” Ivy shouted.
“Proud of you, girl,” Coco said. “And we’ll only be a road trip away from one another.”
“Oh my gosh. We all know where we’re going now. And we’ll be close enough that we can see one another on the weekends.” Maura unbuckled her seat belt when we pulled up to the warehouse.
“Yep. Here’s to the next adventure,” I said, putting my hand forward, as Coco and Ivy both turned around from the front seat and all five of us put our hands in. “Magic Willows for life.”
“Magic Willows for life,” they all said at the same time.
“Now let’s go find your hot boy. He’s been so tortured and sad lately. Shaw said he barely speaks to anyone and he keeps hanging out at that damn chocolate shop with crazy Lenny.” Coco opened her door and stepped outside.
The warm breeze swirled around us, and I paused to hug each of my friends. “Thank you for always having my back. I love you.”
“Love you,” they each said one at a time.
“Let’s do this,” Ivy said, leading the charge toward the door.
When we stepped inside, I saw Jett in the cage. The fight had already started. And as always, there was a force that connected us. His head turned and his gaze locked with mine, ignoring the hundred some people that were scattered between us. He was all I could see.
The loud cheers knocked me from my dazed stupor, as Jett got taken down to the mat.
“Jesus,” Wren shouted as he moved beside me. “I’ve got her, you jackass. Focus on your fight.”
A few people around us laughed, and Shaw and Jax waved us over.
“Good god, girl. You’re going to get that boy killed.” Wren laughed as he walked with us.