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It was game day. I used to love Fridays during football season. Dad would always wake me up, and we'd eat breakfast together while we talked over the plays and what I needed to do to win.
This morning I'd woken up to a clatter of dishes in the kitchen. I'd jumped up and run down the hall to find Momma standing in the middle of a pile of broken plates. Tears had been streaming down her face as she'd looked up at me. "I was trying" she'd sniffed, "to make you breakfast. I couldn't reach the top shelf. Your dad always reached the waffle iron for me. I slipped and pulled the second shelf down with me." Another sob had shaken her chest.
I'd gone over to her and pulled her into a hug. "Momma, go back in there and be with Dad. I can make my own breakfast. I'll clean all this up. He needs you with him."
She'd nodded against my chest and sobbed again.
That was how I'd started my day.
Getting to school and seeing Evelynn was all I thought about as I kissed Mom's cheek good-bye and then kissed my dad's forehead and promised him we'd win big tonight. I'd tell him all about it when I got home.
My chest hurt, and my throat felt tight, but I knew if I could see Evelynn, if I could hear her voice, I'd be okay. Calling here wasn't an option because she'd be in Liam's truck and she wouldn't talk in front of him. So I had to get to her this morning and get her alone. Before I completely broke down.
Liam's truck was parked outside school when I pulled up. Never had I been more thankful to see it in my life. I didn't waste my time talking to people who called out my name. I had together to my locker. To Evelynn.
When I saw the back of her hair, my chest eased some. She was here. I focused on her as I made my way through the crowd, needing to remind myself that I could do this. I could make it through this. Evelynn was with me.
"Hey," I said almost breathlessly as I got to our lockers. I waited for her to turn and look at me. It was odd how just the promise of seeing her made things seem better.
She closed her locker and then turned to face me. The smile on her lips slowly fell as she studied my face. She knew. Without me saying a word, she knew I was dealing with some shit. That was something I needed from her. Her understanding without me having to explain.
Her hand slid over mine as she stared up at me with a gentle strength that was just Evelynn. I flipped my hand over and threaded my fingers through hers. Then she squeezed my hand tightly even though it dwarfed her small one. "I'm here," she whispered, barely moving her lips.
That was what I needed. The tightness in my chest eased away, and I could breathe deeply again. "Bad morning," I explained, although she'd already figured that out.
She nodded and her thumb brushed against my hand. I liked the way it felt to have her palm pressed against mine. Everything I doubted about myself, about my ability to deal with this, about life; she cleared it all away with just one touch.
