What Are The Chances?

Chapter 15: Phoenix

He parked back into the parking lot and we didn't know what to say, but I liked the silence. It felt good to be in his presence again, despite everything that went down between us. I haven't seen him in a month. His facial hair is growing back again and his wavy hair has gotten a little longer. 

He was smiling through his tears and so was I. The first thing he said was, "My mother wants to meet me." I looked away from the mirror and faced him. "Your...Your real mother?" He nodded, but I couldn't read the expression on his face. "I kind of want to but I'm just scared, you know? I mean what if I'm not what she expected? What if she has a new son and a new lover with a new house?"

I turned my whole body towards him. "Well first off...I think it's great that she decided to reach out." Ellis shook his head. "But don't you think it's too late for that? I'm almost 18." I paused for a second to process what I was about to say. I tried to put myself in his shoes and see how I would feel if my mom wanted to meet me after 18 years of not being in my life.
"Kind of.. But it's better late than never, right?" He shrugged. "Sorry, I don't know what to say." Ellis chuckled. "It's alright. And besides, I think I've made my decision."
"Which is?"

"I'm going to meet her. Me and my dad. I kind of feel like I will regret it if I just ignored her letter and never responded. Last weekend when my dad showed me the paper, he told me about how she couldn't take care of me and she needed to go to rehab and get clean, but what really stuck with me was how much he was in love with her. I feel like I'm making a mistake by not saying yes."

I nodded and couldn't help but smile. It's like he's a different person now.  Who is this boy and what has he done with my Ellis?
"Do you and your dad get along now?" I asked him.

"Yes. Even me and my  stepmom. We've been bonding a lot and I feel terrible because she's actually pretty cool. She's really into baking and all of that and I never knew that she could do that stuff. I guess I just always just thought of her as a stepmom who was trying to take over everything." He ran a finger through his damp hair and turned the radio up just a little more. I wish I could see myself staring at him. My hair is probably a mess and I've been in my room twirling around and sweating, but I'm sure he doesn't mind.

Ellis caught me looking at him and then smiled.I could tell his skin was a little paler than it was the last time we talked, now that the weather is colder.  "What?" I shook my head and blushed even more.
"I just missed you."
"I missed you too." At that moment, the way he looked at me, he made me feel like I was the only star in the entire galaxy.  We sat in silence for a little while longer and ate most of the chocolates until it stopped raining.
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When I got back in the house, my mom gave me that, 'I know you didn't just forgive him,' look. But then she smiled and said, "With looks like that, I can't blame you." I just laughed and then she laughed too.

I went back to my room and did what I was doing before he showed up: Ballet. A few hours ago, I was looking up a couple of studios where I can sign up and compete now that we have the money and I don't have to work at the skating rink,  but I'm nervous. I've never played any sport and it's weird and exciting for me because ballet has been my passion for years and now I finally have the chance to show others. I feel like I can express my emotions with my body and how I move and it's a beautiful sport. Minnie May thinks that I'm the best dancer in the world and that made me giggle. "I think you're the best gymnast in the world too," I told her.

It makes me feel special and seen the way Minnie looks up to me and thinks I'm this magical fairy. I guess it's because growing up, we were all we had and that brought us so close over the years.

Ellis facetimed me a few hours later. He was in the living room playing with his brother and sister while telling me about them. It made me smile how good he was with kids. The last time we spoke, he hated his siblings and would tell me all the time about how annoying they were. Once he was back in his room, he told me that he wanted me to meet his parents. I immediately shook my head. "Absolutely not." His smile faded away. "Why not? They like you already."