Breaking Habits

Chapter 35- Micah- Leads

"What's with the long face?" Bradley asks making his breakfast. "I thought you sorted things with Beth?"

"We talked but things are raw between us still...I don't think it's resolved"

"How comes?"

"She needs space to think..." And I know she has intention to run.

I just don't know when but, if she leaves now, while I'm trying to work out parent's accident, I will have to choose her, chase her down and regret never getting to the bottom of my parent's death. If that happens it'll be hard to deal with.

"What do you think she'll do?"

"I don't know."

"Don't beat yourself up. She knows how you feel, give her time to come around."

"That's what I worry about Brads. I feel like I'm running out of time."

"Well, let's hurry up and wrap this thing up so you can go be with her..."

He switches to work mode and begin to discuss our plan. "We should get Sevyne to scope this. The kid is the only registered owner, plus the trace was a dud, we need to loop her in to get this done quick."

"Riot's gonna be pissed if you bring Sevyne in and not her." Jordan says coming in.

"So, who's gonna tell them?"

I barely finish my question when they both say, "not me!"

"Pussies!" I say rolling my eyes

***

"I'm so pissed!" Sevyne fumes giving us the stink eye. "I should slap your heads for keeping us out of the loop like this."

"You should slap them just because." Riot agrees.

"You can slap me anytime babe." Jordan gimmick winking at her.

Riot ignores him to say, "what are you stuck on?"

"Guys, before we start, I need to tell you something.... I told Beth about us."

Bradley is the first to react. "Will she say anything?"

"Why did you?" Sevyne questions next.

"You know what this means right?" Jordan adds standing by Riot.

"Now that she knows, you're gonna have to make sure that no one knows who she is to you," Riot tells me picking up where Jordan left off.

All the things they are saying is why I didn't tell Beth. The implications of my actions are setting in and now I need to navigate it.

"I had to tell her, and told her the impact; she understands and I trust that she won't say anything-"

"There's a but isn't there?" Sevyne says.

"It's selfish, but I won't hide her.... I want everyone to know that she's with me."

"Boss, that won't be easy."

"I know Jord, that's why I wanna get this over with so I can start smoothing things out."

"Ok then, so should we get started?" Riot chips way too eager.

***

After we fill the women in, I go looking for Beth and find her sitting on the porch in the same spot where mom use to sit. She looks beautiful with rays of sunshine touching her skin and cozy wearing my woolly jumper with her knees drawn up to her chest. It's swarming around her.

Steering out in yonder she says, "it's so peaceful here. Your mom's garden is beautiful."

"She made sure to keep it that way."