Amarillo Sky

Chapter Two

"I can't tell you how happy I am that you're finallyhome," Mrs. Debbie Beckham told her daughter, who just brought her a cup of teaand some biscuits.

Kristina Beckham offered her a warm smile and sat beside her on the sunny yellow sofa. Her mom had always loved beautiful and bright colors. She had decorated the living room with contrasting, lively colors, from the vibrant curtains to the glitzy carpet to the wallpaper and décor. The room gave such a joyful ambience that one wouldn't like to leave it in a hurry.

Kristina sipped from her cup of coffee. She wished she could share in her enthusiasm about coming back to Amarillo. Seeing her mom again filled her with joy even though they made video calls every week, but she didn't feel quite comfortable coming back to the place she had left in a hurry three years ago.

"If I had known it would take me falling sick for you to leave your darling New York back to Amarillo, I would have feigned illness a long time ago," her mom teased with a short laugh.

Kristina winced. Her mom had been begging her to come home before now, but she hadn't been ready. However, getting a call from a doctor about the older woman's ill-health had put an end to that thought. She had dropped everything and hurried down to Texas with her heart in her throat, afraid she might be too late. Fortunately, her mom was fine and recuperating but she needed to take things slowly in the coming weeks.

"Mom, please don't joke about your ill-health. You had me very worried."

Mrs. Beckham reached out to squeeze her daughter's hand. "I didn't mean to scare you, my dear."

"Why didn't you tell me you needed my help? And why were you working so hard and stressing yourself at diner? You could have hired more help."

"The girls and I were managing just fine until the winter came along. I caught the flu. I thought it was just effects from the icy weather but..."

Guilt rose inside Kristina again for not knowing her mom had been very sick, although they spoke every week. She knew about the flu but had no idea she had pneumonia, which had almost taken her life. She stared at the woman who she had gotten her light brown hair, an oval face, sky-blue eyes, and slim build from and tears glistened in her eyes.

What would I have done if something happened to her?

She would never have forgiven herself. Regret filled Kristina for staying away all these years. She had used the excuse of building her career as a car model not to return home, but truth he told, it had scared her that she would meet the man who had broken her heart into a thousand pieces. But she should have placed her mom before anything else.

"I'm so sorry, Mom. I should have been here when you needed me." Tears of regret filled her eyes.

The older woman shook her head. "Please don't blame yourself for anything, Kris. I chose to keep it from you because I knew you were handling an enormous project. If I hadn't passed out at the diner, I don't think you would have known."

"You should have told me. I would have taken the first flight out of New York if I'd known you were sick. I would do anything for you, Mom. Surely you know that."

Her mom patted her cheek. "I know, darling. I didn't tell you because I know you still haven't gotten over your heartbreak."

Kristina shifted uncomfortably on the sofa and stared into her now lukewarm cup of coffee.

"Darling, it's been three years, don't you think you should forget about what happened and moved on with your life?"

"Mom, I've moved on with my life. I have a successful career as a car model, and I have set up my own modeling agency, which is doing just fine."

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't be like that, darling. I haven't heard you speak about any man in your life since you left Amarillo."

Kristina shrugged. "That's because I've been so busy with my career. I've gone out on dates. I just haven't met anyone special yet."

The older woman gazed at her with identical blue eyes. "Are you sure that is it? You never want to talk about what happened between you and Tony. I think you might get closure from letting it all out."

Kristina avoided her mother's intense gaze by staring at the family photograph on the wall of her, her late dad, and her mom. She missed her dad dearly. She loved her mom, but her dad would have understood better why she had moved away and found it difficult to return.

"Mom, please, I don't want to talk about... Anthony. We parted ways three years ago, and that's it. I'm not ready to date yet. When I am, you'll be the first to know. All I want to do now is look after you and help out at the diner until you get better."

"And then you're off again, and it will take me falling sick or feigning it before you come back again."

Kristina shook her head. "No, Mom. I'll come home more often now. Anytime you need me, just call and I'll come running."

"Thanks, darling. That means a lot to me."

Kristina leaned forward to give her mom a hug. A smile crossed her face as she inhaled her mom's honeysuckle scent. It made her realize once more how much she had missed the older woman. Truly, despite her busy schedule, she would try to come home more often. All she could hope for now was never to come across Anthony Jordan. Amarillo was big enough for them not to cross paths. Hopefully.