First Crush, My Forever

Chapter 40

  I am up before the sun, 5 a.m., maybe earlier. The house is quiet since Dani and KK are still asleep. I don't want to risk waking them, so I go downstairs and just sit in the living room with a cup of coffee I fixed, and stare out the window.

  I don't even hear the doorbell at first, just the faint chime, then another. I sit the mug down and walk to the front door and open it. The woman on the other side looks familiar, her posture, the tilt of her chin. Older, refined, sharp around the eyes. Something about her looks like Dani and I know who she is before she says anything.

  "You must be Taytum," she says.

  I open the door wider. "Yes ma'am and you're Dani's mom."

  The woman nods with a soft smile. "Please call me Laura. Mind if I come in?"

"Of course. Come on in." I step aside, letting her walk in. She looks around the house slowly, taking it in. Her eyes linger on the stairs, and I can tell she is picturing the same thing I have been since that night. Dani, broken at the bottom.

  "We got in a few hours ago," Mrs. Laura says, turning towards me again. "Didn't want to barge in too early, but I figured now was safe. Nathan will be here a little later. He's taking care of everything at home since we have been gone for nearly two week's."

  "You're good," I say. "Everyone's still sleeping. KK crashed out hard last night."

  Mrs. Laura smiles again. "Kadence called me the other night from the hospital while she was with your parents. I could barely understand her, especially when started crying and saying 'mommy fell.' Broke my heart."

  "She's been strong. Both of them have but it's something neither one should have had to go through." Mrs. Laura looks at me for a long second, like she is sizing me up.

  "I can sit here with them, if you want to go get some air. You look like you haven't really stopped to breathe."

  I hesitate and Mrs. Laura notices. "I'll be here if they wake up before you get back. It's okay to need a break, I promise. One thing before you go. Can I give you a hug?"

  I nod slowly and Mrs. Laura quickly wraps me in a warm embrace. "Thank you for being here for both of them."

  I nod as the hug ends. "Alright. I'll be back soon." I pull on my sneakers and head out the door. I go for my usual morning run since I have not been able to for the last few days.

  The run will help clear my head, even if just a little. I stay out longer than I mean to, maybe an hour and a half. By the time I circle back to Dani's, everything is still quiet. I peek in long enough to see Mrs. Laura is reading on the couch. Dani and KK apparently came down yet, so I know they are still asleep.

  I slip back over to my place for a quick shower, making sure to not wake my moms. I get cleaned up, fresh clothes, then head back over to Dani's. Mrs. Laura looks up when I walk in. "Feel better?"

  "A little."

  Mrs. Laura sets her book down. "Come sit."

  I drop into the chair across from her and put my wet hair up in a bun. "Thanks for being here. I know Dani needed and wanted to see you."

  "Dani? She hasn't seen me yet," Mrs. Laura says, eyes glancing towards the stairs. "But I'm glad I'm here. I needed and wanted to see her too and Kadence. I hate Nathan and I were out of town when all of this happened. I wish we wouldn't have taken a trip or at least would have already been back home but at least we were able to change our flight to an earlier one and get back two days before we were supposed to. Again, thank you for being here and taking care of them."