Give Me Love

Chapter 20

I squinted my eyes at this guy who was smiling from ear to ear. "How do you know my name?"

"I'm your mother's fiancee! She's told me all about you." He extended his hand and I was ready to throw up. I shook it so he would hurry up and go away.

"Nice to meet you buddy," Jimmy shook his hand voluntarily. "I'm Jimmy, Andie's boyfriend."

"I know just who you are too." He smiled. "I'm Andrew Hallahan. I'm gonna head on inside, I will hopefully see you two later!"

When he walked inside, I could finally breathe and think thoughts. How could my mom move on so fast? Better yet, how could she not tell me? I grew surprised at her. She never kept things from me, but keeping her fiance from me?

"Babe? You okay?" Jimmy interrupted my rambling thoughts.

I looked over at him. "Yes. Why?"

"Well," He cleared his throat and grabbed my hand. "You were staring into space mumbling under your breath."

"Oh." I sighed. "I kinda didn't know about him."

"About your mom's.. fiancee?" He pointed to the closed door.

"Yes, I had no clue who the hell he was." I looked at the door before running my hand through my hair. "She usually never keeps these sort of things from me."

"That's true.." Jimmy grabbed my hand. "I'm sure there's a reason. You're mom is a smart lady. And his first impression was pretty alright. Seems like a stand-up guy."

"I guess." I rolled my eyes. I guess trying to mask my sadness with anger wasn't working because I immediately burst into tears.

"Hey hey," Jimmy pulled me and I rested my head in the small of his neck, crying. "What's wrong baby?" I just kept thinking about my dad and how in love they were. How could she be ready to remarry this fast? "I'm sorry I'm such a moody little cry baby."

"No, you aren't a moody cry baby, Andie." Jimmy pulled away from me and wiped under my left eye with his hand. "I understand how hard this is. It's normal. Don't discredit your feelings."

Jimmy sat back down on the step and I proceeded to sit on his lap.

"You're mom being happy should be number one, no matter what. I know what you're feeling. He would be happy that you're mom could find love again."I started sobbing again. "But my mom and dad we're so perfect. That guy can't replace him."

"It's not a replacement, babe." Jimmy said, rubbing my back. I appreciated Jimmy's comfort, so much, but I wasn't trying to hear anything he was saying.

A few minutes later, the door creaked open and my mom and Andrew were walking out.

"You met my first born, Andie right? And her famous boyfriend, Jimmy!" Mom walked in front of us holding the guy's hand.

"Ah, yes. Ran into them while I was going into the house. They are beautiful together!" Andrew grinned at us. I pretended to smile back, and I'm sure it looked fake.

"Well, I'll see you tonight at our family dinner then? I'm sure we'll all be well-rested and ready to eat!" Mom walked Andrew to his car that was parked directly in front of the house.

"Yes, I cannot wait." Andrew pecked my mom's lips before getting in the car and driving away.

"Jimmy, Andie, you guys okay?" Mom smiled at us.

"Mom," I sighed. "What was that?"

"What?" She looked behind her toward Andrew's car driving away and then back at us. "Andrew? He's just a good friend."

"You just lied to me right in my face, Mom. He just told us he was your fiance." I stood up and walked over to her. "You usually tell me everything, why did you feel the need to hide him?"

"Andie, I don't know sweetie. I..." She looked over at Jimmy. "Can we talk in private?"

"No, anything you can say to me you can say with Jimmy around. What is it?"

"Andie, don't get loud with me." She put her hands on her hips and I could tell she was getting upset. "No, because you're engaged and I haven't even met the guy. I don't know him from a can of paint and you're gonna just get engaged and forget to tell your daughter about it! Why didn't he want to meet me?"

"Because I told him not to." She sighed. I couldn't believe her.

"Why?!!" I yelled.

"I knew you wouldn't like him. You wouldn't like him because you wouldn't want me to be with anybody but you're father." She spoke with tears falling down her eyes. I sighed before hugging her.

"Mom, I'm sorry." I rubbed her back. "I just miss him."

"I miss him too you know?" She cried. "You, me, and those two beautiful girls remind me of him everyday. It's incredibly hard living without him. But I found love. My love for him, and my love for you girls will always turn those hard days where I miss him the most, into memories and smiles. He wouldn't want us to be crying over him. He would want us to just love. He always said love is the remedy to everything."

She had me crying pretty bad again too. "Mom, I'm sorry."

"It's fine, I understand." She cupped my face in her hands. "I can't wait for you to get to know him."

--

I laid in bed next to Jimmy and all I could about was earlier. Love is the remedy to everything.

That's so true.

I was on the verge of killing myself, and Jimmy found me and we fell in love. Things never happen perfectly the way we want, but they sure do have a funny way of coming full circle. I looked up at Jimmy's perfectly shaved face napping. He rarely smiles while he sleeps, but he was doing it right now. He looked so perfect. I'm so lucky. We fell in love. In this moment I was so sure he was the one for me. A man who does as much as Jimmy does for me can take my hand in marriage at this point. Not that I want to get married any time soon.

The way I look at Jimmy was the way my mom looked at my dad. And the way she looked at Andrew earlier. It hurts seeing her with somebody new, but if he can make her feel anywhere in the realm of how my dad made her feel, and how Jimmy makes me feel, I can be down for the guy I guess.

Jimmy's eyes fluttered open and immediately gazed into mine.

"What are you doing still up?" He smiled.

"Thinking about how lucky I am to be laying here," I found his hand under the sheets. "With you."

"Someone's feeling better." He pecked my nose. "Did you sleep at all yet?"

"No, dinner's not for another three hours. I can nap." I turned around and snuggled up on Jimmy. His arm collapsed around me.

"Okay, make sure you get sleep. God knows I'm pooped right now."

"Pooped?" I giggled.

He chuckled. "Go to sleep, baby." He kissed the back of my neck.