Grapes Bridges and Stars

Chapter 18

I decided to go ahead and tell Bryson what happened the next day. 

"Hey!" He had answered cheerfully. "Hi," I answered not so cheerfully. 

"What's wrong, baby? You miss me?" he said in his teasing voice. 

"I do, but that's not it."

"Then, what's happenin'?" 

"My dad was going to call the cops on you." It was silent for a minute, then he sighed loudly. I felt so terrible, and afraid. I thought, what if he called it quits just because of that. 

"This is why I didn't want you to come over." I knew he was going to say something like that.

"I know, I'm sorry! He didn't go through with the call, though!" I said trying to make the situation a bit better, but it obviously wasn't. He was quiet again.

"Bryson," I called softly. 

"Yeah?" It came out also as a sigh. 

"I'm sorry." I really was. I just didn't know what I could do to show him that. 

"I know, baby. People just don't see what we see, you know?" I did know. I hated the assumption that he was trying to harm me or wanted "something" from me. 

"I would never intentionally hurt you," he said reading my mind it seemed. 

"I know." 

Once off the phone, I headed to the coffee shop. My mother insisted that I called her from the shop's phone when I got there. I thought it was soo funny how they had trust issues, but it wasn't like I lied to them like they did to me.

I read a book and drank some of Grammy's special lemonade. While I was reading the book, I felt a light tap on my shoulder. I looked up to see Adeline. 

"Hi!" I said enthusiastically while standing to give her a hug. "Hello! You must come here a lot," she said to me. "I do. I love this place." 

"Me too. My mother has had it for quite some time," she said while looking around at it as if remembering the first time she walked in. 

"So, he did take you to meet his parents. I thought you skipped that and went straight to lip-locking in the car," Grammy said coming up behind Adeline. My cheeks were burning up. We didn't skip his parents, but we did do the last part. 

Adeline laughed. "She's such a sweet girl, mother!" 

"I know she is!" Grammy said smiling at me. They were making me feel like I was truly special. 

"Come and sit with me," Adeline said. We walked over to a table. 

"Bryson told me that he told you about his past girlfriend." 

"Oh, yes! That was an... unfortunate situation." 

"Yes it was, but Bryson is so happy to have you now," she told me which made my heart flutter. 

"Adeline, your son is truly someone I could never even imagine. I wouldn't even be able to write a character like him. He's such an amazing blessing. The best one yet," I said roughly honest. 

Adeline smiled proudly. She knew she did a good job raising her boy. If I were her, I'd be prideful too. 

"He's always talking about you. 'Mother, she's the most beautiful girl ever!' He says that all the time." That comment made me want to just kiss him all over his face. 

"He tells me you're graduating soon. What are you planning?" 

"A writing career. I think I would like to try to get some of my work published. Bryson helped me gain some confidence." Another proud mother moment for her. 

"You know Liberty, Bryce was like that for me. I wanted this job at the newspaper as an editor. Well, the first time I interviewed I couldn't get it. They said that I didn't meet the standards. So, I worked on my craft and came back. Unfortunately, I still didn't meet their standards. When they said standards, I was thinking something completely different. I thought they meant my craft when really they meant my look. Because I was black and a female, they didn't want me." 

"I had tried and tried again. I was so persistent on getting that job. But I got rejected. My self-esteem started to lower. For some reason, I began to think maybe I wasn't smart enough.I was crying one day because of how badly I wanted that job. Then Bryce comes to me and says, 'you're the smartest person I know. You know if you're good or not. You got your degree didn't you?' And I go, 'yeah' in a little tiny voice. Then he says, 'then you go out there and find a company that'll take you. You don't need them. Besides, they'll probably be begging for you later.'" 

"And he was right. They got a new hiring manager and I was on the team. I have been for 18 years now!" I smiled at her accomplishment. And I smiled at how Bryson's dad had helped her. It reminded me of how Bryson wanted to help me get my work published. 

"Liberty, you may not get a yes from the first publisher you send your work to, but that doesn't mean it or you are not good enough. Just keep confident, persistent, and patient." 

"Thank you. I will keep that in mind. I needed that." I smiled hugging her. 

"All it takes is faith," she said. "All it takes is faith."