The New Girl

Moving On

Dom hasn't gotten a single text from Bennet since Arden outed him over social media. I understand that this is nerve-wracking for him, but was avoiding him really necessary?

My hair was up in a messy ponytail with army green leggings with a loose black t-shirt for the day.

I was going to head over to Ayden's soon, but was interrupted in my routine to get ready by the sound of the doorbell.

With Mom in the kitchen and Dom in bedroom, I shouted to inform everyone I'd answer it.

"Bennet, hey, what're you doing here?"

"I need to talk to Dom." I looked over my shoulder, debating whether or not to call Dom down.

Regardless of how the school handled the information about my brother given to them by Arden, Dom needed Bennet to be there for him as a friend, but he wasn't.

Mom was behind me though.

"Let's go outside, Gabby. He's up in his room, Bennet." Mom said to the two of us, her tone calm and soothing.

Doing as instructed by Mom, I let Bennet in and went outside. We sat on the porch step side by side, staring out around the neighborhood we have spent the past 2 months living in.

It's already been two months.
It's only been two months.

I didn't know which was harder to believe.

"I have a date tonight with this man from work. He's a really nice guy." She sent me an uneasy, but real, smile. She must've not been sure if I'd be okay with her moving on, but how could I not be?

I'm overjoyed for her. She deserves this.

"That's great, Mom." I smiled back at her. "What's he like?"

Mom blushed like she was a teenager all over again. "He's only two years older than me, but he's incredibly smart and good with kids - he has a 21 year old daughter that has a 8 month old baby. He loves to crack jokes, too. They're actually funny. I don't know if anything will actually come of this date, but it'll be fun."

"I'm sure it will be." I agreed. "He sounds great. Maybe Dom and I will meet him one day?"

"Maybe." She agreed. "How are you and Ayden?"

Things with Ayden are just so amazing that it seems surreal. I'm so lucky to have met him and to be with him.

"Amazing." I let out a content sigh. "I know it sounds bad considering everything we had to go through to get here, but I'm glad we're all here together."

"I agree, minus what happened to Dom. If that could've been avoided and we would've still ended up here, I wouldn't mind. I'm happier right now than I had been with your father in years."

It added up, too, since Lilly is 2 years old and it takes 9 months for a child to be born. That's 3 years of an affair, 3 years of unrequited feelings. 3 years of lies.

"Everything's better here. Dom's happier, you're happier, I'm happier. And we're a better family."

Mom wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into her side tightly.

"I love you, Gabrieal, so much." She murmured. "I know you probably don't believe me when I say this, but you have been my rock since the day we moved here. I don't know what I would've done without you. You're an amazing girl and I'm proud of the woman you've become."

A single tear slipped down my cheek and the large smile on my face made it drop into my lap off of my cheek.

"I love you, Mom."