It's never too late to be happy

I have too much baggage

During the next two days, Harper opened up more to her mother and sister. They talked every night about George's death and their reactions to it, shared details about their lives during the past four years and discussed possibilities for the future, especially Harper's.

Harper also told them that she will move back to her apartment soon. She assured her mother and sister that she will not be absent from their lives, as she's been since her father's death. She promised them she will keep going home often to have dinner and even stay for the night every now and then, and she invited them to do the same.

Slowly, step by step, and carefully, things were starting to move forward, in the right direction.

Harper is feeling more like her old self in each passing day, Helen is finally seeing her family coming together, and Jo is enjoying every moment with her older sister, making the biggest effort to make up for lost times with long talks with Harper before sleeping.

Harper and Rachel didn't exchange more texts besides the ones to set up their coffee date.

Now, in the chosen coffee house, they're both sitting facing each other on opposite sides of the table, talking about their previous interactions, while sipping on their warm coffees.

-"I really thought I had missed my opportunity." Rachel says, referring to the moment when she thought Harper was going to ask for her number, but didn't. "Would you ask for it if I hadn't?"

-"Maybe...If not for me, for my sister. Well, to shut her up." Harper jokes. "If I didn't see you again at the hospital, I would try to find you on Facebook, probably. Like a good stalker."

-"Good to know. Well, I would go to your medical records and get your contact number from there so..."

-"Wow! Good to know." Harper chuckles. "Did you see my medical records?"

-"I did..." Rachel says, apologetically. "As part of the job, not to stalk you or anything. Truthfully."

-"Did something scare you?" Harper asks, afraid that the other incidents that got her to the hospital could bring concerns to Rachel.

-"Nah... You're good." They both chuckle.

-"So...a doctor? Was it always your dream job?" Harper asks, and Rachel happily starts talking about her dream to become a doctor and being able to help people.

She kept talking and Harper kept asking related questions. She learned some details about Rachel's family and her life before becoming a student resident.

Obviously, the conversation would eventually shift to Harper and she got anxious when Rachel asked the uncomfortable question.

-"What about you? Are you working, or studying?"

-"Hmmm..." Harper pauses and bites her lower lip nervously. "Neither."

-"Okay..." Rachel is curious, especially since the same words keep repeating in her head.

It's complicated.

-"I've been working here and there, mostly in restaurants and bars, but I usually quit after a while."

-"Why? What's your background?"

-"Business management but...I have yet to finish the master." Harper is trying not to scare Rachel away by looking like she doesn't know what to with her life or that she doesn't have any ambitions and goals.

-"Will you?" Rachel smiles to encourage Harper.

-"Yes. Lately, I've been thinking about finishing it. I only have to attend one class and do the final project or dissertation."

-"Why did you quit so close to the end?" Rachel asks but regrets it immediately when she sees Harper shifting in her sit, nervously. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer that."

-"No, it's fine. I'm actually trying to be more...open about my past." Harper evaluates the possibility of open up to Rachel, even though she's almost sure that she'll scare her away if she does. "Some personal stuff. I was...I haven't been in a good place for a while, and I made some bad decisions."

-"How long?"

-"I quit two years ago."

-"And the personal stuff?" Rachel presses further, trying to understand.

-"Four years ago." Harper sees that Rachel is holding back other questions so she decides to rip of the band aid. "My father...he...hmmm."

-"You really don't have to tell me if you're not comfortable with it." Rachel looks at Harper apologetically.

-"I am. Well, I'm not but...it's just that, I usually just say that I've been living alone for a while now and people usually take the hint and don't ask further questions." Harper starts to get anxious and bites the inside of her lower lip more and more.

-"I see...sorry." Rachel remembers thinking that the Davis family looked really close but at the same time very distant. Some pieces seem to be coming together but she's still confused.

-"Rachel..." Harper sighs and her voice softens. "I'm sorry. I should go."

Harper stands up from her seat, leaving Rachel speechless.

-"Harper..." Rachel calls out but doesn't really know what to say next.

-"I'm sorry. I have too much baggage. I'm just now learning how to talk about it and I still have a long way to go. I shouldn't have wasted your time. Sorry."

Harper leaves money on the table for both their coffees and leaves. Rachel is still speechless and frozen in place with her mouth open in surprise.

She looks around while trying to get her head back in order after what just happen. She goes over the conversation and tries to pinpoint the moment when she just said or asked too much.

Personal stuff and bad decisions! Why did you ask her about it? Stupid, she thinks while staring at the door, hoping Harper would come back.

Rachel leaves the café and goes to her apartment, the one she shares with another student resident, Anna. She goes straight to her friend's room and starts telling her about her date.

Anna knows about Harper already. It was Anna's encouraging words that made Rachel find a second opportunity to have Harper's number.

Now, the only advice she can give her roommate is to let Harper clear her head and in the meantime, she should assess the situation herself.

Taking her friend's advice, Rachel goes to her room and starts reliving every interaction with Harper and the Davis family in her head. She tries to come up with possibly scenarios that justify their behaviours but she knows better than to take any one of them for granted. She knows that only Harper can make everything clearer and she's almost certain that she won't.

It saddens her deeply.

Rachel wanted to know Harper and she wanted to get herself known to Harper. For the first time in a long time, Rachel found someone that she was willing to let in.

After a bad breakup with her previous girlfriend, Rachel stopped trusting people when it comes to dating. Letting someone get close to her and share some intimate memories and details about her life was hard after her ex completely broke her trust.

For Harper, she was willing to change that. She was intrigued by her, and the prospect of getting to know her and to tell her about herself made Rachel smile.

Something pulled her in and she wanted to explore that, but unfortunately Harper was pushing her out.

It was a blow that Rachel wasn't expecting. A blow that's making her reassess if Harper is the one that she should trust with her own recovery process. She wonders if she should let her enter her life, if she still wants that.

It's complicated.