Capturing His Heart

Chapter 20: Taking a risk

Cecilia P.O.V

Last night, Logan came with his proud declaration that made my mind spin and left me feeling curious. "Sunday. 7:30 pm. Meet me here, again." His voice rings inside my head and I cannot get the image of his hopeful smile as he left. I yawned and entered Maggie's diner, ready to work for my shift. I enter the changing room and quickly change. I tied my apron around my waist and retie my messy ponytail into a bun. I come out of the changing room with a smile on my face. I needed to welcome my customers. "Cecilia!" I hear an excited voice exclaim and before I could understand what is going on, I am embraced by two people. I look up to see Jessie and Louise. "It has been too long since we have last talked!" Jessie says, her lips curled into a gentle smile. Louise nods and they take me to their table. What was it with the Knight family and interrupting my shifts? I thought, smiling. I was glad they came, the truth was I missed them. The energy and kindness that they have. "How are you?" Louise asks, looking into my eyes. "I'm fine.-" I replied when Jessie cuts in with a frustrated sigh. She adjusts the sunglasses that was resting on her head, impatiently. "Let's get straight to the point. Did Logan come here, yesterday?" She asks, looking hopeful. I nod and Louise gives Jessie a high five. "I cannot believe he didn't chicken out!" Louise says, looking amazed. I laughed. "Cecilia, we knew you and Logan were fake dating," Jessie says, suddenly. I freeze and I open my mouth to apologize. "We were hoping that you two would be together by now," Louise says, giving me a warm smile.

"I ship you, guys like crazy! HOW DID YOU EVEN WORK TOGETHER PLATONICALLY?! THE CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THE TWO IS SIZZLING!" exclaims Jessie, dramatically waving her hands. I thought about Logan and did not know what to do. Suddenly my phone rings, I fumble through the pockets of my apron to see the caller. "Girl, you can take the call," Louise says before I could turn my phone off. I hastily apologize and walk away answer the phone. I sighed and said, "Hello Mr. Grenies." I hear the sounds of rattling paper and some sounds of chattering from the background. I open my mouth to say something but he replies. "Cecilia, you have paid your debt. As promised, this is the last you will hear from me." Without any warning, he hangs up and the line goes dead. What did he mean by my debt being paid? I had a couple thousand to go! I sighed and made my way back to my seat. Jessie and Louise are giggling as they see me walk up. They stand up and hand a familiar looking bag to me. "Have a nice time on your date," Louise says as Jessie gives me a suggestive look. They leave the diner and I peer into the bag to see the lingerie that they had given me previously on the trip. I shake my head, my cheeks turning pink as I recall the night I lost my virginity to Logan. I quickly returned to my shift and I was surprised to see Mrs. Mohan putting away dishes. "Cecilia dear, my son seems to have gotten a fever and was sent home. I need to go pick him up. Unfortunately, I will have to close the diner today." She explains, looking worried. I quickly begin washing the dishes and once I am done, I rush over to the door. I change the sign from "We're open" to "Sorry, we're closed". I clean up all the tables once the customers leave. I pull off my apron and make my way to the changing room. I come out back in my jeans and see Mrs. Mohan turning the lights off. We exchange goodbyes. I breathe in the fresh air.

I could not believe it. I was free of my debts. I was no longer anchored to my father's debts. I could have any job I want. I could perhaps attend community college. I was free. I felt like I was flying in the air. I sighed and realized that it was finally my time to live. I walked over to the nearest flower shop to buy some flowers. It had been years since I had visited my parents' grave. I was so busy and I lacked the money to go. I would use up my money for living expenses and for paying my debts. I got onto a bus and sat down on a seat. I watched as the familiar landscape of my childhood neighborhood appeared. I thought about my mother and how my father broke after her death. The truth was that I was terrified. Life was such a fragile thing and I saw the light in my father's eyes die when my mother died. He longer laughed, he was stone cold. At night, when he thought I was asleep, he would beg for her to come back. He would drink and he became a stranger. He began gambling to fill the void in his heart. The bus stops and I get off. I walk down the pavement into a peaceful graveyard. I make my way to the graves beside the weeping willow which was my mother's favorite tree. She loved the way the leaves swayed in the wind. I look at the two gravestones. I place the flowers on my father's and my mother's. I feared love for its power over people but I knew that my mother brought out the best of my father. I close my eyes and remind myself of my father's response when I asked him if he regretted meeting my mother, "I just knew that she would be the one to hold me in place and that she was the only light in my world. The best choice I had ever made."

Then I opened my eyes and smiled. I was ready to face Logan and I had found peace within myself. It was time to take a risk.