Always With Me

Part 22- Dahlia Parker

        I got home from Annie’s house early the next morning.  Ellie, Becca,  and I grabbed breakfast on our way home, and then dropped Becca off at her house.  She had plans with Zack later today, so she had to go home and get ready.  I hopped into my bed and covered my face with the blankets.  I wasn’t ready to go through the day, but I knew that I was going to have to get into the shower.  I was honestly too shaken up by Annie’s story to even consider going to sleep.  

        I could easily relate to Annie’s story, and I was too afraid to admit that to anyone else.  My mind was racing when I hopped into the shower, taking my time getting ready. I heard my phone begin to ring beside me, but I didn’t take the time to check it.  I didn’t want to get out of the shower.  When I got out, I put a comfortable outfit on and walked over to my phone slowly.  I almost dropped my phone when I saw the name that was on my caller ID.

        Brent Harwood.

        My hands were shaking as I called him back.  The rings seemed to take years to go through as I waited impatiently for him to answer.  

        “Hello?” I heard on the other line.  I couldn’t catch my breath long enough to answer, but I paused before I was finally able to speak.

        “Hey,” I said quietly, taking a seat on the end of my bed.  Ellie walked into the room and began to speak, but I quickly motioned her to be quiet.

        “How are you?” He asked, clearly just as nervous to be speaking to me as I was to him.

        “I’ve been better,” I snapped.  He sighed on the other end of the phone, pausing for a very long time.

        “We need to talk,” Brent said.

        “Yeah,” I snapped, “We do.” 

        “Meet me for lunch,” Brent said, and we made plans to get together for lunch.  I was dreading actually having to talk to him, but I got myself ready and Ellie asked me about a million questions about the three minute conversation.

        “Why does he want to get together?” Ellie asked.

        “If it isn’t to talk about this baby, I’m not interested,” I explained, running a brush through my hair.  

        “Maybe he wants to talk about that,”  she said, going into the bathroom to grab some clothes from her closet that was in her bathroom.

        “Maybe,” I said quietly as she left, grabbing my keys from my bedside table.  I drove myself slowly to the restaurant where I was told to meet him.  He was standing outside his car, waiting on me to arrive.  He walked ahead and into the restaurant when I pulled up, so I took my time getting out of my car.  I walked into the building and found Brent before I took a seat at the table across from him.  

        “Hey, Dahlia,” Brent said, grabbing his menu from in front of him.