Healing Her Heart {Trilogy}

Chapter 3

Fiona wasn't exactly sure what went on in the café, but the guy she had a staring contest with interested her. He seemed to be eighteen, like her. And he also seemed new to the town, by the way he acted in the shop.

As Fiona walked home she couldn't shake the feeling off about this new boy. He was quite handsome, in her opinion, and she felt intrigued by him. He didn't look to be from Washington, mainly because he was having coffee instead of tea at the shop. Sure it's not exactly uncommon to get coffee instead of tea there, but tea was what people usually got there. That's what her town was known for, is the tea that is made.

While Fiona was in there, she had time to spend to herself. She brought her book, her phone, and just walked without so much as saying goodbye to her parents. She hadn't been in the mood at all to deal with them at the moment, so she carefully avoided them when she tiptoed down the stairs of her old house and quietly left.

Fiona's parents didn't yet know of the break up, but Fiona was absolutely sure that they would be waiting for her at home with information spread by the gossip girls of the neighborhood. Fiona resented the way her parents would listen to their neighbors about crap that they shouldn't even be talking about. An example of this issue was the week before Fiona's break up. The neighbors were all outside, enjoying the nice weather that had been going on the whole week. Kids were playing in the streets and driveways, lawn chairs had been set out in driveways, campfires were made and people were cooking hot dogs and s'mores.

Fiona was with Martie and their friends, enjoying their last week of freedom before school started up again. Fiona and Martie were in the same lawn chair, which was surprisingly comfortable, and Fiona was curled up against Martie while he was rubbing her back and they talked with their friends.

Fiona's parents and a few other of the kids' parents were there as well, deep in their own conversations when one name caught my attention and made me listen on it.

"Have you heard?" A woman was saying. She had short hair that went down to her chin and was bleached blonde, dressed in clothes that were not meant for a woman in her late forties. Really short shorts and a tank-top.

"Heard what?" Fiona's mother asked, perked with interest as she held her mug in her hands. Her hair was like Fiona's, chocolate colored and long. But there were a couple streaks of gray in them, showing her age. Fiona's mother had never been ashamed to admit she was getting older, and would never so much as think about dyeing her hair like some of the other mom's suggested she do.

"Penelope Gryff's parents, Lina and Horace, are getting divorced," the woman says, lines crinkling around her eyes in fake concern. Fiona saw in her expression, however, that she was pleased to be telling the news herself.

"Oh my gosh," her mother murmured, looking truly sympathetic. "That poor girl must be devastated."

"And what's worse," the woman countered, "is that rumor has it that Horace cheated on Lina."

Fiona's mother shook her head sadly, the other mom's doing the same. Fiona had heard enough. She understood that gossip was everywhere, even in adults, but that was none of their business about something that personal. 

Fiona got up from her spot by Martie, much to his confusion, and walked straight into the adult's conversations.

"Hi, Sweetie," her mother greeted her, smiling. 

Fiona ignored her and turned to the woman. "I'm sorry, and don't mean to be rude when I say this, but I heard you talking about Penelope's parents."

"It's nothing to worry about dear." The woman reached forward and clasped Fiona's hand in hers, patting it as if to reassure her. "They're going through a rough time. Most families do."