Does true love deserve a second chance?
The summer before university, Emily met and fell in love with Finn. It was a love to stand the test of time. Until Finn disappeared without so much as a goodbye. Eight years later, a twist of fate brings Finn...
Emily broke away from Finn. Embarrassment flooded through her, replacing the ecstasy she had been experiencing. An ocean of blue stared back, causing her already thumping heart to skip a beat.
What must Finn think of her?
It was bad enough she had practically attacked Finn, clinging to him like a spider monkey. But then her senses left, flew out the door and she had forced herself on him. She kissed him.
How could she have done it?
The image of her aunt, lying helpless and hurt caused memories of seeing her mother in her last days, lying in a hospital bed to bombard Emily's mind. It coupled with the passion ignited when Finn took her hand in the lobby. His fingers wrapped around hers had addled her brain. It all overwhelmed her.
Emily's defences broke and Finn offered an anchor in the storm.
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Walking along the waterfront, hand in hand, Emily wished Finn did not have to go back to work. The bar would be busy tonight as people flooded into the resort town ramping up to the long weekend. He was pulling extra shifts for the next four days. This might be the last time they had time alone together for a while.
The man beside her was oddly talkative tonight. Emily had been complaining about her younger sister Beth's latest escapades. Even though she was halfway around the world, living with their Aunt in Japan for the summer, Beth still managed to cause ripples felt by the family on this continent. Emily was frustrated.
Finn had listened to her, nodding now and again. When Emily finally finished venting, Finn shocked her by starting to defend Beth. Soon understanding dawned on her, as he explained. Beth was young and losing your mother at any time is devastating, but at her age, it was doubly so. He knew because he had lost both of his parents at around the same age.
"I was lost. Delora tried but she was grieving as well. Simon ran away from me..." Finn cleared his throat. "From us as soon as he could. None of us knew how to handle what happened. I felt like nobody cared."
Finn stopped and leaned against the railing, looking off across the water. "I didn't feel like I belonged anywhere. And I was desperate for someone to tell me I mattered to them. So I acted out, trying to make Delora notice me. I..." He rubbed his chest.
Emily took a step closer and placed her head on Finn's shoulder, offering physical comfort, not wanting to interrupt him. Finn dropped his hand and wrapped his arm around Emily, tugging her tightly against him.
"I stayed out late, worrying Delora. She yelled at me and it felt good. The attention, I mean. I cut school, she got frustrated. Grounded me, making me stay home with her. I wanted nothing more, but pretended to be angry." Finn's Adam's apple bobbed. "Then she got pregnant. Her focus left me, went elsewhere. She was too tired, too overwhelmed to ... care anymore."
Emily squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the image of a young sweet Finn alone and feeling unloved.
"Do you see? You've got to cut Beth some slack. She's probably hurt, confused, feeling...lost."
