Snowflakes and Second chances

SPICY CHICKEN

“Wakey wakey!” I yawn rubbing my eyes as I pop them open at the singsong voice to see Mandy standing by the foot of the bed with a wide smile.

“Good morning, you were out quickly last night, why aren't you in bed resting?” I yawn again, taking in the clock that read 6 am as I try to understand why she was dressed up.

“And I woke up to see you did the dishes and cleaned up, which you really didn't have to, thank you. You're my guest, I should be the one treating you specially.” She comes to seat on the bed and I just shrug pushing away the duvet as I stretch.

“It's no bother, and I did have some help, you're carrying my first-ever niece or nephew, what's a better special treatment than that? Why if I may ask are you dressed up?" She giggles at my question fixing her hair into a ponytail.

“This baby will be so spoiled, I can't tell who'll be the worst at it between you and my husband anymore. Anyway, I'm dressed because we're going running, did you forget? My break ends today, and I'll be back to handling several middle schoolers tomorrow so might as well get one run in.” She states and I ooh remembering our previous discussion concerning this.

“Oh that's a really nice idea, I'll wash my face, and we'll get on it right away. Is Julian up yet?” She nods handing me some clothes.

“Yeah he's going to the gym, you can wear these. I'll be waiting downstairs.” She leaves me to get ready and after changing I turn on my phone and go through my messages.

I had muted everyone from Beverly Hills the minute I had boarded the plane coming here, wanting to just recollect my thoughts on my own without constant phone calls and text messages from anyone at work or around that may be wondering why I suddenly vanished and there was now a new woman in my matrimonial home.

And as I take them off the mute list, the messages begin flooding in, missed calls, emails and whatnot, the only thing I deem important enough to acknowledge at first is the message from the lawyer telling me he had found a good deal for the sale of mine and Jacob's cars that had been bought with my finances.

I reply to his request of my account details telling him to go ahead and inquiring how much progress he had made with the divorce proceedings and if I'd have to come down for anything before letting him know that I'd call later and heading down to meet Mandy.

Our run is enjoyable as we discuss everything and anything, from how she had met Julian just two years after I had left when she had come over to pay her aunt who lived here a visit, they fell in love and kept in touch, managing to navigate through a long-distance relationship until she got a job offer here and relocated, and then they decided to settle down.

She sneakily avoids my question relating to dad's health, and now I'm more curious than ever as to why they were all refusing to tell me what had happened or was happening, but I don't press further just as she doesn't insist when I refuse to give my version of how close Sebastian and I were.

We end our run at dad's place and I go freshen up as dad drops her off at home on his way out leaving me to go bug Zoey for a bit.

We lazy around just talking until I get a call from my brother inviting me to join him at one of our best spots, a spicy chicken joint, and I leave Zoey promising to be back to steal more of her sweets as she just shoos me off enjoying her pie that I had brought over.

I don't take me long to get there, and I find Julian seated at a table almost immediately and go over to join him.

We place our orders and wait, as people buzz in and out of the place that was never not busy.

“Remember when we used to come here and try to see how many spicy wings we could stuff in our mouths, and whoever won would get to call shotgun in dad's truck for the week?” He states and I laugh, shaking my head.

“Why I let you deceive me into thinking I could have ever won against you is still a mystery, I always ended up getting sick and red-faced, my nose runny and all for the entire week and your smug ass would get to be shotgun, over and over again.” I protest and he snickers with a shrug.

“It's not my fault you can't handle the heat, I did give up shotgun for you when I felt bad at times though.” I give him a look and he begins laughing.

“Which was seldomly! We were so silly.” Our laughter dies down a bit as a more serious air sets in and Julian pins me with a fixed expression.

“And when you'd lie about not being sick after eating the wings or refuse to tell me that those kids were bugging you in middle school, I'd always find out. Dad might not be prying and neither is anyone, but I know you too well.” At his statement, I know what he's driving at, and I take a drink from my soda praying that the waiter would return with our food and cut off this upcoming conversation.

“Jacob not only left with my little sister, tried to destroy our family and change everything I knew of you entirely, but now he breaks your heart as well? Please, Amelia, don't make me go find out by myself why you have faded bruises on your arm and what really happened. What did he do?” What really was the point of protecting the asshole anyway? It wasn't like he'd brought me anything more than pain, he definitely deserved a taste of his medicine.

Deciding to just get it all over with because knowing my brother, he wasn't going to leave the matter and if I didn't tell him myself, he'd be driving straight down to Beverly Hills and beating the truth out of my ex-husband, as much as I hated the asshole, I didn't want Julian to get into any trouble and so, I begin to retell what I lived through.