Many the Miles

Part 9

I looked for Katie but she was lost in the crowd swarming us. Lauryn was holding on to me and kissing me and I was numb. My stomach ached and it was like my soul left my body and I just watched all of this happen to someone else.

I finally found Katie. And she said something and all I could think was my life was over. All the plans I made for me and Mia. It was over. I sat in Katie’s car outside my place. She just sat there with me in silence.

My phone was pinging with notifications. I got a ton of phone calls. I knew there was no way to undo any of this.

“I know this looks bad, but me and Taj we’ll fix it.”

I had no doubt that between the two of them it would be handle. But not before it reached Mia. Not before I could explain myself. I called her.

Mia

My phone rang and I answered it without thinking. “What are you wearing?” John asked.

My stomach turned at the sound of his voice. “None of your concern good night.”

“Why don’t you try? I want this to work. I miss us. I miss you. It’s not like you can be with Benji,” he said with sadness in his voice.

“John we are two different people and we tried everything to make it work. It doesn’t. I can be with whoever I want. I don’t want you.”

“Is that what Benji said to you before he left.”

I didn’t know why he kept bringing up Benji. “No it’s the opposite of what he told me before he left.”

John growled with anger. “Oh really. You must feel stupid now that he’s engaged. Were you two planning on running off together?”

“Benji isn’t engaged. And no we aren’t running anywhere.”

He laughed. “It’s on TMZ he proposed to his girlfriend at this huge party he threw for her.”

I hung up on John he was clearly drunk. What if he’s telling the truth? I always thought Ben had a girlfriend. I grabbed my phone and checked TMZ. It was the second story on the homepage. I watched the video of the parade of flowers and the camera turned to Benji on his knees and Lauryn holding a ring box. The last picture was of them kissing with her ring exposed to the camera as she held his cheek. It reminded me of the picture my mom sent me.

Benji was calling me probably to share the good news. I wasn’t ready to talk to him. I wasn’t sure if I could be what he needed in this moment.

If Ben is happy then I’m going to be happy for him. He just didn’t have to make me love him for me to do that. I don’t know how long I cried just that I cried myself to sleep.

Ella

She didn’t know what her mother was planning but she wanted Ella to make sure Taj was busy and not near his phone. Ella knew whatever was going to happen she couldn’t stop. But she sure as hell was going to try and fix it.

Ella had never dated. She knew that her parents weren’t the type of relationship she wanted. She knew that they guy she called her own would be special, deserving, and magical. That guy was Taj. He made her feel like a princess.

This was her last night in LA and he took her to visit the Hollywood sign. It wasn’t like the movies because they couldn’t get close to it but it was a magical view. They also visited the Griffith Observatory which was the highlight of her trip.

Ella always loved stargazing with Mia. It was something she remembered doing with her dad and siblings when she was younger that they all loved, mostly Mia loved it. Stargazing was the one thing from their childhood they all did together at times that made them feel connected and like a family. She figured it was a part of the reason Mia held it so close to her heart.

“You look sad,” Taj noted. “Is this date that bad?”

Ella blushed. She hadn’t intended to give him such an impression. “No, this was honestly a magical night. I just… I got lost in my thoughts, but I’m here now.”

“Were they thoughts about your fight with Mia?” he asked.

“Not about the fight, and not solely about Mia. We just had a good childhood outside of our parents’ drama. Her mom always fought for us to have good memories with each other and to love each other the way siblings are supposed to regardless of how she felt about my mom or how my mom felt about her. She never treated me like anything but her other daughter. And I wish I could say my mom was as great of a woman as Grace. This just reminded me of those memories and moments. There were less when Dominique came for reasons, but we still had them.

“I want that again. I want to make memories with them and pretend like there’s nothing more than us and nothing greater than those moments.”

“Why not plan something for you guys to do. Just the 4 of you.”

“5, Grant’s not my dad’s but he’s my big brother. And I’m not the organizer it’s usually Mia. She’s the only one RJ listens to.”

Ella sighed thinking about her brother and his utter contempt for their dad. “He and my dad don’t really get along. And, I don’t see him coming back from DC just to hangout with me,” Ella laughed.

Taj smirked at her. “Have you ever asked?”

“Not really.”

“So how do you know. You’re not even giving him the chance to change his mind.”

Ella wrapped her arms around Taj and kissed him. “You’re right. I should try and see if I can put something together. Maybe as a surprise for Dominique and Mia.”

“Ben said he had a very interesting talk with Dominique.”

“Oh God no. She knows about Mia and Ben.”

“Not the details but yeah.”

“She is gonna kill me.”

“Why do you say that?”

“She and I share everything we’re twins. Not actually but we have the same birthday we’re just 3 years apart. I haven’t shared this with her. Mostly, cause it’s Mia’s thing, but also because I feel like if I say something this won’t be real with us. I dunno. I sound crazy.”

Taj stroked her cheek gently then softly kissed her. “You’re the realest thing in the world to me. I know it’s early for that, but I really feel your energy. It’s the kind I want in my life.”

“I feel the same.”