Surprise! LOL! I decided to continue. I realize that I did end the story kind of abruptly and left a lot of things in the air. Hope you think I made the right decision to continue and thanks so much for reviewing the last chapter. Sorry I haven’t responded to individual comments but I’ve just been really busy lately (I’ll get to it eventually….promise). Anywho, happy reading!
Chapter 21: The Rising Action
We’re sitting in front of his mother right now about ready to tell her about this new relationship of ours. I’ll just come out and tell you I’m freakin out just little bit…..okay more like freakin out a lot. I’m not scared of Lynn or that she won’t like me any more. I’m afraid that Lynn won’t approve of her son’s involvement with a person like me. I’m sure she’s thought up all the potential problems we might face and will inform us of these difficulties.
“So I take it the two of you made up.” She comments sipping at her sweet tea.
“More like made out.” Justin mumbles. I feel my eyes widen and extend my elbow to jab him in the side. This is no time to be making perverted jokes; however humorous they may be.
“Pardon me?” Lynn questions leaning forward with her elbows propped on the table.
“Justin made out with Enrique!” I blurt out trying to change the subject and cover Justin's slip. I know Justin told me not to”well more like warned me not to tell him mother but he asked for it when he told that stupid joke.
“I did not!” Justin protests slamming his fist on the table causing the other customers in the restaurant to stop what they are doing and look our way. He lowers his voice to a harsh whisper. “He kissed me!”
“So you say.” I giggle looking towards an confused yet thoroughly amused Lynn. “It was super steamy Lynn.”
“Shut-up.” He grumbles before blurting out, “We’re”uh dating.”
“Dating?” Lynn’s eyebrows rise in her surprise. I bet she wasn’t expecting that. I wasn’t even expecting him to say that….at least not so soon into our lunch.
“Yeah.” Justin nods.
A large grin spreads over Lynn’s face. “Oh wow, that’s terrific! I’m so happy for you two. Ya’ll are just perfect together.” Oh my gosh, she’s happy. How wonderful! I can breath now.
“Thanks.”
“Oh I just can’t believe it.” She gushes reaching across the table to grab both of our hands. She gives them a loving squeeze before placing my hand in Justin’s.
“Neither can we.” I say gazing up at Justin who is smiling just as brightly as his mother.
“Oh, Mackenzie, I’ll be heading back home tomorrow so you’ll want to make sure your things are packed and ready to go.” She says suddenly.
“Oh”uh”actually, Lynn, I don’t think I’ll be going back with you.”
“What?” Justin says dropping my hand and frowning slightly.
Did he really think I was just gonna pick myself up and follow him back across the country to have his mother play nurse to me?
“I just assumed now that you and Justin are a couple you would be coming back to live with me, but I’m sure you have your reasons.” Lynn smiles, her eyes shifting between the two of us nervously.
“What do you mean you aren’t going to live with Ma?” Justin asks, his frown deepening and his tone becoming more rigid.
“I just think it makes more sense for me to stay were I am. I love living with Enrique and it’s awfully convenient to live with my physical therapist.” I try to explain. Justin won’t even look at me now. I can tell he’s mad by the way his jaw is locked n place and his body is tensed. “I appreciate the offer Lynn but I really think it would be better to leave things as they are.”
Justin mumbles something under his breath I can’t quite distinguish.
Shit…..
~*~*~*~
“Well I’m gonna get going. I’ll see ya.” I say clutching my keys to the point I know I must be bleeding from the way they're diggin into my palm. I’m so f**king pissed off right now I can barely think straight. I crack my neck as I make my way to the door.
“Justin! What the hell is wrong with you?” Mackenzie calls from her chair in the living room. Her angered tone stops me.
“I don’t know what you mean.” I say calmly not bothering to turn around.
“Let’s see, you barely said two words at lunch after I told your mom I would not be making the journey back to Memphis with her and now you’re just up and leaving with so much as a hug or a kiss goodbye.”
“Just let it go Mackenzie.” I place my hand on the door knob ready to walk out. I can’t have this discussion with her right now. If we get into this before I have a chance to calm down I’m sure I’ll say some things I’ll regret.
“That’s right Justin, just walk away. You’re an expert at that.”
“What the hell is that supposed to mean?” I spit at her finally turning around. I grip my keys tighter before tossing them to the coffee table and taking three large steps into the living room.
“Nothing Justin, just go.” She rolls her eyes and picks up a magazine off the coffee table I just put my keys on. She pretends to be reading but I know better. I'm surprised she hasn’t ripped any of the pages out yet with the way she’s jerking them.
“Don’t even act like you’re mad at me. You have no grounds to be.”
“Oh and you do?” She yells throwing the magazine at my feet.
“Yeah I sure as hell do!” I boom just as loud as she did. “When were you going to tell me about your decision to stay here? Were you even going to discuss it with me?”
“I didn’t know the subject was up for debate.”
I press my teeth together to point they feel like they’re going to shatter. This really f**king blows. We’ve been a couple for less than a week and we’re already at each others throats. “Don’t you want to be close to me?”
“Of course I do!”
“When I go home to take a break from working I go to Memphis, not LA!”
She lets out a loud breath and looks up the ceiling, just as frustrated as I am. “Oh my God! You know damn well that the only way I could ever be close to you all the time is if I followed you around the country like some teeny-bopper-groupie. I will not do that. I am just now starting to get my life back on track and I will not give up what little I have for you.”
“I see.” Real nice Mackenzie. I didn’t realize I was so important to you”note my sarcasm.
“Its not that I don’t care about you Justin because you know that I do.” She says be tone softening considerably. I’m too angry to be rational enough to stop yelling right now. “I just”my whole life is here.”
“You’re whole life? What the f**k do you have Mackenzie? Huh? I don’t see much. Enrique? Is he you’re whole life? It couldn’t be any family or friends or even a career because you have none of those things!”
I instantly wish I could take back my words as soon as they leave my mouth. Now you understand why I wanted to leave. I knew I would say something stupid like that. God my heart breaks when I see the look on her fragile face.
“F**k you Timberlake.” She whispers through glossy eyes.
“I didn’t mean that.” I reply just as softly moving get closer to her.
“Yes you did.” She says jerking away and maneuvering her chair so that her back is to me. “Get out.”
“Zee….” I plead in what must sound like the most pathetic voice imaginable.
“I said get the f**k out.”
TBC......
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