Interception

Chapter 12

He laid beside me on the bed. He slung one of his arms behind his head as he relaxed more to watch the show.

The movie progressed and we remained quiet, neither of us saying a word.

His company surprisingly never bothered me and I was feeling better than I did ten minutes ago.

"My mother died the day I was born," I confessed.

Jeremy turned to face me and sat up immediately after putting the show on pause.

"Fuck, I had no idea."

I did a weak half smile, "You couldn't know. Marcus and I almost never ever talk about it."

"Damn," he said again.

"How does one celebrate a birthday that was the cause of their mother's death? I killed my mother Jeremy, it was her giving birth to me that caused her to die."

A tear escapes down my cheek and I quickly wipe it away.

He pulled me in tightly and rubbed my back.

"Ri, you did not kill your mother okay? That guilt that you're carrying around, it's going to eat you alive if you don't let it go."

He tilted my chin up so I could look at him, "It wasn't your fault nor was it Marcus' fault. You can't continue to hurt like this for the rest of your life."

His dilated pupils examined my entire face and our faces were so close now our lips were almost touching. "Let it go," he whispered and his warm breath feathered across my face.

I sighed and shut my eyes tight as I laid on my back trying to ease my mind. "I can't Jeremy, it's too hard."

I don't know if I was talking about the pain or my inhibitions.

He ran his thumb across my cheek and then he pulled away from me.

"You know what get dressed we're going somewhere."

I opened my eyes quickly, "What? No, I want to stay home please."

"The only way you'll be able to move on is if we replace the bad memories you have with new, good ones."

He pulled me up from the bed and I rolled my eyes before going in the bathroom.

"I'll be right outside waiting for you."

In thirty minutes time I was ready and when I stepped out to meet Jeremy he didn't waste any time.

We were in his car, on our way to wherever he was taking me.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"It's a surprise, something last minute."

"I don't like the sound of that," I commented and he shook his head while secretly smiling.

When the car came to a stop I was more than surprised to see where he had taken me.

"Jeremy, I cannot ice skate," I admitted.

"You'll learn," he mumbles as we both shut our respective car doors and headed over to the rink.