A Tattered Love (9 page)

The day continued to drag on just as the morning had until finally, I had my last table appointed to me. “Thanks, Kate, no more tables for me, and my shifts over after this one.”

“Ok! Have a great evening if I don’t see you!” Her voice shrieked.

I moseyed over to the table with my pad in hand. There was a beautiful older woman, probably in her mid-fifties, sitting alone. She had a Fascinator type hat on and, from what I could tell, a modern and very expensive name brand dress.

“Hello, my name is Riley. Can I get you something to drink?” I smiled my sweetest smile.

“Riley, is it?”

“Yes, Riley.” I reassured her.
Please, lady, I just want to go home, order already!

“Have a seat, Riley. There’s something I need to discuss with you.” She eyed me intently.

“I’m sorry? Do I know you?” I looked at her suspiciously. I didn’t recognize her at all.

“I’m Lori Boyd. I’m afraid I haven’t been given the pleasure of meeting you.”

I had a seat in the booth, a little bewildered, for sure. I didn’t understand what was happening. Her stoic attitude had me a little dazed, especially with her intense stare.

“Listen, Riley, I won’t keep you long. I just wanted to stop by to inform you of a few things.” She stared intently at me. “I know who you are Riley Miller and exactly where you’re from. Your trailer park trash doesn’t belong in my family. I really hope you reconsider going to the gala. I think it’s out of your league coming from a woman with the atrocious background you have. Make sure you let him down easy so he can continue to search for a more...” she paused, thinking of the right word, “appropriate woman to socialize with, who also has the same kind of upbringing.” She smiled an evil kind of smile.

Reality hit.
Dustin’s mother!
I sat there, in a kind of shock.  How did she even know about me? Was I really out of my league on this one? What gala? Does she have the wrong person? Apparently not, if she knew my name and who I was! Trailer park trash? I was ready to wrestle this bitch to the ground, but instead I politely responded, keeping the image of Dustin in the forefront of my mind.

“I’ll take your advice into consideration after I discuss it with your son.” I was enraged. If there were a way I could punch this woman and not have a lawsuit, or the loss of my job hanging over my head, I happily would. Wait, I should have known. Dustin was the son of my boss. Of course, they couldn’t see their son with a waitress! Had she done a background check on me? Of course not, the company did when they hired me. I couldn’t believe this was happening. So, did I leave Dustin now, before we become too intertwined with one another and as she said, let him down easy? If I were to stay with Dustin, would I lose my job regardless? I’m screwed. I was not going to let this lady think she had a hold over me, even though I knew very well that she did.

“It won’t be necessary to discuss this with Dustin. He already knows my intentions. After all, how do you think I discovered who you were, honey? Just remember, let him down easy.” She said. “Have a nice evening.” She scooted out of the booth, sneered at me, and then walked away.

My face went from trying to be brave and strong, to a wreck in less than sixty seconds, the amount of time it took that woman to leave the restaurant. I needed air, I needed to breathe, and I need to get out of there. I grabbed my purse as I hightailed it out of there.

I immediately dialed Seth. He was meeting with his boss in Boston today to set up the specifications of the internship. Thankfully, he answered, and I filled him in on what just happened. He knew just the right words to calm me down, usually, but it wasn’t working. I was so confused, and distraught I didn’t know what to do. Seth told me to go home and take a bath and try to relax, but that wasn’t going to happen. Deciding a trip to the beach to run off my anger, I took off in a sprint and couldn’t wait to sink my feet in the sand. Just then, Dustin’s mustang pulled out in front of me and screeched to a halt. And with the biggest grin on his face.

“I got here just in time! I was hoping to make it before you left!” He shoved his car in park and got out.

Tears ran down my cheeks, and I couldn’t look at him. Did he really know what his mother’s intentions were? I didn’t want to talk to him right now, so I turned and began jogging down the beach.

“Riley, where are you going? What’s the matter? Stop!” He yelled. I shook my head as he neared me. “I can’t be with you Dustin, I’m sorry. Things are just too complicated. I can’t risk my job.”

“Risk your job? Riley, stop!” He softly grabbed my hand pleading to me stop. I finally gave in.

“Don’t you get it? I knew your family wouldn’t approve of me the second I knew you were my boss’s son.”

“Why would my family not approve of you, Riley? They haven’t even met you! Hell, I didn’t even tell my family about you, yet!” Dustin had the look of a confused man etched on his face, yet I didn’t know if I believed it.

“Don’t act stupid, Dustin. You knew your mother was coming here to talk to me and tell me my upbringing isn’t what she had in mind for her son’s future.”

“
What
?” He exaggerated the word. He looked as if he were about to scream.

“Yup, Mrs. Lori Boyd stopped briefly into Eddie’s, just about ten minutes ago, to let me know where I stand.” Tears ran down my face uncontrollably. A part of me wished he would have just turned and walked away, but at the same time, I craved his strong, genuine hug. I wanted him to make things better. I needed him to make things better. The question is, would he be able to? My less than chaotic life had just become deranged.

“I can’t believe this. Don’t listen to her, Riley. I haven’t told my parents about you, I promise.”

“Then how the hell does she know about me and my ‘trailer park trash life’” I quoted her. “Why did she walk into the place I work to tell me to walk away from you—and not to go to this gala—this gala I’ve never even heard about until the words passed from her mouth—as if it would be a sin for me to be invited?”

He stared at me and was speechless. I had no idea what to make of his expressions as he seemed hurt by the dampening of my mood.

“Sweetheart, please, I have no clue how she knows about you.” He shook his head, angry. Then he realized it. “Please, I have to go. I’ll meet you later at your place. Wait up for me, please. I’m going to fix this.” He flashed his phone on and darted to his car, ducked in, and peeled out of the lot with his tires smoking.

I took off to my car, climbed in, and punched it as I left the lot. I needed to be home. Tears stained my cheeks as I drove home with a fear of losing Dustin.

As I hurried toward my apartment, with tears still streaming, and agony sketched across my face, I heard Abby’s voice. “Riley! Wait up!” Abby started running toward me from out of nowhere. I kept walking to my apartment. I didn’t want to discuss this with her, but at the same time I needed my friend. I missed Abby.

“Not now, Abby.” I sobbed.

She reached for my hand and pulled me to a stop and embraced me in a big, warm, hug. “Ry, what’s going on? What’s the matter? Why are you crying, are you ok?” She rubbed my back as I just stood there sobbing on her shoulder. It felt good to cry on somebody so dear to me.

“Honey, talk to me. Come on. Let’s go inside. I’ll grab some iced tea for us.”

I managed to let out one word, “Ok.”

We headed inside to Abby’s apartment. Once I sat on the couch wiping my tears, Abby went to fix us some tea. Bones jumped in my lap and spread kisses all over my face. It’s funny when a dog’s intuition is to make you smile and want you to be happy. It’s not even my dog, and he was accomplishing his mission. I chuckled a little as Abby returned.

“Good boy, Bones! Miss Riley here needs some love.” She spoke in baby talk.

“Ok, spill it.” Abby sat next to me on the couch. She crossed her skinny legs over one another, patiently waiting for me to unveil the painful news.

“Dustin’s mother paid me a visit at Eddie’s today. She basically told me…” I couldn’t finish the sentence without first letting out more sobs. “She told me that I needed to leave Dustin because I wasn’t the right girl for him. My upbringing would get in the way with Dustin’s future. She literally called me trailer park trash and told me to let him down easy.”

Her eyes grew wide, and she threw her hands into fists. “What the fuck, Ry? Who does she think she is? How long has she known you? What did you do to her? Nothing, I’m sure!”

“I’ve never met her before, Abby.” I continued to wipe fresh tears off my face.

“WHAT?” Abby screamed in anger. “You’ve got to be kidding me?” She stood up and started pacing around the room. “Where’s Dustin? I’m calling Evan!”

“Stop. Just stop for a second, Abby. This is a lot more complicated than just throwing arms up in the air in disgust.” I assured her.

She took a deep breath and let it out. “Ok. Why is it more complicated?” She said as she tried to calm herself down, waiting for my explanation.

“If I stay with Dustin, are they going to fire me? If I leave Dustin, are they going to fire me anyway? I stood up to her. Abby. I told her I’d take her advice after I spoke with her son and she flat out told me there was no need because Dustin knew. What do I believe? I ran into Dustin in the parking lot ‘coincidentally.’” I flashed up my quote marks as I said that. “He claimed he didn’t know about it, yet he got in his car and took off, just leaving me there, alone.” I took a big swig of my tea and set it on the coffee table.

“Seriously? I’m going to talk to Evan about it and see if he knows anything. Girl, just hang in there. I know it seems complicated, but they have no reason to fire you. Dustin really likes you, so why would he let this happen?” She shrugged her shoulders confused.

“Abby, I wish I knew. I really like Dustin, too. I’m just not sure if we were meant to be.” I wiped a stray tear from my eye and leaned back in the couch cuddling a pillow.

Abby rubbed her hand on my leg to comfort me. I think that, for once, she didn’t know what to say.

Dustin

I stormed in the house I once called home. I ran into the kitchen where I knew the lady that gave birth to me would be. I couldn’t stand to call her my mother right now. I was fuming, and the last thing I wanted to do was to be in this house. I saw her sitting in the corner at the kitchen table as I made my way over to her.

“Darling, you came by for dinner?” She thought she could charm me. It wasn’t going to work this time.

“No, I came by to tell you how pathetic you are to call yourself my mother. How dare you go to the pub and tell my girlfriend she’s not good enough for me. How dare you. You say
I
pushed myself away from this family? Hell, you just pushed me away for good. Don’t you ever, EVER talk to or lie to Riley again. I’ve had it! I can’t believe you had the nerve to do such a thing to someone you don’t know. Someone you never even gave a chance. You wonder why I don’t come around. You can kiss my ass as I walk out the door because you sealed that fate.” I screamed at the top of my lungs, and made sure she heard every word. She stared at me, almost emotionless as I stared back waiting for an unruly response. I knew I had overstepped by speaking to my mother like that, but I was so angry and very upset. She always knew how to pinch that nerve every time. She was what made me feel ashamed. Not proud, that’s for sure.

She stared into my eyes, and they almost appeared to water. “I did what was best for you. Maybe you should ask her about her past. It explains why she is new in town. She is not good for you, and I did my job as your mother by letting her know.”

I looked around, and I grabbed one thing closest to me that I could break—a small dessert plate. I flung it across the room, and it hit the wall, shattering into a million pieces. I have never been so angry with anyone in my own family, especially not my mother.

“You’re wrong. Your job is to stand by my side and support me. Not to push away the only thing I want in my life. I’m done here. Don’t speak to me until you can understand that. Stay out of my life!”

I turned, and
fled out of the house as fast as I could. I needed to see Riley, I needed to make things right. I didn’t know what the hell my mom was talking, but I didn’t care. I just needed to hold Riley, plead with her, assuring her that I didn’t know about this. I just hoped she would believe me, and trust me. What was happening? I’m falling for this girl fast, and I can’t stop myself. I’ve never felt this way before. Her presence sends me into a daze, and it makes my body go crazy for her. I’m ready to start over in my life. I didn’t want a party girl. I wanted someone who could party when it was needed, but be normal any other time. I knew that was Riley, I just knew it.

I raced over to her complex. Once I got there, I started pounding on her door.

“Riley, please. Open up!” I yelled.

I waited for a few minutes and could hear the dog barking. Nobody spoke. Her car was in the lot. Where could she be? She had to be at Evan’s apartment. I flew down the stairs, skipping two as I went down. I ran over there as fast as I could, and began knocking on the door impatiently. The door swung open as Abby answered.