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Something Good Can Work

Toxic.

I didn’t leave the house for the rest of the weekend.
I didn’t answer the texts from Harry.
I didn’t answer the texts from Lucy.
I ignored Louis.
Gran was concerned, but I told her not to worry.
How could I have been so reckless? I could have died. My life was a mess and I knew I had to do something about it.
I sat in my bed Sunday morning, staring at the card Christopher had given me. Maybe he could be my savior?
I dialed the number and took a deep breath as it rang.
“Hello?”
“Christopher? It’s Summer.” My voice was shaky, there was a mix of anxiety in my stomach that made me feel slightly sick.
“Summer, I’m so glad you called. Are you okay?”
“Yes…no. I don’t know.”
“What’s going on? Are you ill? Is it your heart?”
I knew he was concerned, there was a sincerity in his voice I hadn’t noticed before.
“In a sense. Could we maybe meet for tea?”
“Of course, just tell me when and where and I’ll be there.”
“Would right now be too short notice? There is a somewhere near my house that I could walk to…”
“Non-sense, I’ll pick you up. It’s never too short notice, I’ll always be there when you ask.”
It was taking everything not to cry, I hoped with every ounce of my being he was telling the truth.
“Are you there?”
“I am. That’s fine, I’ll be ready. Just let me know when you’re here.”
“Okay, I’m on my way. See you soon Summer.”
I hung up without saying goodbye and blinked down at my phone. No going back now.

He had a nice car; it was an older sports car. I’m not sure what it’s called, but it was sleek and black.
He got out and opened the door for me, he was very polite. We drove in silence until I remembered I needed to tell him where to go. It didn’t take too long to get there and luckily it was pretty empty. We ordered our tea and walked back to a secluded couch in the corner of the shop. We sat on opposite ends and looked at each other. I could tell he was thinking of how much I looked like my mother, but I couldn’t help but notice that I had his nose.
“So, what’s going on? Are you okay?” He asked, squinting his eyes as if he were trying to see inside my head.
I bit down on my bottom lip and looked at the steam rising from my cup.
“I think. . . I want to get to know you.” I said softly, finally looking up at him.
He smiled; he had a crooked smile and kind eyes.
“That would be brilliant, I would love to get to know you too.” He said getting a bit more comfortable and sipping on his tea.
“What was my mother like when you knew her?” I asked before thinking about what I was saying, of course I wanted to talk about my mother. She was always so mysterious and free. I wanted to know if he knew the same woman I did.
He laughed and set the cup on the table. “Your mother was about your age when I met her actually. She was shy and quiet. It took her a long time to open up to me.” He laughed and shook his head; I felt the smile on my lips. Apparently she hadn’t always been so manic.
“I met her at an art exhibit. She had a silver tray of hors d'oeuvres in her hand and her blonde hair was a chaotic ball of curls. She was truly a sight and if I’m being honest with you, in a room filled with art…she was the most beautiful thing I’d ever seen.” He paused and licked his lips.
“Your mother was reserved even though I tried to speak to her all night, I thought she was playing hard to get. She was just trying not to get fired though, she told me later she needed the job because her father had some health issues and she had to help and apparently her boss was a right arse.”
“My mother was never shy to me…but I guess, you know she couldn’t really be. How long did you two … how long did you know her?” I didn’t know if they’d actually dated or not.
“We were together for almost eleven months, I was crazy about her. Once I got to know her though, her true self showed. She was carefree and always had a smile on her face. I wanted to marry her, I really did. She met someone on holiday though and things weren’t the same…soon she left for America and I never heard from her again. I didn’t know about you until you… until you got here. I promise you Summer, if I’d have known… I would have done everything humanly possible to know you.”
I felt tears in my eyes, imagining how my life would have been with him; how much love I would have had with him.
“My mother was a drunk.” I said bluntly. I blinked and felt a tear roll down my cheek; I hadn’t said it out loud, never so candidly.
“Your mother was a wonderful woman, we all have our vices.”
“Her vice killed her.” I said as I wiped the tear from my cheek, looking at him.
“I know it seems that way, it’s much more complicated. Alcoholism is a disease…”

“I know, I’ve heard it my entire life. I’ve been to more AA meetings than an alcoholic probably, she never could afford a sitter.”
I saw him flinch; he probably didn’t realize how bad it was.
“I’m not trying to make you feel guilty, I’m just wishing I would have known you…” I said with a sniffle.
“You know me now, you can see me as often as you’d like.”
“What if I wanted to live with you…?” I blurted out.
He smiled, leaning forward and taking my hand in his own.
“Really? Of course, you can live with me. It is a little far from here though, I don’t want to pull you from your friends.”
“I don’t want to end up like my mother and if I stay … I’m scared I will.” I said and finally let it out, the tears just came. I felt his arms wrap around me. The first time I’d ever hugged my father and I was a blithering idiot.
He smoothed his hand over my hair and then pulled back to look at me.
“You can come whenever you want, we can talk to your grandparents together if you’d like.” He offered.
I nodded. “I’d like that very much.” I wiped the last few tears from my eyes and hugged him tightly, inhaling the smell of whatever expensive cologne he was wearing. I didn’t want to lose that scent. I wanted to remember it forever.