Starting Over

Chapter 19

"Are you getting your cast off today, papa?" Aria asks several weeks later before we each leave in the morning - me for work, and them for school.

"Yup as long as everything goes well, and my wrist has healed correctly," I grin despite the nerves that something has gone wrong, and I will have to keep the cast on longer.

"What time is your appointment again?" J asks as they pack themselves lunches.

"Um, at 2 p.m., so I hope I am back at work by three, if not earlier," I mumble, packing my own lunch, and running through a mental checklist that I have everything I need for the day, and I believe I have.

"Love both of you," I grin as I grab my stuff off the counter, and head towards the front door to slip on my shoes and jacket, and grab my keys, and leave the apartment.

By 3 p.m I have gone to my doctor's appointment, and returned to work. The cast was removed, but now I have to wear a brace for the next two weeks, and then have another doctor's appointment to find out if I have to wear this longer or not.

"Hayden, there are a couple of people here to see you," Jenny states as she steps into the kitchen from the dining area - she is one of the new servers.

"Thanks, Jenny," I reply, walking toward her, and following her into the dinning area.

I stop abruptly when I make eye contact with Charlie and Thomas, and both seem nervous, and I flatly say; "Follow me, please."

They follow me into my office in the back part of the kitchen, and shut the door behind us.

Turning around to face them, I bluntly ask; "What can I do to help you guys?"

Charlie thickly swallows before speaking; "I want to apologize to you for my words and my behavior. That was rude and very inappropriate of me. I want my best friend back in my life, and I will accept if you tell me to fuck off, and that you want nothing to do with me."

Blankly staring at her as I try to decide what I want, and how to express this to her; "Why come here while you know I am working? Why not come to my home? Was coming here your hope that I would be stressed enough to forgive you? How about you come to mine on Sunday afternoon, and then we can talk?"

She slowly nods, looking slightly defeated by my answer, and having to wait two days to talk with me; "Okay. What time on Sunday?"

"2 p.m., if if you are still interested in speaking with me. If you are not there by three, then I will know your answer, and no, I will know that you did not mean what you just said, and you can forget about me permanently," I firmly reply with a frown.

"Okay. We will be at yours at two," she seriously replies. "See you then, Hayden."

"Bye," I flatly answer, instead of crying like I want to, and they leave.

Collecting myself for several minutes before heading back to the kitchen to continue working. I can feel and see the kitchen staff staring at me, but I chose to ignore them, and solely focus on my task at hand.

I am an emotional wreck by the time I arrive home because I refuse to cry until I am alone. I let the kids know Thomas and Charlie might be here Sunday afternoon at two, and why. Jordan seems irritated, and Aria is outright pissed, and vocalizes this anger.

"Who the hell does she think she is trying to talk to you while you were at work?" she seethes while pacing the living room floor. "She says horrible things to you because you were not ready to date Finn at the time, and decided to now bombard you at your job?"

"Aria, calm down, please," I beg of her as Jordan pulls her into his body in an attempt to stop her angry pacing.

She rests the side of her face on his chest with a frustrated sigh as she clutches the material of his shirt at his hips in her fists.

"I wish I could give you an honest answer, Rooster, but I cannot," I sigh, rubbing my right hand over my face in frustration. "If they show on Sunday, then I will listen to her, and make my final decision on if I want to stay friends with her or not."

"I do not think I want to be here if she does show, is that okay with you, papa?" Aria asks, looking at me sadly.

"Then we won't be here," Jordan says, earning a squeeze from Aria which he returns. "We will either go to my dad's like usual, on a date, or both."

"Mmhh, both," Aria yawns, snuggling further into Jordan the best she can with her baby belly.

"I love you both, and I am gonna shower, call Finn, and then sleep. I just need to sleep on this, and think over Charlie's request for a little while. I just do not know exactly what I want when it comes to her."

"Hi babe," Finn greets me when I have showered, gotten into my mammies, and am now lying in bed, under the covers.

"Hi," I murmur with a soft sigh, and a forced smile. "Charlie and Thomas stopped at my work. They are coming here on Sunday at two, well, possibly, if they show, so we can talk over everything. Aria and Jordan will not be here, and that is fine."

"Would you like me to be there with you for moral support, love?" he sweetly offers.

Eagerly nodding; "Yes please. Thank you so much, but only if you really want to be here?"

"Of course I want too, love," he grins. "I will be at yours by noon with food for us. Whatever you want, Hayden."

"The best, and greasiest pizza that we like," I grin, feeling a little better about the entire situation.