Catching Red Eyes - NYC

Chapter 110

My eyes shot open. I studied both of them and realized they weren't kidding.

"Mom, I can't just leave. I have a job here and my life is here."

"We talked to Marc and he agreed to give you off the rest of the summer to get better," she continued.

"Why would you do that? Dad said I was healing. I can go back to work soon. I'm not taking the summer off to heal from some bumps and bruises. I just got this job. I can't just leave."

"Sweetie, we want you to talk to someone. This isn't the Rowan we know."

"Mom, seriously? Just because I don't fit into this mold you want me in doesn't mean I need to talk to someone. I fell in love with someone who was incredibly hard and easy to love at the same time. I walked in on him with another girl and I made a mistake by driving. It was stupid of me to do but at the same time I don't really care. I was the only one hurt and I'm still alive. I need time to heal mentally and physically, yes, but it doesn't mean I need to move home, quit my job, and talk to a therapist. Yes, I am shattered and hurt and broken but I won't be this way forever." I looked back and forth from the both of them, waiting for them to answer.

"She does have a point, hon, I mean this is the first time we have all dealt with this...this stuff," my dad said, looking at my mom. I took a breath and watched as my mother looked back and forth between her husband and her only daughter. Her eyes welled up.

"Mother, please stop. There has been enough crying in this house to last a lifetime. I am going to be fine, ok? Right now, I'm far from it but I'll be over it all soon and look back and thank God I made it out alive."

They both sat quietly next to me as I rubbed my head. "Look, I love you both so much and I am so sorry for what happened in Ireland and I have no excuse but I promise that's it with him. I will never put myself in danger like that again. Now, please, let me get back to some kind of life. Mom, go back home too. I am fine. You both have lives outside of me. Laurie is here and I have friends in the city. I will call if I need anything. I promise but right now I really would like to just be alone and rest."

My father nodded to my mother and she looked back at me with tears in her eyes again. I knew it was hard for my parents to see me like this which was why I wanted them to leave. I felt like I needed to protect them from my stupid mistake. I knew it was dumb to think that way but my parents did a great job raising me and as they sat there looking at me, I felt guilty. I knew I was being hard on myself considering this wasn't all my fault but I didn't like making mistakes. I hugged them both a long while before they left and reassured them I would call if I needed anything. I heard Laurie close and lock the front door behind them before she came back into my room. I didn't move when I felt her sit down on the edge of my bed.

"Your mom is cool but I totally forgot how anal she can be sometimes."

I didn't say anything. My head was throbbing. It felt like someone was dully hammering into my face.

"Need anything?"

I reached my hand over to her, palm up, waiting for my daily dose of pain killers. My dad made sure I was prescribed something to help with the queasiness and lowered the dosage to help with the nightmares.