The Why Behind What We Feel

Chapter 42- Wait Out the Rain

After only a couple of minutes, I hear the bedroom door creak open.

"Sessy?" Tyler calls out.

"In the bathroom," I call back.

He appears in the doorway of the bathroom and watches me wordlessly as I finish washing my face.

"I'm sorry," he sighs. "I shouldn't be treating you this way. I've been way out of line."

"Yes, you have," I answer with a bit of attitude.

"This is all just...becoming too much," he goes on. "I'm so afraid of losing you and it being my fault."

"So yell and me and speak to me like a child? That's your answer?"

"I don't want to argue about this, Sessy. I know I was wrong. I'm stressed out, okay? And I know you are too."

"Right, which is why I can't deal with you acting like this. Like I said, either we're in this together, or we're not. We should be taking care of each other through this, but instead of taking care of me, you're treating me like a prisoner!"

That seems to suck the air right out of his lungs. He closes his eyes and exhales through his nose. "Again, I'm sorry. You're absolutely right. I promise, I will do better."

I nod, drying off my hands with a hand towel before walking past him into my bedroom.

I climb into bed and he follows me, taking his usual place on the side closest to the wall.

I get comfortable and take my book off the nightstand, opening it up to my bookmarked page.

For a while, Tyler doesn't say anything; but I know it's only a matter of time before he does. He's being pouty all of a sudden.

"I'm not sure how I feel about you being face to face with this guy," he finally says.

I set my book in my lap and look over at him, but he's staring straight ahead. "Why?" I ask.

He shrugs. "I don't want you near any of those kinds of people. I don't know all that much about him, but if he was a friend of my mother's, I can only assume he's no good."

"Maybe not, but he at least doesn't seem as bad as the guys who are after us. And no matter how bad he is, I feel like this would be a huge step in the right direction. If he can give us a name, at least we'll know who we're running from. Maybe even why they are after us."

"I know, but..."

"Listen," I sigh, putting my hand on his leg and causing him to look at me. "I know there are a thousand reasons to be concerned. We don't know this guy or what part he plays in all this, or if he plays any part at all. I just feel like this is what we need to do. If we ever want to move on with our lives, then we've got to start doing what it takes to end this."

"I think your idea and my idea of doing what it takes are probably very different," he chuckles halfheartedly.

"What do you think we should do? Wait for the FBI?"

"No. But..." he trails off and runs his fingers through his dirty blonde hair. "Sometimes I wish I could go back in time. I never would have sought out my parents. That's where everything went wrong..."

"You did exactly what most people in your situation would've done. Everyone wants to know where they came from. There's nothing wrong with that. Sometimes they are better off not knowing, but that's not something you can know for sure until you do it. Your mother manipulated you for financial gain. That's not your fault. None of this is. It all went wrong because of them, not you."