Still in her pajamas, Haley was already halfway to her balcony when she heard a small tap on the glass. When she pulled it open, Jace was waiting for her. The morning air was tinged with a warmth that seemed to make the whole world glow.
"Hey," he said, worry wrinkling his brow.
Haley knew how she looked, puffy and red eyes with messed up hair.
"Hey," she said, smiling.
Relief relaxed Jace's shoulders. Despite the evidence of too many tears, Haley could feel a lightness about her that she hadn't in a long time. One of the reasons was that the boy across from her cared.
"They're not getting a divorce," she said.
Jace's eyebrows shot up, as his mouth popped open. Haley's smile brightened.
"What...wait...really? But I thought..."
A laugh bubbled out of Haley, her heart singing, the weight of pain finally lifted. Jace ran a hand through his hair, eyes still baffled.
"Really? I mean that's amazing, but last night you said-"
Haley waved a hand, wanting to forget about the world of hurt she had been in and all because of a truth that hadn't been real.
"Yeah, I know. But I talked to them like you told me and well," she shrugged, "they explained it. It's all been because of work."
She broke down everything they had told her while Jace's eyebrows kept climbing.
"That's...wow..." He smiled, his shock vanishing. "I'm happy for you, Haley Day."
Haley let out a sigh, feeling like she could float off the invisible burden no longer weighing her down. Along with the relief, came a tinge of guilt. Her expression sobered and Jace tilted his head, noticing.
"I'm sorry, Jace," she said. "I yelled at you when all you've ever been is nice." She twisted her fingers together. "I'm really sorry, you really didn't deserve that."
Her apology was accepted with a grateful nod of his head. Taking a step forward, he leaned his elbows on the railing.
"So...you want to tell me happened Saturday night?" he asked.
A rush of images bombarded Haley's mind and pain twisted her heart. She leaned back against the doorframe, her hands pinned behind her.
"Isaac...saw us...or you kissing me and well..." She waved a hand toward him. "With your mistaken reputation, he thought we were...involved in some way and that I had only been playing with him."
The sting of his words and the hurt of Isaac's face hit her again. She dropped her head, brushing one toe across the planks.
"What did he say when you explained what was really going on?"
Haley winced at the memory of the encounter.
"I might have failed miserably at explaining," she said.
"You like him a lot?"
When she lifted her face, the color that was spreading through her cheeks was answer enough. Jace grinned and Haley scowled at him, but it lacked true menace.
"Talk to him. I know Isaac, he'll listen." He arched one questioning eyebrow, his lips curled upward with mischief. "Unless you want me to explain to him that I was only confirming what he knew already?"
"No!" Haley's face was hot and she buried it in her hands.
Jace's laugh was delighted and warming.
"Why must you make this so much worse than it is?" she said, her voice muffled.
"I was only trying to offer help."
Haley leveled him with a glare that was returned with a toothy smile. When she didn't crack, he sobered.
"Just talk to him, Haley Day. Explain everything. He's usually a level headed guy, he'll listen."
Haley dropped her annoyance and let out a slow breath.
"What if he doesn't?"
Jace offered up a careless shrug. "Then he's an idiot and you'll move on."
This blunt statement brought a little bit of her smile back.
"Thanks, Jace."
Jace dipped his head. "A pleasure, Haley Day."
The two parted preparations for the day calling to them. In her closest, Haley tugged on her Seven Ships t-shirt, hoping it would help break the tension between Isaac and her. Stuffing her discarded notebooks into her backpack, she made her way downstairs.
The house held a different feel to it. The emptiness of the rooms was no longer foreboding, but a simple fact. The smiles in the photos weren't false, merely reminders that there was once an overflow of laughter and there could be again. The quietness about the place was a mere statement that rough times came but they went as well.
The scent of coffee floated from the kitchen, adding life to the stasis house. Haley found that it was only her mother who was there, leaning against a counter. Hearing Haley, her mother looked up, a soft smile on her lips.
"Hey, sweetheart," she said. "How are you doing?"
Haley laughed at the overly tender note in her mother's tone like Haley was a fragile animal.
"A lot better than I look," she said.
Her mother breathed out, letting her smile shift to something less concerned. Crossing to the cupboards, Haley grabbed a bowl and dumped a mountain of cereal into it.
"How was dad this morning?" she said.
"Good. He was able to catch an early flight, so he will still make the interview with the lawyer." Her mother gave a wry chuckle. "He might be half tired through it, but at least he made it."
Cradling her bowl, Haley rested back on the counter.
"Is he going to be okay? He's looked so tired lately."
Her mother took a sip of coffee, mulling over the question.
"He will. But the pressure of trying to keep a firm afloat definitely takes a toll. I think with this new lawyer it could be a big relief. So we'll see how it goes."
The lines around her mother's eyes had deepened as she talked and Haley felt a pang of guilt at not seeing the burden they were under before. From where she stood it was all so clear.
"Is there anything I can do?" she asked.
A grateful smile erased some of the deeper lines.
"Sweetie, that is so thoughtful, but right now it's simply rough and that's the way things are. We'll make it through it, we always do." Her mother reached out and tucked a hair behind Haley's ear, a comforting gesture. "You staying focused on school is definitely something you can do."
"Okay."
The task seemed so inconsequential in the face of the storm her parents were dealing with, but if it meant they didn't have to worry about her, then she would do it. A second later, her mother was carried off with a phone call and Haley was left alone in the kitchen.
Unlike it had been before, the silence of her surroundings no longer weighed on her. The distant murmur of her mother's voice was a reminder that she wasn't giving up. If she wasn't, then Haley wouldn't either.
As she was loading her bowl into the dishwasher, Matt appeared in the doorway.
"You ready to go?" he asked.
"You don't want to eat?"
He shook his head. "Already got something."
Snatching up her backpack, the siblings headed out. The sky was a shocking blue that seemed to be smiling on the day. The air was crisp and held the promise of a perfect day. As they drove, Haley lowered the window, capturing the sounds of the wind and the rumble of the engine.
"Hey," Matt said, glancing over at her.
She met his gaze, eyebrows raised in question.
"Mom told me what happened last night. How are you doing?"
"Better." She paused, turning over her next words. "Why didn't you ever tell me what was going on?"
Matt frowned in puzzlement at her, before he focused back on the road.
"I did tell you," he said. His eyes darted to her. "About two weeks ago. We were driving and I said that work was hectic and they were dealing with a lot. Do you remember that?"
Haley flushed, remembering too clearly that conversation and how she had thought Matt was avoiding the subject and making an excuse.
She buried her face in her hands. "Why didn't I listen?"
Matt shook her shoulder as if trying to jog her out of her embarrassment.
"It's okay, looking at it from your point of view I can see how it would be easy to mistake it. You didn't know."
Sighing, Haley sank back against the seat. "Still, I should have listened."
"Yes. But you can't change the past, so learn and listen next time."
She nodded, peering at him.
"I'm guessing you haven't been taking extra shifts to avoid the house and me then?" she said, already feeling she knew what the answer would be.
"No, I haven't." An understanding smile curled his lips. "College is expensive and figured I would lend a hand. As for you..., I'm sorry. I got caught up in finishing school and work that I haven't had a lot of free time."
Haley waved this off, finally able to see it all and held nothing against him. Grinning, Matt nudged her arm.
"You know," he said, an excited tone creeping into his voice. "That adventure game can be played online. So even when I'm gone we could play it together."
"Yeah?" Haley said, perking up.
He nodded and they shared a hopeful smile.
Right then, she felt the pieces of her heart getting stitched back together. She let out a breath, the last piece still hung with Isaac and she was going to remedy that.
**********************************************************************
Oh thank goodness! *falls on the floor with relief*
All that emotional turmoil was really taking it out of me! Phew! Haley Day is almost completely whole again! We're making progress people, we're making progress! Go ahead and tell me what lies in that beautiful head of yours!
You know what I've always wanted?
A balcony! They seem like the coolest things ever. There is something about being above the world but still part of it that is a huge draw me to it. I've never had one, been on a few but never owned one.
Now you, what's something completely random you want for no reason at all?
And the guy below does not count because you can never own a human.
Vote, comment, follow. This author's note was short but so was the chapter so I say it fits.
See even he is working things out