Where I Belong (Alabama Summer) by J. Daniels

liking
thing that I’m having trouble with.
    “Enjoying the morning view?”
    I nearly drop my mug as Tessa comes barreling into my inner
thoughts. “Jesus. You scared the crap out of me.” I glance over at her teasing
smile, ignoring it as I take my first sip of my now cold coffee.
    She waves at Nolan who does the same, smiling wide as he
does it. Ben seems to only notice me and I try to ignore that also. “If I were
to ask you how wet you were right now, what would you say?” Tessa inquires.
    “My God. Is there any topic that’s off limits to you?”
    She thinks it over for a moment, twirling her hair around
her finger. “Nope.”
    I step away from the door and sit down on the arm of the
sofa. “Why didn’t you tell me Ben has a kid?”
    She shrugs once. “I told you he isn’t the same guy he used
to be.”
    “Just because someone isn’t the same guy , doesn’t
mean they have little dimpled lookalikes running around. Did you really think
that was how I’d interpret that?”
    She moves to the chair next to me and slumps down in it. “I
figured you’d find out eventually, especially if you give Ben a chance and actually hang out with him, Little Miss Unwilling to Let Go of the Past.”
    I ignore that last dig. “Where’s the mom in all this? I’m
assuming considering what’s transpired over the past several days she isn’t in
the picture?” I take another sip of my coffee, contemplating the idea of Ben
being married to someone. My stomach rolls at the thought.
    “Ugh, don’t get me started on that bitch.” She gathers her
hair off her neck while I wait for her to elaborate. “She’s so bitter about not
being with Ben that she uses that against him. They were never together. It was
just a drunken hook up that she’s tried to make into something more, but
because Ben isn’t interested, she gives him as little time as possible with
Nolan. Shit is fucked up.”
    “That’s horrible. She shouldn’t be able to keep his own son
from him.”
    “Yeah, well, tell that to the freaking judge that gave her
primary custody. Ben still gets to see him but not nearly as much as she does.
And he should definitely get him more. He’s the better parent.” She pushes to
her feet and pulls her phone out of her pocket. “I’m gonna run out for a little
while. Wanna come?”
    I stand and glance once more out the sliding glass door.
“Nah, I’d better give my mom a call. See how she’s doing.” Tessa looks at me
knowingly, silently communicating that she is here for me if I needed her. I
never kept any details about my mom’s illness from her, and she and I spent
several nights on the phone together, her just listening to my cries.
    I walk back into my room and set my coffee mug on my
dresser, swapping it for my phone. After three rings, my aunt’s voice comes
through the other end.
    “Hello?”
    “Hi, Aunt Mae. How’s everything going? How is she?”
    “She’s fantastic, Mia. Here, I’ll hand her the phone.”
    I wait anxiously for my mother’s voice, and after only a few
short seconds, I’m rewarded with it.
    “Hi, sweetheart. How are you?” Her voice is strong and I can
hear the smile behind it.
    I can’t help the tears that fall down my cheeks but I keep
my voice steady. “I’m so good, Mom. I miss you though.”
    “I miss you too. How is everyone there? Are you and Tessa
staying out of trouble?”
    “Yes, of course. We haven’t done anything illegal yet.”
    My mom’s laughter fills the phone, a sound I went several
months without hearing when she was at her worst. “And her brother? Is he
behaving himself around you?”
    I hesitate, not really knowing how to answer that question.
“He’s… different. I don’t know. It’s strange getting used to this Ben when I
was anticipating the old one.”
    “Well time changes people,” she states obviously. “It’s
certainly changed you over the years. My little girl became this beautiful
young lady.”
    I smile and lie back on the bed,