[COMPLETE]
When Hanna Haddad embarks on what's supposed to be another uneventful summer as a lifeguard on Cape Cod, a trip to the past comes as an unnerving surprise. The discovery of her estranged mother's journal opens up the world of tragedy and...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"Okay, Mom, I need you to make three servings of your world-famous waffles."
She raised an eyebrow as I slid into the doorway, dressed in a cream-colored sweater dress and my favorite green ankle socks dotted with turkeys. "Hungry today, are we?"
"No. Well, I am a little, but I'm having a guest over today." I poured myself a mug of coffee and took a few sips before I revealed who, noticing the ever-increasing smile on my mother's face. "And yes. It's exactly who you think it is."
"Well, finally," she exclaimed, throwing her hands into the air. My cheeks reddened as she stared me down through her eyelashes, a fist meeting her hip. "I was almost starting to think you've made up this relationship between you two."
It actually hadn't been that long since Colin and I had started dating. I'd figured Thanksgiving break was a good time to finally integrate him into the family, needing at least a couple months to sort my feelings out. The last thing I needed was another public failed relationship this close to the last, even if I knew deep down Colin and I could make it work regardless of the circumstances life would throw at us.
I eyed my mother as she took a seat at the kitchen table, her eyes flickering to the patio door, taking in the twigs and crunchy brown leaves littering the backyard. "You look like you want to say something."
"I do," she murmured, bringing her steaming mug of tea to her lips. "But I'm wondering it's the right time."
I slid into the seat across from her, placing my hand over her own. "Come on, Mama. What good has waiting to tell each other things done for us?"
She nodded, turning her hand around and giving mine a squeeze. "It feels wrong for you to tell me all about your relationship and not to mention that I... Well, I also have been seeing someone."
I blinked, replaying her words in my head. "Wait, what?"
"Hanna, I know this is—"
"No, seriously—what? I'm so happy for you!" I jumped out of my seat and threw my arms around her, feeling her stiffen in confusion beneath me. Letting her go, I placed my hands on her shoulders and sent her a reassuring nod. "Seriously, I've been waiting for this moment."
"Well, alright, then," she chuckled, shaking her head in disbelief. "That's not how I expected this conversation would go, but I guess I'll tell you his name is Samuel. He's a math professor at another university in Boston, and I met him at a conference in the spring. He's a widower—no kids, but he does have one very cute Golden retriever." When she saw my lips part with a question, she held up a hand and continued, "And before you ask, no, he's only three years older than me."
I threw my head back and laughed, glad I didn't have to ask myself. "Can I see a photo of him?"
Her fingers whirred across her keyboard, and she slid her phone towards me. Sure enough, a man in his late forties squatted down in a pumpkin patch, an arm looped over the fluffy Golden retriever beaming at the camera. He had kind brown eyes and hair too black to be brown and a bright white smile that put on one on my mother's face just by glancing at it.
