Reputation

Epilogue

"Hey sweet girl." my mom greeted me as she walked into the kitchen. "What's in the bag?"

I pulled out the ivory-colored dress with voluminous, exaggerated bows at the shoulders with beautiful custom scallop finishing around the neck and back. "It's going to look a little crazy under my grown but I don't care."

"Oh Rowan, it's so beautiful and so you." my mom looked at the dress.

I gave her a small smile. "Thank you. Sloane picked it out."

"Sloane also said I could wear the Jimmy Choo heels if that's ok. Not in a way that she owns them but in a way that they would look good with the dress." I brought up.

The silver sandal heel with shiny patent leather with the most gorgeous crystal-embellished straps was a big deal to the women in my immediate family. My mom got them for her 1st wedding anniversary, Riley wore them to prom, Sloane wore them to her graduation, and now it was my turn.

My mom kept those damn shoes under lock and key.

"It is your turn." my mom agreed. "It's only right."

I folded up the dress and put it back in the bag. "Thanks, mom."

"Is everything ok? You seem more mellow than usual." she mentioned.

I sat down on the bar stool. "Hayden and I kinda got into a fight after prom and we haven't really spoken since then so."

"Maybe you were right about him after all." I sighed.

My mom took the sunglasses offer her head. "What kind of fight did you have?"

"He asked me if we would be ok when we moved to Texas. He said that we would grow apart and he essentially said that we would and he doesn't really know if he can commit to me anytime soon. So everything just feels shitty right now." I vented

"Do you want to know something?" my mom sat down on the stool next to me. "College is the most stressful, fun years of your life. I think you should enjoy it and not worry about a boy. Kiss a few, study hard, and focus on getting to know yourself."

"I know you really grew to like him, but he's not the end all be all. Trust me on that. Those Brooks boys are something else."

I raised an eyebrow. "What does that mean?"

She chuckled. "Corey Brooks and I went to the same high school. I swear to you he looked just like Hayden from the eyes to the swagger that just came so naturally.  During that time, he was the sun to me."

"Did you guys date?" my jaw dropped.

I never knew this.

"Never officially, but he definitely meant something to me for a while. He was kinda the first man - well he was the first - to break my heart." she let me in.

Wow.

This was the first personal thing that my mom ever told me about herself. 

"I'm actually speechless." my hand went over her mouth. "Why did you never tell me?"

"I really don't know." she responded. "No one really gets over their first love, Ro. I guess that's why. He would always mean something to me and seeing Hayden just always reminded me of that heartbreak."

"Well, everything worked out. You got a big house, career, husband, and kids. His mom and dad got a divorce and now she just kinda suffers and drinks. Hayden doesn't see his dad much since he sorta ran off." I tried to be optimistic. 

"I guess so." my mom nodded. "The moral of that story is that no matter how you feel right now, everything is going to work out just fine. You're smart, beautiful, and you have so much going for you Ro."