Page 103 of Vow

“Huh.” Sighing, Haven stared out the bare kitchen window to the outside. It was a beautiful June day—bright, sunny, and hot. The kind of day she would love to get a run in before heading to the club for a night of work. That had been her life. Her entire life. And it was all about to change. “You have chemo tomorrow, right?”

Mae cleared her throat. “I do—noon, sharp.”

“I’ll be able to go with you, then.”

“You don’t have to do that, Haven.”

“I know, but I want to, Ma.”

Mae let out a heavy breath. “I wish you wouldn’t put your whole life on pause for me, sweetheart. I’m fine.”

Her mom kept saying that, but Haven didn’t know if it was truth. That was part of the problem. Not that Mae understood, really. Haven had never properly explained it, she supposed. That wasn’t her mom’s fault.

Turning in the empty kitchen, Haven took another look around the space. The bare walls stared back, as did the freshly cleaned counters, and appliances. She’d opened the doors on the fridge and freezer to allow them to circulate air.

“I’m gonna miss this place,” Haven said.

It was the first time she admitted that out loud to one of her parents.

Her mother made a sad noise. “I know, baby.”

“But … I have to get away from here. I can’t be here anymore.”

That silence was quick to saturate the line again. Haven wasn’t sure how long it lasted before her mother broke it.

“Haven?”

“Yeah, Mom?”

“You’re sad,” Mae murmured. “Why are you sad, dolly?”

Haven smiled at the affectionate nickname her mother used to call her when she was just a girl. She’d been that peach and cream-skinned kid with big blue eyes, and pouty pink lips. Her blonde hair had fallen in ringlets down her back. Just like a pretty little China doll, she supposed.

Or that’s what her mom always said.

Hence, dolly.

“I’m not sad,” Haven was quick to lie. The last thing she needed to do was burden her mother with all the shit that had been happening in her life. She’d managed to keep Andino and that mess far away from their notice. She wanted to keep it that way, especially now. “I’m … nostalgic. Yeah, that’s the right word.”

It worked, anyway.

Mae made a dismissive noise. “Do you know when you lie, you almost ask things as a question when you mean to state them?”

“I do not!”

“Okay,” her mother drawled. “Haven, what’s wrong?”

Her gaze caught the white cardstock sitting on the edge of the counter. It was crumpled now, and a little bit bent from being caught in her doorway a month ago when Andino showed up. She’d had no contact with him since then other than that one phone call she initiated. He listened, and stayed away. She was grateful.

Yet, that stupid invitation was still sitting there, and fucking taunting her. Nonstop. She couldn’t seem to get rid of it. Even though it hadn’t come from him, it was something. Just like all those other stupid notes of his were still stuffed in her journal—pressed safely between the pages where no one but her could read them.

“Haven?” her mom asked.

“I met someone,” she whispered.

Mae sucked in a fast breath. “Did you? Who?”

“His name is Andino. It was supposed to be fun, you know? And then it turned into something else entirely. I love him, but he hurts me. I can’t do that anymore. It doesn’t matter. Point is, he wasn’t who I thought he was, and … he was the worst mistake I ever made.”