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Good advice.
Shelby squeezed Cyn’s hand. “I think you’ve helped me more today than I’ve helped you.”
“I’ve watched my sister waste her heart on a man who doesn’t deserve her. I’ve seen him take pieces of her. Pieces I’m not sure she’ll ever get back. She’s so busy holding on to hope that she can change him, that he’ll finally love her the way she deserves to be loved, that she can’t see the reality right in front of her. She’s headed for disaster. And still she keeps barreling toward it.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. It must be hard to watch herstumbling, knowing what’s coming, and not be able to stop her fall.”
“Our decisions have consequences. We all make good and bad ones. But watching someone I love so totally devoted to someone who is ruining her... I wish I could get her to see what’s coming and that he’ll never change.”
“I guess all you can do is let her know you will always be there for her.”
Cyn’s blue eyes turned stormy. “I hope she realizes that before it’s too late.”
Shelby saw the fear in Cyn’s eyes. “Do you think she’s in danger?”
“I feel it all around her. I can’t explain it, but I’m worried she has no idea what she’s gotten herself into. I don’t think she knows how dangerous her boyfriend really is.”
“If he scares you that much... isn’t there anyone who can help?”
Cyn sighed and shrugged. “What would I say? I have a bad feeling about the guy? He comes off nice enough. He’s got a job, friends, my sister. I bet people see them and think everything is fine. Abusers make sure that’s what others see. I think this guy makes my sister feel like if she just tries harder, does better, says the right thing, they’d be happy. And so she works that much harder to please him. But she’ll never achieve the unattainable because he will always make her feel that way. It’s how he controls her. It’s how he keeps her, by making her think if the man she loves doesn’t think she’s good enough, why would any other man ever want her?”
Shelby pressed her hand to her aching heart. “That’s really sad.”
Cyn slid off the bench. “Tell me about it. It’s hard to watch. It sucks to see her pushing me and everyone else away because we want to help her and she doesn’t see that she needs help.” Cyn sighed again.
Shelby didn’t like seeing the vibrant and outgoing woman so disillusioned and unhappy. Her carefree spirit had been weighed down by her worry and fear for her dear sister.
Shelby wished she had someone in her life who felt that deeply about her.
Chase popped into her mind. He cared. He wanted to love her.
If only she’d let him.
She didn’t want to be like Cyn’s sister, thinking she wasn’t good enough for Chase when he’d made it clear she was what he wanted. She didn’t just measure up in his eyes. She was the one who made him happy. And it was time she started believing she was the one he saw beside him for the rest of his life.
Because that’s what she wanted with him, too.
Cyn rallied and gave her a smile. “Sorry to bum you out. I don’t really have anyone to talk to about my sister, and you’re a good listener. So thanks.”
“Anytime.” Shelby squeezed her hand again. “I mean that. And your knee appears to be improving. How does it feel after the weights?”
“Good. Better. Last time it swelled quite a bit, but this time it isn’t.”
“I still suggest you ice it. After a long shift at the salon, put your foot up and rest it. It won’t be long before you’re a hundred percent again.”
“I can’t wait. And you should come into the salon. Let me show my appreciation for lending me your earby giving you a really cute, fun haircut. You’ll knock that Wilde man on his ass.”
Not a bad idea. “I’ll be in soon.” It had been a while since she’d had her hair done, and it was growing quite long. Plus, she needed to step out of her comfort zone. Nothing much happened there. She needed to shake things up. Live, like Cyn said.
She needed to stop wishing and start doing.
If she wanted to move forward with Chase, then she needed to act on it and stop stalling, or whatever it was that kept her from giving in to her impulses and holding back.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket again. That made three times since she started working on Cyn’s rehab.
Cyn pointed to the phone. “Someone really wants to talk to you.”
“I don’t recognize the number.”
