Theon
I left Samantha’s house in the morning, she looked exhausted, and I was not so different. Sleepiness began to overtake me and all I wanted to do was lie down and sleep. I noticed a missed call from Harper on my cell phone, followed by a few messages asking if I had gotten better and letting me know that she would be home later.
She had arranged something with my sister and wanted me to accompany her to my mother's house, which I didn't hesitate to accept. But at the same time, I felt terrible for not telling her where I spent last night.
As soon as we arrived home, my sister invited her into the bedroom, while my mother was sewing something, sitting on the sofa in the living room.
" Mama, can we talk? " I approached, feeling distressed as Harper came up the stairs with Callie, who had committed herself to looking after Daphne while Lara was out.
I knew what I should do, but I didn't know how to do it without hurting Harper. That was what worried me the most.
" Sure Theon... Is there a problem? " she frowned, indicating for me to take the vacant seat next to her.
" I need some advice," I admitted, watching the snow-covered yard outside.
" About what? " she put her embroidery aside.
I took a deep breath, wondering how to begin to explain my situation. How could I tell my mother that I was in love with two people? And I didn't want to hurt either of them?
" Mama, did you love my father? " I opted for a milder path.
" Of course I did. What kind of question is that? " she frowned.
" You know when you like someone, and you don't ever want to hurt them," I began, "but you know that sooner or later it's going to happen?”
My mother sighed, watching me with a condescending expression.
" Let me guess, Samantha.”
" I like Harper, Mom. Since we started dating that feeling has only evolved, I have no doubt about that. But when I'm with Sam. it's different.”
" Theon, Theon... I've always taught you.”
" Nothing has happened between us, Mama, just these feelings have been growing inside me. Yesterday she called me at dawn because she was craving lemon ice cream and didn't know where to find it, and I…”
“And you went to buy," she concluded.
" She wanted me to tell her where she could find it, but I couldn't let her leave at dawn to go after it.”
" You did your fatherly duty, Theon," my mother assured me.
" I know, but then Sam invited me to stay and... I don't know, I keep thinking how much of a family we'll be when the baby comes. I feel good with Harper.”
" And Samantha is dating the vet, as far as I know," she reminded me.
" Also, they are getting to know each other better. But when we're together doing everything for the baby, Harper and Laffay seem to be the ones left behind," I explained.
My mother absorbed this information for a few moments before sighing and holding my hand.
" I don't want to hurt Harper, and I know that's what will happen if I push this any further. But how do I end it without leaving the wrong impression? " I let out what had been nagging me for the past few days.
" Breakups are hard, Theon. Harper has always liked you, and the fact that she's putting up with this whole situation proves it. There's no sure way to keep her from getting hurt, but the longer you delay taking action, the bigger the wound," she stated, looking into my eyes, "you have to have the courage to act, before it's too late.
She stood up, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I don't know how long I sat there, gathering the courage to do what I had to do, until Harper approached.
" Is there a problem, Theon? " she asked, totally oblivious to what was going on in my mind.
" Harper, we need to talk," I took a deep breath.
She sat down where my mother had been before, while I thought about where to start.
" Theon, what do you want to tell me? " she sighed.
" Sam had a craving for ice cream last night and I ended up sleeping at her house," I decided to lay the situation out in no uncertain terms.
" And why are you telling me this? " Harper appraised me with a look that seemed deeper than I remembered.
" Nothing happened, Harper. I just…”
" Nothing happened? " She laughed"and how much longer is this going to take, Theon? You slept at her place tonight, how long will it be before you share a bed? “
" Harper, you know it's not like that," I tried to calm her down, "I would never do that to you!”
" Be honest with me, Theon. Do you have feelings for me?”
" Of course I do," I held her hand, "but…”
" But you feel for her too," she concluded, taking her hand out of my grasp.
" Yes, I do," I admitted all at once, "Harper, I don't want to make you suffer.”
" I think we just put off the inevitable, Theon," she wiped her face, trying not to look in my direction, "you say you like me, but I deserve better than that.”
" Yes, you're right," I took a deep breath, "you deserve more than I've been offering you for the past few months. I thought I'd be able to separate things and make you happy, but I'm not.”
" I deserve someone who only wants to be with me," she wiped another tear from her eye, turning away so that I couldn't see it.
" I'm sorry Harper, I... " My ringing cell phone interrupted my speech, Harper followed my gaze, looking at the picture of Samantha on the screen.
She can have the worst Timing possible!
" Unbelievable " She giggled nervously, getting up " I should have known.”
I rejected the call, at that moment I needed to devote my attention to Harper, I needed to save at least our friendship.
" Harper, wait…”
" No, you know what, Theon. Someday I'll find someone who will love me like I deserve to be loved, and you'll realize what a fool you were to let me go," she raised her voice, finally venting the anger she felt at that moment, and I couldn't blame her, "because all I did from the beginning was support you in every detail and try to be understanding about everything you needed! “
But before I could say anything, the phone rang again, causing a bad feeling to come over me. Harper grabbed her purse, getting ready to leave while I decided to answer it at once.
" Harper, what is it? " Callie came down the stairs with Daphne on her lap, who seemed startled by our discussion.
" I have to go, Callie," my now ex-girlfriend wiped her tears as I answered the call, deciding to ask Sam for a break.
" Sam, now is not…”
" Theon, listen to me," she sniffled, putting me on alert.
" Are you crying?”
" Mike is taking me to the hospital, I'm bleeding," she explained in a broken voice.