Slipping Back Into The Old Days

Armadillo

I couldn’t help but stare at Leisha. I hadn’t lied, per se, about her attending my high school, but I had panicked about just how well I had known her. I hadn’t said anything else, no matter how much prodding Leah had done. I hated lying to her, but I had too many emotions rolling through me to formulate thoughts. Leisha had also not said anything about our past. I knew she was just as shocked as I was. 

When we got to the ice cream parlor, I sat at another table, just staring at Leisha. Every few minutes, she glanced at me anxiously. I knew we would talk. I had no choice. For the longest time, she was a big part of my life. That was until she decided she didn’t want to be. Seeing her again was like losing my sister all over again. I hadn’t seen Leisha since the night of my sister’s, Mary’s, funeral 13 years ago. 

“Hey, Armadillo? Are you alright?” Leah asked, snapping her fingers in front of my face.

“Huh? Yes. Sorry. What did you say?”

“Madison asked if you had somewhere to stay tonight.”

“Umm. No. I don’t. I was going to get a hotel room. R.H.M. gave me a little money,” I answered.

“Out of curiosity, how much did he give you?”

“$750.”

“Oh.”

“Well, you came to find Phoenix. It’s only right that we offer you a room for a few days,” Madison told me.

“Does that mean we can’t have girls’ night tonight?” The woman I now knew as Kendra asked.

“Of course not. Just because he’s there doesn’t mean we have to change what we do. He can use the guest room on the second floor. There’s a bathroom up there. We can still crash in the living room,” Madison said. “He won’t bother us. Isn’t that right, Armadillo?”

My eyes slid to Leisha, who was refusing to meet my eyes. “Of course. Thank you, Madison.”

“Mm-hmm. Alright, ladies,” she breezed, clapping her hands. “Meet you at my house in an hour.”

Kendra started to pull Leisha out of the ice cream parlor, but she pulled herself away to come back over to me, causing Madison to clear her throat before writing an address down.

“When you’re done, this is our address. I will let Joey know to expect you,” she told me.

I nodded. “Thank you.”

She laid her hand on Leisha’s arm. “Punch him right in the Adam's apple if he tries anything.”

Leisha nodded, glancing at me. “I don’t think he would hurt me. I think he’s the same man that he was back then.” Her eyes slid to Phoenix. “A man women can trust without worrying if he’s a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”

Leah cast me a curious glance before grabbing Madison’s hand and dragging her out of the parlor, while Leisha sat down in front of me. I studied her face intently while she shifted nervously in her seat.

“I think I should apologize to you,” she started off.

“You have nothing to apologize for,” I immediately told her.

“Yes, I do. I leaned on you so much during that time, and then I just disappeared.”

“Why did you leave?” I asked softly as I sat up straighter. “You never wanted to see your father. And then the day after Mary’s funeral, you moved across the country to live with him. You changed your number and never responded to my emails. Why?”

She lowered her head to hide the tears that were quickly filling her eyes. “I lost my best friend, Kaden. She was my only friend. That night I begged her not to drink and drive. But she didn’t listen. She never listened to me. I miss her every single day, Kaden. I never connected with another human being like I did with her.” She raised her head to look into my eyes. “With you.”

I leaned across the table to take her hand. “That’s why I didn’t understand why you left. You spent so many nights in my bed, crying and scared. You couldn’t sleep without feeling safe. I was the only one who could make you feel that way. There were so many nights that you snuck out of your mother’s just because you were too afraid to sleep. Your nightmares over what happened kept you awake, and it was only in my arms that you felt protected enough to sleep. You weren’t just Mary’s best friend, Leisha; you were mine too.”

“I know, but how could I stay around after we crossed that line between being just friends and something more? We had never even so much as kissed or held hands. When I came over that night, I was depressed, and so were you. We buried our heartbreak in each other that night. Losing Mary meant that I had to lose you too. How could I explain coming around when she was gone? How could I face you after what we did? Our relationship changed that night, Kaden. I wasn’t ready to be in a relationship. I wasn’t ready to be rejected. Not by you. So, I did the only thing I could—I ran and pretended for years that I was okay. That is until Caleb met me and saw through my act.”

“I wouldn’t have rejected you, Leisha. I never told you, but from the time I was 8, I had the biggest crush on my older sister’s best friend. I was absolutely crushed when you left. It made losing Mary that much worse. I lost both of the girls that meant everything to me at the same time.”

“Kaden,” she whispered.

I stroked her hand with my finger. “Are you going to run again? If you are thinking about it, tell me. I don’t want you to leave somewhere that you feel safe because I showed up.”

She linked our fingers together. “I don’t want to leave, Kaden. I already left you once. It was the biggest mistake I ever made. Fate has brought us back together for a reason.” She looked away from me as a tear ran down her face. “Maybe because I’m struggling more than usual lately. Maybe it’s because I need to feel safe. And you’re right; you were the only person who made me feel that way.”

I let her hand go as I got up to move closer to her. I turned her chair to face me before tilting her face up.

“Listen to me, Leisha, it does not matter what happened back then. It does not matter how much time has passed. You mattered to me back then, and you still matter to me today. I did not just forget about you. You helped make me the man I am today. You taught me how to love a woman the right way. You taught me how to support someone in need and you taught me how to be strong in the process. If you need me, I’m here.” I took her hand to place her hand over my heart. “I always will be. I’m glad that we found each other again, Leisha. And I’m glad that I have the opportunity to be the person that you need.”

She slowly curled her fingers into my shirt. “Thank you, Kaden.”

“Always. Now we should get to Madison’s house before she thinks I kidnapped you or something.”

She laughed a little as she dropped her hand from my chest. “She can be a little protective.”

“And punchy,” I joked as I walked her outside to her car.

She turned toward me to hug me before getting in her car. As I wrapped my arm around her to hug her back, something clicked into place inside of me. It felt right. She felt right in my arms. Time had not changed that. And now, I was confused.

*******

After three hours of listening to the laughter coming from down the hall, I nodded at Joey as he settled Josiah into his crib. I had been shocked to learn that Leisha had a son. As soon as she introduced us, albeit very hesitantly, I felt an instant connection to him. Joey and I handled the kids while the women had their girls’ night. True to my promise, I had stayed out of the way. Even though I wanted to know who her little boy’s father was. I couldn’t help but be protective over her. She had been in my life since I was 3 until I was 17. She was closer to me than almost every single member of my family.

“Is there anything else you need help with?” I asked Joey.

“No. I didn’t really need your help with them. They are all great kids, but I appreciate it. Go enjoy the rest of your night. You can use any of the rooms on the second floor.”

“Thank you.”

Once I chose a room, I showered before walking out into the main room with a towel wrapped around my waist. I was going to have to go shopping. I didn’t have any clothes, and— my eyes fell on jogging pants, jeans, and a grey tank top.

“Thank you, Joey,” I muttered as I tugged on the sweats before tying the drawstring.

After getting dressed, I tossed myself down on the bed, letting my fatigue start to carry me off into slumber. I was almost asleep when my door opened.

“Kaden?” She whispered. “Are you sleeping?”

“No. Are you okay?”

“Yeah. I was just wondering if I could sleep with you…”

I lifted the blankets up. “Come here.”

She hurried across the room to climb into the bed next to me. When I wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her flush against my body, she linked our fingers together.

“Kaden?”

“Yes, Leisha?”

“I have always loved you,” she murmured as she drifted off to sleep.

Her statement left me at a loss for words. She said it so innocently. So honestly. Now that Leisha was back in my life, I was starting to understand why Leah couldn’t let Brennan go. He was her one. Leisha had been mine. And now she was back. What in the hell was I going to do?