The Goodbye Note

Chapter 27

Song I recommend for this chapter Collide by Howie Day.

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I guess Mack saw me parked outside her house because she comes running out of the house and to my car window. She taps the window to get me to open it. I really don't want to, but I do owe her an explanation for why I'm here in her driveway, crying my thoughts away. I roll the window down, "Are you okay? Never mind, ignore that question. What happened?" She walks to the passenger side, I unlock it and she slides into the seat. "Okay Em breath, can I get you anything?" I shake my head.

After taking deep breaths I tell her, "Dean's dad is a murderer, he killed Dean's mom and sister and he got paid to kill my mom. He killed my mom." It sounds more real now that I actually said it aloud. I start crying even harder now. "I started falling for- for Dean. But- but his dad killed my mom. How can I ever forgive him for that?"

"The same way you forgave Dan."

I shake my head, "That's different. His dad killed Emma by accident. Dean's dad was paid to kill her. That's not an accident."

She takes both of my hands, "Dean didn't know his dad was paid to kill her. He didn't know, therefore, he couldn't have done anything to stop it nor engage it. I get it hurts right now, because the truth always sucks. Forgiveness isn't easy, and you know that more than anyone. And losing someone you know and love also isn't easy. And learning who killed them is the hardest part. You want their killer dead, you want them to suffer for what they did. Em, losing someone is never going to be easy and losing someone to a killer is even harder." I always forget that Mack lost her dad to a murderer. She never talks about him, but it's probably because she doesn't remember him. He was killed when she was three. "But you need to remember that you have people you can rely on, people who love you and help you through these hard times. Dean is one of those people. He has helped through the passing of your mom. He's there for you, and he likes you a lot. You can't let this obstacle completely ruin what you two have. What you have is rare and beautiful. I'm not saying you need to go talk to him right now, but just think about it okay? That kid loves you, and just because he has a rough parent doesn't make him any less then the boy you're falling for."

I wipe my face, "When did you get so wise?" I laugh a little. She said the same thing when Xander broke her heart.

"What do you mean, I've been wise?" This makes us both laugh a little louder than before. "Go home and go to sleep, you think of what you're going to say to Dean in the morning." I didn't even realize that it was ten at night. I nod. She gets out of my car and quickly adds, "Text me when you get home." I nod again and she walks inside. But not long before she comes back, "Do you want to come inside for a second? My mom just finished dinner and I know she won't mind if you stay for that."

"Sure." I take my keys out of the slot and exit the car. I follow Mack inside. "You're sure that I'm not intruding right? Because I can leave."

She shakes her head and takes my hand. "Come on, my mom will be happy to see you, she's been asking about you lately."

Mack was right, as soon as her mom saw me her eyes got huge and she ran up to me and gave me a hug. "I've been missing you, it's so quiet with just me and Kenzie here. Not that Kenzie's bad company, but she's so boring." Mrs. Dankworth whispers the last part. I laugh. "So what have you been up to? Oh I've heard that you have a boyfriend." I laugh. I didn't really want to think of him right now but there's no way to avoid that.

"Yeah, I do. He's the best. And lately I've just been focusing on school and cheer practice with Mack." We have a cheer competition tomorrow. It's an all day kind of thing which sucks but Mack will be there to make it fun. I still can't believe she got me to join. Mack's mom pulls out a chicken from the oven. She pulls plates down from the cabinets and sets them on the counter.