Savior Complex: A Small Town Love Triangle Romance

In this, I can find a seed of compassion for my mom, knowing that she’s experienced what I have. Maybe she didn’t know any better.

Maybe Nanna Dot chose to compensate for her past mothering by being the exact guardian I needed in a time when I had no one.

“I figured since I bought this with Nanna Dot’s money,” I say, then wince as I realize how that sounds. “I mean, it shouldn’t have been all mine. That was a really crappy thing for your mom to do to you and Aunt Lil.”

“It’s why she did it,” my mom muses. She shakes her head, a small, sad smile on her face. “She wrote my sister and me out of the will. That was a message. But she put a period on it by naming only one of our daughters as heir. I think she figured we’d hate each other just as much as we hated her.”

“Did you?” I ask.

“At first, but….”

“But the blame was put on me, giving you all a common enemy.” I sigh, still so angry, but also just tired. “That was pretty shitty.”

My mom nods in agreement. “I’ll ask your forgiveness, but I’ll understand if you don’t give it.”

I think of Jordy then, who’s harboring a grudge against me, and has every right to. Yet, I’m hoping time will soften her heart and help us one day rekindle the trust and closeness we once had.

“I need more than words, Mom. I need action. I need a relationship with you. I need you to get to know me again, and I want to get to know you. So I’m willing to try.”

She folds me in her arms again, and this time, I know it’s all her. How lucky we are to get this chance to start over, because she never got that with her mother. Even though we have such a long way to go, I can’t help but believe we’ll get there—that the potential is there.

“I love you, Bug,” she says, kissing the top of my head.

“I know,” I say. I love her too. I’m just not ready to say it yet.

Chapter Thirty-Five

Nina

A week later, I’m at Insomniacs again, nervously tapping my feet and checking my phone every thirty seconds. It seems this place is becoming quite the setting for strained conversations, as I watch the door for Jordy’s arrival.

She’d texted me back a few days ago, no doubt at my mom’s prompting. I haven’t talked to my mom since she showed up at Polka Dot’s, though she’s sent me links to articles about clothing store pop-ups and fashion ideas. It’s her way of connecting, I realize. But I have nothing to base my assumption on Jordy breaking her silence except that the timing is coincidental.

Jordy finally does show up, finding me after a quick sweep of the shop. She doesn’t smile, even when her eyes land on the drink I’ve set in her place. An almond milk latte, no sugar. Her favorite.

“I’m not sure why I’m even here,” she says as she sits. Her voice is mechanic and cold, her posture like a cement wall. There are slight circles under her eyes, and I feel a sting of that familiar shame knowing I’m the one who did that. “I suppose I should thank you for the money you sent.”

“It was the least I could do,” I say, my eyes on the table.

“No, the least you could have done was stay away from my fiancé,” she hisses.

“I’m so sorry.” I keep my eyes down. I know there is nothing I can say that will fix any of this, and yet, I’m grateful she even came, even if it’s just to tell me how awful I am.

She sighs, and the space between us fills with awkward silence. I wait it out, knowing it’s not my place to speak.

“I think what hurts me the most is that this was all happening while we lived under the same roof. I shared something private with you, and the whole time, you were sleeping with Brayden. You both played me for a fool. I trusted both of you, and both of you were laughing at me.”

“We were not laughing at you,” I say, but she cuts me off with a glare.

“The fact that I had no idea,” she says, shaking her head. “I can’t believe I didn’t see it.” She laughs. “Then I send you two off to that stupid conference. I fucking hate that conference, and I actually felt bad that I roped you into going. Little did I know, I was giving the two of you a free pass to fuck around on me.”

“Jordy, I’m sorry.”

“Are you though? Or are you just sorry you lost both of us?”

“I’m sorry for hurting you,” I say firmly. “You’re everything to me, and I didn’t treat you that way at all. I let my own nee… I let my own wants become more important than our friendship, and for that, I am so ashamed. To know I betrayed you this horribly, I can’t even live with myself. I know there’s nothing I can say or do to make you forgive me, but I will try every day, regardless. I will do anything. I’ll give you my house, let you decorate it any way you want. I’ll buy a billboard with my face on it, telling all of Sunset Bay what I did.”

“Nina, come on.”