Pieces of Me by Pua Ramona (small books to read txt) 📕

to you before we head over to the park?” I can see he’s nervous, and I know what he wants to talk about because the look on his face makes my heart sad.

“Sure. Do you want to sit? Or are you good with standing here?” I ask.

He looks over his shoulder then looks back at me. “Do you mind if we sit for a few minutes?” I nod my head yes and he grabs my hand. I think about pulling my hand away, but he holds on tighter. We walk to the bench that faces the water and he waits for me to sit before he does. It’s beautiful out, hot but not too hot with enough of a breeze to keep you from sweating too much. “Are you ready to head back to New York?” he asks.

“Yes. I’m glad we came and love that Emma gets to spend time with the family, but I think I’m ready to head back.” I say looking at our interlaced hands.

Eli gives me a sad smile and says, “I know I sound like a broken fucking record, but I want you to know that I really am sorry for everything that’s happened Sina. If I could take back every shitty thing I would in a fucking heartbeat for you.”

I squeeze his hand and say, “Eli, it’s okay. I promise you that I’m not mad at you, it’s life. We learn from everything good and bad and we move on. So please, don’t worry about me okay?”

He looks at me with tears in his eyes, “You’ll always be the one who got away Sina” he says.

I smile at him and say, “Maybe in the next lifetime.”

Before I stand up I hold his face in my hands and say, “Be an amazing father to that baby Eli, no matter how hard things get, you make sure to be the best daddy to that baby.”

“Sina” he whispers.

I lean my forehead against his and I whisper, “Live a happy life Eli” and I slowly make my way back to my family with my soul dying a little.

“Hey bestie” Leila says with a huge smile.

“Leila you came!” I say, happy to see her.

“Of course I came, I wasn’t going to miss out on all this food and oh my god you have a big family. Pretty sure we met half of the island” she says giggling.

“Where’s Reese at?”

“He’s over there with the guys,” she says. “So, your sister says that we missed out on some serious family drama.”

I roll my eyes and say “It wasn’t too bad. There’s been worse happen before.”

“Sina, Megan, Mona, and your cousin June-Bug told me everything, and by the way I love June-Bug and I want to keep him” she says.

“You met him?”

She gives me a huge smile and says “Yes! And he was hitting on Reese, I’m sure he made him blush a few times so Luka took him to where the other guys were at.” We both laugh and she grabs my hand and pulls me over to where Mama and Mrs. Hunter are sitting.

Mama sees us and smiles, “You girls okay?”

“Yes Mrs. Peterson. I wanted to introduce Sina to Mama Hunter” Leila says excitedly. I have seen Eli’s mother before but I’ve never met her.  I do know that she and Daddy dated before Mama and Daddy started dating though. Mrs. Hunter smiles at me and I see so much of Eli in her.

“Hi sweetheart. It’s finally good to meet you” she says.

I feel my heart smiling “Nice to meet you as well Mrs. Hunter.”

“You can call me Eliza, or Mama Hunter.”

“Mama H it is” I say laughing.

Mama looks at me and asks “Where’s Emma at? I haven’t seen her since we’ve got here.”

“She’s with Grandpa talking stories,” I say.

Leila sees Megan and Mona setting up games for the kids and she says “I’m going to go help set up. Want to come?”

“You go ahead; I’ll meet you in a bit.” I watch them laugh at whatever Leila is talking about and it makes me a little sad because I know I’m going to miss them so much when we leave.

Mama gets up from her seat and says, “I will be right back Eliza, let me go make sure that the boys aren’t burning the meat.” She walks off to check on the boys and I make my way to her chair that is now vacant.

“How are you holding up sweetheart?”

I look over at Mama H and say, “I’ve been worse, but I’ll be okay.”

She covers my hand with hers and asks, “When do you leave?”

“We fly out Monday.”

“Are you ready to leave home?”

“I dreaded coming back, and I am glad we came. But I am so ready to leave.” I tell her honestly.

“You know, I know my son cares a lot about you, but with everything that’s now going on in his life, you my love deserve more than just words even if they are my sons” she says. I’m not sure how to respond to her so I just sit there while she holds my hand. “Sweetheart, Elijah has told me everything that has been going on since you’ve been back. And I’m upset with him that he even had a hand in hurting you, but between you and me, it’s all catching up to him and he’s dealing with it. But I wanted to thank you for not letting him get his way.” I sigh. “Did he tell you that he’s going to have a baby with that girl?” she asks with a sour face.

“Yes. It hurts, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I just want him to live an honest and happy life.” I say trying to school my face and not show her how broken I am over it.

She pulls me in for a hug and says, “He definitely lost a good one in you.”

I smile at her and ask, “Is it weird that I have all these feelings for him when