It took a moment for my brain to engage and realize that my father was throwing me under the bus and trying to force me to meet with my husband. Clearly, neither one of them knew me well enough. Instead of giving in to what they wanted, I spun on my heel and marched my ass right back to the elevator, that thankfully, still sat open. The minute I got on; I pushed the door close button - repeatedly - until the things slid shut as Tucker ran to try to catch it before it happened.

He did not make it, and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of the ride all the way to the ground floor. The moment the door opened; I took off like the building was burning down behind me. Childish? Yes. I was not in the mood to deal with whatever bullshit my wayward husband had to spew though. I bet you’re asking yourself how I know that it would be bullshit he spewed at me. Well, wouldn’t you think the same thing?

Unfortunately for me, I had not driven to the office. I had walked because it was a lovely afternoon, and why not? Why not, indeed. I was going to have to remember that this was the ‘why not’ whenever I debated the merits of walking again. Still, I attempted a swift getaway by power walking as quickly as my tiny little size five feet could carry me. Thankfully, I had at least worn sensible shoes and wouldn’t have to deal with blisters later.

“Mina!” Tucker’s voice called out from somewhere behind me. Surely, he wouldn’t approach me, or attempt to have it out with me in public, on the street, just outside of my father’s offices. No way could he be that stupid. “Mina, slow down!” Well, that was something no one had ever asked me to do in this lifetime. Slow down. I laughed at the thought that I could ever be speedy enough for someone to…

“Fine, keep walking, it doesn’t matter since I already caught up,” he taunted from beside me where he wasn’t having a bit of trouble keeping up with me. Damn it! Couldn’t a short girl catch just one break in life? “I get it. You’re mad.” Was it possible to growl and not make a sound? If so, that’s what I did. Part of me wanted to just claw him to pieces for saying that and the other part of me wanted to curl up in a corner somewhere and cry for the girl who never got to know what a normal relationship was. Not that it was his fault, since he didn’t force me to choose this.

“I’m sorry, okay?” He sounded sincere as he apologized, but that didn’t matter. Apologies wouldn’t wipe away people’s opinions, and once I spilled my soul to Luna, I realized that part of my reason for not wanting to be made a fool of in front of the world had a lot to do with that one awful day from my past. It was because the same people who had once befriended me, for the sole purpose of making a mockery of me, might see it. I didn’t want them to have that satisfaction.