I nod. “She is because she’s never had a father in her life and her mother died when she was young. She had an illness that killed her, and is now affecting her sister too. I don’t really know what’s going on with her, but it seems like there’s a big chance that she might die. Lexi puts a lot on family.”
“Oh wow.” Mom claps her hand to her chest. “This is shocking.”
“I know, Dad doesn’t know any of that, but that doesn’t make his behavior any better. He knows that I love Lexi and he’s still doing what he can to take her away from me. I don’t think that it’s right.”
“And he knows about the baby as well? I suppose he must, if he exposed it. Well, he’s going to have to answer to me about it, because I am not happy. I don’t want my grandchild to be taken away.”
“I don’t want to cause any issues between you, I just don’t know what to do…”
Mom gives me a look. “Son, I know you think that your father rules the roost around here, but I am a silent strong. However, this is a subject that I won’t be quiet about. I am going to have a lot to say, and he will listen to me. Believe you me, when I have something this serious to say, he will listen to me.”
Hope blooms in my chest. “Do you really think that you can sort things out?”
She glances at the clock on the wall. “Come back tonight at eight PM. See what happens.”
I nod slowly, hoping that enlisting the help of my mother will turn out to be a good thing. I seriously hope it doesn’t take a turn for the worst. I don’t know how Dad will react, but it’ll be a clue for how things are going to go forwards in the future with us. Whether I will have a family and Lexi… or not…
“Thanks, Mom. I guess I will see you tonight then.”
She wraps me up in a hug and holds me tight for a couple of seconds. “I’m so happy for you, Isaac, and I am going to make sure that this will work out for you. For all of us.”
“I hope so, Mom,” I reply a little desperately. “I really hope so.”
My confidence has gone up and down throughout the afternoon and evening. The idea that Mom will turn Dad’s opinion around keeps switching from very possible, to not a chance in hell. I don’t even know why I’m here. Aside from Mom asking me to come at eight. I haven’t heard anything from her, so I don’t know what to expect. I could be walking into absolutely anything right now.
“Mom?” I call out nervously. “Are you here? I’m coming in.”
“Yes, Isaac. We’re in the living room. Come on in.”
‘We’ means Dad is there too, but I can’t tell from Mom’s tone of voice if this is good or bad. I step tentatively towards the living room, praying desperately for a solution here. Something to get me and Lexi back together.
I’m no wiser as I step inside. Everyone is stoic, giving nothing away by their faces, so all I can do is take a seat and wait for someone to start speaking. I have no idea who will talk first.
“Isaac.” Oh, it’s Dad. That shocks me. “We have a lot that we need to discuss, don’t we?”
The anger rises once more. “You mean about your behavior today?”
He glances to Mom, who gives him a warning look. “Yes, my behavior hasn’t been great. I just… I wanted you to fire Lexi for a very long time because she doesn’t fit in with the company…” Mom nudges him. “Or I thought that she didn’t, which I can now see was wrong, and I made some poor choices.”
“Poor choices is one way to put it, yes,” I reply sarcastically.
“But I want to make it right. I want you to come back and work for me.”
“In the office where you just humiliated me? No thank you.”
“You’re the manager. No one will say anything to you. They can’t, can they?”
“And what about Lexi?” I push him further. “Can she have her job back?”
“Er, if she wants to. I don’t know if she will want to after today…”
“No, I don’t think so either. Would you? After someone disrespected you like that? No, I don’t think so.”
“So, how do we find a solution? We need to come to some agreement, don’t we?”
I glance between Mom and Dad. Do I make this awkward for him because he’s been a massive dick, or do I make it easier because Mom has obviously worked hard to make this alright again?
“Dad, I want to go out on my own. You know that, I want my own business. So, it really doesn’t matter what you say anymore. I want to make things right with you, but if you can’t accept me and Lexi…”