“Mom, she cheated on me, okay? That’s all I’m going to say to you. She was cheating on me, probably the whole time, so that’s why it ended. Do you think maybe we can just leave it there?”
The silence in the air is palpable. I peer at her to see all the color drained from her face. She wasn’t expecting that, obviously. Nor was I. She must understand that. This is why I’m so stunned.
“I’m sorry, Brock. I didn’t realize. That must have been awful for you.”
“That’s why I didn’t want to talk about it. Because it always happens to me.”
Mom nods slowly, gulping down as she tries to digest this. “What happened?”
“Do I have to go into detail, Mom? Can we not just forget about it and move on?”
“I would prefer you to. I just can’t see it. Jodi was so into you when I saw her.”
“Yeah, she was playing me. You just got caught up in that.”
“No, I don’t believe it was a game. I don’t. That’s why I want to know. It’s understandable because of what happened with your ex-wife, but I think you react too quickly to things.”
“Okay, fine.” I sit up straighter and glare at her. “We were out on a date with some of our friends, and she was on her phone the whole time, barely paying attention to the rest of us, and then she stormed off, and I followed her.”
“You did?” She clutches her hand to her chest, shocked at my behavior. “Why would you do that?”
“I could tell that something was wrong, so I went to find out what. I heard her on the phone talking to some guy named Lucas, and then she went outside to talk to him, and I saw him kissing her.”
“Was she kissing him back? How much did you see? Did you talk to her afterward?”
“They were in the shadows, so I saw what I saw, but it was enough. I knew what was happening, and I talked to her afterward. She pretty much admitted it. Okay? She might as well have told me she did it.”
“Oh right . . . I see . . .” She shakes her head thoughtfully. “I guess I didn’t realize . . .”
“Thanks for the conversation, Mom, but I need to go. I have to get out of here.”
“No, don’t leave. I don’t want you to go. I want you to talk to me about it.”
“Mom, it’s over. It happened ages ago. I’m done, I’m moving on . . .”
“You keep telling yourself that, but just know that I’m here for you.”
I walk all the way to the front door before something stops me and I turn back again. I don’t really want to be alone right now. I just don’t want to be bombarded with questions either. This actually feels worse than when my marriage came to an end, despite that being a much longer relationship, and I’m not coping all too well after all. I thought that not drinking myself half to death and not fucking everything that moves was a good sign.
Without saying another word, I slink back to Mom’s couch and sink into it, flickering my eyes closed again. Thankfully, this time she takes the hint and leaves me alone to grieve.
16
Jodi
“My heart is pounding,” I whisper to Millie. “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life.”
“You’re going to be fine. I’m here with you. Don’t you forget that.”
“Yeah, I know, and I’m so grateful you’re here, honestly. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
She rubs her hand over my ever so slightly swollen belly and smiles. “I can’t believe there’s a baby in there.”
“I know, nor can I. But it’s real, it’s happening. I took about twenty tests to prove it.”
“Yeah, it’s awesome.” Millie can’t seem to stop smiling. “Who would have thought that you’d be the first?”
“I know. I’m not exactly the one in any kind of relationship, am I? It’s crazy. I never thought I’d do the whole single mom thing, but the more I think about it, the better it is. I won’t have anyone to answer to.”