"He wasn't. I didn't know who he was when I met him, but it turned out everyone else did," Mum's voice was faint, and she swallowed at the memory. "He was married, and I didn't know. I worked as a waitress at the old diner near Preston Place." She gazed at me, waiting for me to acknowledge the area.
"I know it, Ma," I whispered, frozen as she sighed, a smile lighting up her beautiful face. I saw youth in her features, only briefly, as she described meeting my dad.
"Anyway. I loved him, and he said he loved me. Until I told him I was expecting you." Her eyes blazed as she spoke, bitterness reigning supreme.
I swallowed, wondering if I wanted to hear the rest. Then, as though reading my mind, Mum seemed to remember I was there, her eyes blinking as she welcomed back reality.
"I digress." She waved her hand before clasping my hand in hers. "If you love him, and he loves you, what does it matter what I say?"
I nodded and took a deep breath.
"But are you really going to throw away your relationship with Julian? You know, at the minute with Mr Silver, it's still exciting because it's forbidden." Mum rolled her eyes at my surprised reaction. "I was young once, you know. But all things come to an end, and what will you have left? Ask yourself that."
I didn't answer her. Instead, I nodded quietly.
"I'm in love with Evan," I said shakily as her thumb caressed the skin on my hand. "I love Julian, but not like this. Never, ever like this."
Mum nodded, smiling thinly before releasing my hand.
"Ok, well, I'll say what I should have said a long time ago. If you're happy, I'm happy."
I blinked, unable to disguise my shock at her reaction. She smiled to herself before she stood up to rinse her cup.
"I'm happy," I whispered, and she paused, turning back towards me. She hesitated but stepped closer.
"Then you're doing the right thing."
Jain
Igot back into my car, perplexed yet relieved that I had managed to at least settle the score with one person: my mother. I was exhausted mentally and decided to head back to Evan. The thought made me grin stupidly as I started my engine.
I had just turned out of Mum’s road when my music shut off in the car, and my ringtone filled the silence. I glanced at the display as I indicated right, my heart skipping a beat when I saw that it was Julian calling me. I pulled over, not wanting to risk driving and having such a conversation.
“Julian, hi. Thanks for calling me,” I breathed before he sighed.
“I got your email. I’d rather do this face to face than over the phone,” Julian barked, his tone icy cold. I had no option but to accept whatever he threw at me, and I agreed to meet him for a coffee the following day.
“Julian, I’m—”
“A cheater. A liar. I’m just glad I found out before Imarried you,” Julian sneered, and I closed my eyes with mortification.
“I was going to tell you, but—”
“I don’t want to hear it. I’ll see you tomorrow if you can remove yourself fromhim.”
Julian hung up, and I realised I was crying. Beyond caring what I looked like, I sat in the car and let it all out. My phone rang again, and my heart lurched until I saw that it was Sarah. I answered, mid sob, and she sighed.
“Do you want to come over?”
I agreed to come as soon as I could and ended the call. The best thing about Sarah was that we had been friends long enough that sometimes I didn’t need to say anything at all—she just knew.
Twenty minutes later, I found myself outside her tiny flat, a soft glow illuminating her anxious shadow, which disappeared as soon as my engine turned off. When my eyes met hers, the tears started again, and she wrapped her arms around me, locking my car for me as we walked into her flat.
Soft music played from the lounge, and as I fell to the sofa, she handed me a full glass of red wine that seemed to be waiting on the table. She held my hand, her eyes on me as I sipped the wine gratefully.
“It’s like, two PM,” I whispered as Sarah snorted.
“Who gives a shit? It’s five o’clock somewhere, right?”
