“Just temporarily, so we can prove to the judge that we tried to make things work. That’s all he really wants in order to rule in our favor.”
“That’s a good idea.” I’m shocked by how quickly my mom perks up. “But I’m ashamed of you, son.” This is the part I’ve been dreading. “You shouldn’t have mocked good faith with air quotes.”
Lines form across my forehead. “That’s what you’re ashamed of me for?”
“When you took those vows, you committed to something bigger and everlasting. The judge is a good man. You can make this work.”
“Your mother is right,” my dad says with a nod. “You’ve got yourself a pretty wife there. The circumstances you entered into the marriage with don’t matter. You made a commitment, and you’re going to keep it. You’re going to make this marriage work. We don’t quit in this family.”
I give a slight eye roll. I can’t help it. “This isn’t the eighteen hundreds. I can’t just make the marriage work. I don’t even know Camila.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you married her,” he snaps.
My mom’s expression grows hopeful. “Just because you don’t know her now doesn’t mean you can’t get to know her over the next few months and fall in love.” She looks at my dad. “You know, like they do in the Middle East with arranged marriages.”
“Exactly.” He points at my mom.
“Five minutes ago, you thought I had married Shanna. Now you want me to force myself to fall in love with a girl I barely know just to preserve the sanctity of marriage. Do you hear how crazy that sounds?”
My mom’s lip quivers as she talks. “I’m just trying to turn a horrible situation into something positive.”
I soften. “I know.”
“We just want you to be happy.” Another tear threatens to fall. “To have the type of love and family that we’ve had. Is that so wrong?”
“No, it’s not. But I don’t want you to get your hopes up. This marriagewillend in divorce in five months whether the judge declares it fake or not. It’s better if you realize that now and learn to cope with it.”
“Five months!” My dad’s head kicks back. “I thought you said six.”
“Camila has been living here the last month.”
My mom covers her mouth like she’s astonished.
“You’ve been lying to us for the past month?” my dad asks.
“Dad, I’ve been lying to you for the past five and a half years.”
“But you're trying to make this marriage work, right? The court ordered you to try?” There’s a scrap of a smile on her lips. “You’re making the best of things?”
“I…” My gaze shifts to my dad. His expression says,You better not break your mother’s heart even more. “Yes, obviously, I’m trying to get to know her and make the best of things. But…” A giant smile fills my mom’s face, and I don’t have it in me to finish my sentence.
“So, Camila? That’s what you said her name is, right?”
“Yeah, she’s Selena’s sister. You know, Landon’s fiancée.”
“Oh my gosh!” There’s a clap of excitement from my mom. “The four of you are going to have so much fun together, raising babies, growing old.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” I hold my palm up, stopping her. “There won’t be babies or old people.”
“Here she comes! Act natural!” My mom turns, standing at attention, while my dad stiffens as if he’s never been introduced to someone before.
I keep the curse words inside my head as Camila walks across the patio. I don’t need another thing for my mom to be upset about.
Camila slides the door open and steps inside.
“Hello!” my mom eagerly says, causing Camila to jump.
Her brown eyes dart to me before shifting back to my parents.
