Not to mention the fact that she said the wordlie.
If only she knew that I’d been doing it to her for the better part of fifteen years.
“I was shot,” I said blindly, my eyes still on Jessica.
My mother’s gasp was sharp and I knew there was no going back now.
Like she could sense that something wasn’t right, Jessica shifted her gaze to meet mine.
Then she was excusing herself from whatever conversation she was wrapped up in to come to my side.
“You were shot? How does that happen? What were you doing?” The questions just seemed to keep coming out of my mother.
I opened my mouth to answer her but Jessica spoke before I could.
“He was saving me,” she said without hesitation. “When he found me, I might not have been in the best situation. Silas was shot while trying to protect me.”
“Oh, sweet dear,” my mom cooed at Jessica.
“Yeah, it was a little crazy but we’re all okay. Right, Silas?”
“Yeah.” I pushed out the word over a dry throat.
“Is everythingreallyokay now?” Mom asked as she laid her hand on Jessica’s arm. There was that mom tone that let me know she wasn’t quite buying it and she was also worried at the same time.
“It is,” Jessica assured her. “Everything is good now. I promise.” She meant that, the honesty rang through in her tone.
My mom breathed out a very noticeable breath. A little too dramatic but I knew she truly cared.
“I quit my job,” I blurted out. It wasn’t exactly a confession but maybe this was the point where I could put an end to the lies. I knew I’d never be able to tell them the truth, but if I could start a new beginning here, now, then I was going to do it. Maybe it was really the best thing to do in this type of situation. “Yeah, I, uh, quit.”
“Well, good,” my mom simply said. “Maybe now we will see more of you. And Jessica, since it’s pretty obvious there is something between you two.”
Jessica hid her face in my shoulder but I was pretty sure she was smiling. I knew I was. And so was my mom. That was good.
“No pressure or anything, huh, Mom?”
“I’m sorry, I’m just very excited.”
“I know,” I told her softly as I pulled her into my free side.
“You’ll stay with me for however long you’re sticking around this time.”
I loved my mom, I did. But there was no way in hell we were staying with her. She’d drive us both nuts. And yeah, I was being a little selfish too. I wasn’t ready to give up all of my Jessica time, not just yet, and I wasn’t even ashamed to say that.
“I think this had been a bit much for all of us. Might be best if we found a hotel,” I told Mom trying my best to let her down smoothly. “But we’ll stay a few days.”
“I’m not happy but I understand. We’ll have family dinner at my house tomorrow night.”
“Are you making plans for tomorrow night?” Irenna said as she came over to join the conversation with a little three-year-old in her arms.
“Family dinner at Mom’s,” I told her as I reached for Peter. “Happy birthday, buddy.”
He hugged me tight then wiggled like he wanted to get down. And the moment his feet were on the floor he took off like a rocket.
“Good, we can all catch up then,” Irenna said as she hugged Jessica.
I hadn’t really thought of that part when I decided to bring her here. I forgot how crazy birthday parties were now with the kids and all. Not that I was complaining. Then again, maybe it was better this way. Jessica wasn’t bombarded with question after question about all the things they’d missed out on. I was sure she wasn’t quite ready to tell them what she’d been through over the years. I could only hope that my mom was wise enough to know that sometimes the past was best left where it laid.
