“What is going on with you? You left without even talking to me about it? What about work? After everything that happened with the compliance inspection, do you honestly think right now is an appropriate time to neglect all your responsibilities?”
“I’m not neglecting any of my responsibilities. I put in for vacation. Liam is putting on a charity fashion show today to support Jamie’s project at work. It’s a noble cause, and your family loves supporting charities, so I’m sure they’d approve. Then, after, Jamie plans to propose to Blake, and I want to be there for her.”
“Here you go again, always going on about your other friends. But I should have become your main priority when you and I started dating.”
“That’s not fair. You’ve always been my priority, but you can’t expect me to drop everyone and everything else. This isn’t a ‘you say jump and I say how high’ situation. My entire life didn’t begin when you and I got together. Besides, I’ve wantedto visit my mom for a while now. I’ve been telling you that for months.”
“I don’t remember you mentioning that. No.”
“Are you kidding me?”
“Do you realize how disrespectful it is to just up and leave in the middle of the day while I’m gone? Why didn’t you say anything to me before I left this morning? I imagine you planned it before then.”
I frowned as I approached a car in the slow lane and put on my blinker to pass. “I am sorry about that. I wasn’t sure how to talk to you about it. You’ve been so confrontational recently, and I didn’t know how to bring it up without you trying to convince me not to go.”
“And I would have. This is bullshit, Cadence. You can’t just up and leave. If the fashion show is today, come home tonight.”
“You want me to drive three hours there, and three hours back home tonight? No. I’m good.”
He scoffed. “Fine. Come home tomorrow.”
I took in a steadying breath. “Actually. I’m not planning on coming home until next Sunday.”
“In a week? Jesus.”
“You’re acting like you can’t survive without me.”
“You have obligations here.”
“And those obligations will be there when I get back.”
“Who are you right now? It’s like I don’t even know you.”
“I’m coming into some traffic. I’m going to let you go.”
“Of course, you are.”
As I began to say bye, Elijah hung up.
Typical. He always had to get in the last word.
I sat up taller in my seat and rolled my shoulders and neck, dispersing some of the negativity that lingered around me.
Time to put on my petty girl playlist, curated with a mix of Paramore, Flyleaf, and Taylor Swift.
And yes, one of those things is not like the other, but I like what I like.
I turned up my music and sang as loud as my lungs would let me.
For some mysterious reason, I believed it would be a fun surprise to show up at my mom’s house unannounced.
Maybe because I forgot to call her on the way here? Definitely.
As I pulled into the driveway, I was relieved to find her car in car port. I used my key to let myself in and pushed the door shut behind me.
I turned and yelled like I’d just met my maker.
My scream matched my mom’s as she yelled, “What the hell, Cadence? I thought someone was breaking in. A little warning would have been nice.”
