“That feels good,” I whispered. “Can I stay like this forever?”
“Oh, thank God. You passed out.”
Bev continued to ramble on about how worried she was, and I still didn’t open my eyes. As long as they were closed, my reality still included being in love with Price—and him loving me back—and not falling for the son of my missing mom’s ex-husband.
“Come on, sweetie. Open your eyes,” Bev told me.
I shook my head, stubbornly squeezing my eyes tight and pressing my lips together.
“This isn’t going to change anything,” she said gently. “With Price.”
“It will,” I mumbled. Opening my eyes, I looked at my friend. “You don’t know. He had it out with his dad recently, and a few weeks before that. He’s definitely been wanting to limit any and all contact with his dad. He hates him. Now I’m living with Price in this apartment, and he’s going to think the same as you—that I orchestrated all of this to get close to my mom.”
“This isn’t your fault,” she said as she sat me up, then helped me into a chair at the kitchen table.
“You thought it was, remember? And he told me to explain it to you, but I know he won’t be as forgiving. He’s a small-town guy at heart, who believes relationships are built on trust. He’ll see me as a liar.”
A sob jumped to my throat, begging to come out. “I lost my virginity in that apartment. I’m living there now, and all this time, it was my mom’s. Why? Of all the guys, of all the damn apartments in this huge city, how did I fall for him and meet you? Christ, it’s like a cruel joke. Like my mom is the guy behind the drape in theWizard of Oz, and she’s playing puppeteer or whatever, making me end up in this tangled mess.”
“Shhh, you’re letting yourself get carried away.” Bev placed her hand on my shoulder, stilling me.
“All I wanted was to know my mom. Now I almost lost the only friend I made. And I most certainly will lose the guy I fell in love with. Oh, and guess what? I still don’t know where my fucking mom is!”
Drained of words, I dropped my forehead onto Bev’s shoulder and rid myself of all my tears too. She patted my back, rocking me back and forth until my sobs slowed and my sniffles died down.
After a while, I accepted a handful of tissues from Sheila and wiped my face, then blew my nose. Sniffling one last time, I choked out, “I have to call my dad. I messed everything up.”
Bev and Sheila stood up and said they’d wait in the living room until I was done.
Both from broken homes, Bev and I were kindred spirits. She got me. I’d thought the same about Price, but now the situation was way different, and we were screwed.
“Dad,” I cried into the phone. This was becoming a bad habit. I’d left to be more independent, and all I did was call my daddy, crying.
“What’s wrong, baby?”
Hearing his voice only made me cry harder. I was supposed to be strong and independent. I am woman, hear me roar, and all that. For Christ’s sake, I was raised by a single man, shouldn’t that make me tough?
“Dad ...” I sobbed out his name, my voice hoarse, wrung out with emotion.
“Emerson, are you okay?” His worry seemed to radiate through the phone.
“Mom, she used to live in Price’s apartment, but I didn’t know. I didn’t fall for him because of that, I swear—”
“You don’t have to prove anything to me, honey. I know you didn’t.”
“But he’s going to think so,” I wailed.
“I don’t think so, baby girl. He’s a wise kid. Wise beyond his years. In fact, when I finally put it all together—”
“What do you mean?” My question came out more as a shriek.
“Well, I had a hunch. When I was chatting with Price, he mentioned his name and how he was part Middle Eastern. I may be from a small town, but I’m not dumb. I knew what your grandpap found out. I knew who your mom married, and at the time, all that stuck with me was he was filthy rich. I can admit, I was jealous or envious, whatever. He had something I didn’t.”
My father’s words rattled in my head, confusing me.
“Wait! This isn’t about you now. You knew this about Price and me. Sheila too. And no one thought to tell me?”
“We were all protecting you, I guess. We knew you’d find out on your own terms. That is, I don’t know Sheila, but I’m guessing.”
