“But now is not the time to stroke your ego,” he says frustrated.
I don’t know what to say. So, I don’t say anything.
His jaw tightens. “Your mother left me once.”
That snaps my head up. “What?”
“She was right to,” he says quietly. “It was the only thing that made me realize I was acting like an ass. Letting a friendship with another woman cross lines it shouldn’t have.” He finally looks at me then. “I thought this separation would do the same for you.”
He exhales. “Frankly, son, I am disappointed.”
Shaking his head, dad stands and walks back into the house.
Fuck.
That was brutal.
I finish stacking the chairs on autopilot, feeling like absolute scum. What I thought was funny, clever, even, suddenly feels childish. Stupid.
By the time the backyard clears out, the sun’s nearly down. I head inside and realize everyone else is already gone. Only my parents, Harvey, Gen, and the kids remain. Milo’s asleep on the sofa.
Lore is standing in the living room, her expression tight with confusion. I catch the tail end of her sentence.
“-tradition?” she’s saying.
“What’s going on?” I ask, stepping beside her, deliberately not looking at my dad.
She turns to me. “Your dad says he can’t come to brunch tomorrow.”
I glance toward him. He still won’t meet my eyes.
I bite the inside of my cheek and look back at Lore. “I told him I was seeing someone.”
Her brows draw together. “Patrick.” Lore looks at me, unimpressed. “I thought we agreed…”
“I know,” I say quickly. “Mom asked and I-” I scrub a hand over my face. “I’m sorry. I thought it would be funny.”
She exhales through her nose, clearly not amused, then turns back to my parents, who are now staring at both of us like they’ve missed a crucial chapter.
Lore reaches for my hands, lacing her fingers through mine.
“It’s me,” she says calmly. “He’s seeing me.”
Silence.
“What?” Dad says flatly. “You lied.”
Mom covers her face, shoulders shaking. For half a second, I feel like the biggest asshole alive, until she yells.
“Oh, thank God,” she says, muffled behind her hands. “Sweet Jesus.”
I blink. “What?”
Mom lowers her hands, eyes bright. “Your dad said there was something between the two of you,” she says. “I didn’t believe him because he’s so rarely right.”
I look at Lore. She looks back at me; one eyebrow raised likereally?
I turn back to my dad. “So, what was all that disappointment crap?”
