“Greg.And we broke up.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.”Her mother sent her a concerned look.“How are you doing?”
“Surprisingly well.I guess I’d been so caught up in my work that I hadn’t realized the relationship wasn’t working any longer.”
Her mother was quiet for a moment as though digesting the news.“So, this dog sitting…does this mean you’ll be spending more time with Justin?”
Was that a spark of hope in her mother’s eyes?Felicity couldn’t let her get her hopes up, because she wasn’t staying.Sooner or later, she was going back to the city.It was where her future was.
She shook her head.“We’re not getting back together if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“But he’s single.”
“Mommmm….”Heat rushed to her cheeks.
“Okay.Okay.I just thought you might want to know.”Her mother walked over to the couch, where some of the costumes were draped over the back.“What’s going on with these?”
“I wanted to ask if I could use your sewing machine.”
“Oh.”Her mother kept her back to her.“I, uh, don’t have it.”
Felicity’s thoughts turned to the house and how her mother had gotten rid of almost everything.Immediately, her mood soured.“Did you get rid of it when you got rid of the house and all of its contents?”
The question came out harsher than she’d intended, but she couldn’t take it back.And quite honestly, she didn’t want to take it back.She still didn’t understand how her mother had just erased their past—erased her father—like none of it mattered.Her heart ached at the thought.
She didn’t understand how her mother could just get rid of everything of her father’s.Didn’t her mother love him any longer?Felicity immediately knew the answer.Of course, her mother did.Growing up, Felicity always knew when she got married that she wanted a marriage like her parents.
The way they looked at each other…
The way they talked to each other…
The way they found ways to compromise…
Their lives were filled with love.Felicity wouldn’t settle for less.Maybe that was why she never stayed in any relationship long enough to consider forever.
“Of course I didn’t get rid of that stuff.It’s in storage.”Her mother turned on her heels and headed for the kitchen where she started making coffee.
She didn’t get rid of everything.Relief slammed into Felicity’s anger and frustration, leaving her struggling to gather her thoughts.
She put Sunny on the floor before following her mother into the kitchen.She washed her hands and then got two mugs out of the cabinet.When she realized that the one mug was a “Best Father” mug that she’d gotten him on Father’s Day, tears stung the backs of her eyes.
She missed him so much.When he was alive and she would have an argument with her mother, he would hear Felicity out, and then he’d tell her that her mother loved her and only wanted the best for her.He would tell her to calm down and tell her mother her side of it.He assured her that her mother would listen.
Felicity replaced the dad mug and got another one.With her father’s advice echoing in her head, she said, “I just don’t understand why you would sell the house without talking to me.”
Her mother turned to her.There were unshed tears in her eyes.She blinked them away.“I tried to talk to you.I called, but you were rushing off to some meeting about your promotion.”
It took Felicity a moment to recall the phone call.More guilt slammed into her.She’d been so wrapped up in her life and her career that she’d prioritized it over everything else in her life.
“I…I’m sorry.But with such an important decision, why didn’t you try again?”
“I did.”There was firmness in her mother’s voice.“I left you messages.You never called me back.”
“You did?”Felicity wanted to reach for her phone and check because if her mother called, she would have called her back…wouldn’t she?
She thought back to that intense period leading up to the announcement about the promotion.She’d worked long hours including weekends.She’d been so sure she had the promotion.
It was possible she didn’t check her missed calls.Or she saw it and told herself she’d call later, only to forget when the next wave of new manuscripts landed in her inbox.
