“Ah huh.” I am not liking the turn this day is taking.
“I never visited anywhere outside of the five boroughs and I really like it here, the whole small-town thing. I like your Mom. Did you know I’ve been playing the piano for her summer bible camp? I feel like… I don’t know…like I belong.”
“What about us?” Now, I sound just pathetic. Somehow, I thought we got past the stage where she and I would ever split up but I guess it was all one-sided.
“Can’t we work this out?” When she glances up, the truck swerves back and forth on the road.
“Sure.”She can’t be serious. How the hell will that work?
Catching my tone, she pulls off the road and stares, mouth open, tears in her eyes. “Wait. Are you breaking up with me?”
“What? You thought we could have a long-distance relationship? Me in New York, you down here? Maybe we’ll just screw every couple of months when I come to visit Mom. That would be nice.”
Blond brows crunch together as she clenches the wheel, and drives. “You know what? Fuck you. You just don’t get it. I don’t have a job. No money. I got nada.”
“Dammit. You know I said I would take care of you. I got plenty of dough and would spend my last penny on you.”
“Right. Buy me clothes, an apartment, and what? I pay you back with sex?”
“Shit, no, that’s not what I said.”
Her foot goes down on the pedal, driving over the speed limit. “You think I’m no better than my birth mother? A whore?”
Where the hell did that come from?
“I think we should drop the subject. You’re not being rational.”
“And you are?” She wipes her nose with the back of her hand.
“More than you. What can you possibly do here?”
“I already talked to Dr. Edelstein and I can continue if I can find a good forest with natural sounds. My God, you’re the one who said this was a good place to raise a family. I happen to agree.”
“Why? Are you pregnant?” I suck in my breath. If she is, I’ll spend my last penny making sure to get joint custody.
“For heaven’s sake, no. I’m not pregnant. What the hell is wrong with you? Why can’t I want to stay put?”
Because I’m in New York, that’s why!
“I’m happy if you’re happy.” That’s the best I can do on such short notice. Fuck it all to hell. I thought for sure she was the one. I pictured us with kids, going to graduations, growing old together.
I guess I totally read her wrong.
