Mom stills for a moment, then rubs my arm.Up and down.Up and down.
“Do you hate me?”
She pulls back.“Why would I hate you?”
“Because I’m not living up to my potential.”
She shakes her head.“Cali, you’ve always lived up to your potential.You’ve never failed at anything you put your mind to.”
“Eric dumped me.”Might as well get all the humiliating stuff out there.
She snorts.“Never liked him.”
“You didn’t?”I study her face.“You never said anything.”
“I wanted you to figure it out on your own.A mother doesn’t tell her daughter not to date a guy.It’s a sure way to push her into his arms.”She nudges me and winks.“I speak from experience.At least your father gave me you and Tyler.He also gave you his brilliant brain.Thankfully, you have my common sense.”
“Mom, you’re smart.”
She smiles.“Yes, honey.”
I roll my eyes.This is a common argument.I hate it when my mom puts herself down.She’s had a rough life.She deserves more than she’s been given.She sure as hell doesn’t deserve a daughter screwing things up.
She takes the seat next to me, giving my ass cheek back its spot on the chair.“What are you going to do?Do you want to stay here for a while?I spoke to Connie.She told me you lost your job at the casino.”
I spit the gulp of coffee I took back into the cup and pinch my nostrils.Some of the liquid went up my nose.“She did?”My voice comes out in a high squeak.“And you didn’t call me?”
“I figured I’d hear from you soon.”
I can’t believe my mom isn’t lecturing me right now.
She glares at me.“Didn’t I warn you that place is a cesspool?Those people have no morals.”
There’s the lecture I expected.All is well in the world.I’m only surprised she isn’t accusing me of making a poor decision with school.I wish she’d had this lax attitude when I was sixteen.Tommy Parson would have been blamed for sneaking in my window instead of me getting grounded forallowingit.
“Mom, I worked at the casino.You worked there.Not everyone who does has low morals.”
“Well, there are exceptions.”She sweeps a lock of gold-red hair from my eyes.“So, you lost your job, your boyfriend, and you don’t want to go to the school you’ve worked half your life to get into.Have I got it all?”
“Shit, Mom.Do you need to spell it out like that?”
“Language, sister,” she scolds, which is as hypocritical as it gets.My mom is where I got my potty mouth.
I frown.“There’s one more thing to add to the list.I’m not sure, but… there’s something going on with Gen.”
She leans back like she’s farsighted.“Is she okay?”
“I don’t know.She’s been keeping things from me.I just found out Eric hit on her while we were dating.Gen was kind of a mess at the time, so I sort of get why she didn’t say anything until now.She said she didn’t tell me because she was worried I would think she led him on.I’d just gotten done telling her things were great between me and Eric when they really weren’t.”
Mom takes a bite of the eggs cooling on her plate and I glance at my own.No one makes cheesy eggs like my mom.They’re the perfect comfort food.I shovel in a mouthful.
“Cali, it sounds like she was caught in the middle and didn’t want to lose your friendship.”
I spear another forkful of cheese heaven.“I know, but…” My mom sips her coffee, then sets the mug down, waiting.“…she was with Jaeger and he was holding her, and Mom, it made me sick,” I say, all in a rush.
“Jaeger?The boy your brother was frien?—”
“Yes, yes.”I shovel more eggs into my mouth.
