“I’m good. You still look tired, dear.” Sylvia scanned Indie’s body in an almost intrusive way. “Not sleeping well since the split from Colt?”
Clara almost gasped, and she was a second away from telling the woman that her cousin looked great, but Indie spoke first.
“I’m sleeping fine, Sylvia.”
“It’s nothing to be ashamed of. I spoke to Colt last night. He’s not sleeping well either. Such a tough thing you’re putting him through.”
Her cousin straightened. “I’m not putting him through anything. Couples separate.”
“You know, after all that stress from the procedures and disappointments, I don’t blame you for needing a break from each other.”
Clara’s jaw dropped. She was actually bringing up Indie’s struggle with IVF?
“IVF wasn’t why we separated,” Indie said firmly.
“It couldn’t have helped.” Sylvia perked up. “Speaking of which, did you hear that Julia Stratton just had twins? Natural conception after they stopped trying. Just shows, God has a plan, and we just need to surrender to it instead of forcing things.”
That was it! Clara was going to kick this woman in the shin.
She stepped forward, but Indie grabbed her arm. “We should go.”
“I’ll pass on to Colt that I saw you.”
Indie tensed before walking around the woman.
Clara waited until they were at least ten steps down the road before letting it out. “That woman is—”
“The Devil,” Indie cut in. “She’s the Devil.”
“Why did Colt not put an end to it?”
“She usually didn’t do any of that in front of him. And when she did, she was a lot more subtle with her passive-aggressive digs. Do you know she once told me that some women just aren’t meant to be mothers?”
“You should have let me kick her.”
“I should have.” Indie shook her head. “I also should’ve been more honest with Colt about how his mother treated me. But it only started in the last few years, when I moved back here, and by then our relationship was already under stress with the IVF and him being away so much. Plus, he worked such a dangerous job. It didn’t feel right to add to all of that.”
“He would have lost his mind,” Clara said quietly, as they made it back to The Tea House.
“It would have killed him. He loves his mother. She’s his entire family. She’s always relied on him so much. And maybe that’s another reason I didn’t say anything.”
“Have you opened the divorce papers?” Clara asked gently.
“No. But I will. I don’t know when. But…I will.”
Clara wasn’t sure if Indie would ever feel ready. Those two had been so in love with each other.
A bit like how she felt about Holden. The way she’dthoughthe felt about her. But he couldn’t have. Because if he loved her the way she loved him, he would have fought for them.
Her phone vibrated with a text from her back pocket, and she pulled it out, only for her heart to give a sharp thud. “It’s Holden.”
“Another text asking to talk?”
She opened the text. “No, this time it’s just to say that he misses me.”
“Maybe…” Indie started slowly, “he realizes he made a mistake and he’ll do better next time.”
“Maybe.”
