"It's because you hate my best friend!" she screeched at the top of her lungs, throwing her backpack of clothes down the stairs. "Zeke and I wanted to go riding this weekend, but no. You'll make me cook with Gramma again because you'll be working the whole time. I don't know why you force me to sit at home when you aren't even going to be there!"
"Because I'm your mother, damn it!" Meredith yelled back, pitching her voice to carry up the stairs.
I touched her arm. "She's just being a teenager," I said. "Ignore it and she'll calm down. If you engage, she'll just wind herself up. She'll also have fun once she gets there."
Meredith yanked her arm away from my fingers. "You're making her hate me."
"No," I countered. "You're the one doing that. She has a friend. She likes having a friend. She wants to do things with her cool friends, not her lame parents, and we both get lumped into that category. If you want to be on her side, then try to have an open mind about that boy. He's really not as bad as you think. He also isjusta friend. They're both the nerds in school together, and she has finally stopped talking about the bullies picking on her because of him. So, I think that's worth a chance, don't you?"
Meredith sighed. "I guess. I just wish she would make an effort to fit in. I mean, if she would just try, she could be prom queen - or homecoming queen. She could meet a nice boy!"
"And she's only thirteen," I reminded Meredith. "Boys are barely even on her radar."
"Unlike you?" Meredith asked. "Or maybe she's going to come out and say she's a lesbian to impress you, hm?"
I lifted a hand, halting her before she could get started. "If she likes girls, then she does. If she likes boys, then she does. It's also ok for her to like being on her own. I am not about to whore out my child so I can brag about who she's sleeping with. She. Is. Thirteen."
"And after what she saw at court?" Meredith gave me a look like she'd just won this debate with a slam-dunk.
"Which actually worked out for me," I told her. "You see, because my sexuality was brought up and dismissed as an issue, you can't use it to get custody of her next year. Otherwise, I would've had to wait until she was eighteen to explain that I'm bi. So while I wasn't ready to be outed, I actually am glad it happened."
She huffed in indignation. "Asshole. So why'd you even fuck me? I was your cover, wasn't I? You never really loved me!"
I had to look up to the second floor and count to ten. We'd talked about this a million times before, but this woman had never once stopped to listen to a thing I'd said. She was so sure that if she followed the "rules" her mother had taught her, then she would get everything she wanted. Sadly, the real world didn't work that way.
"No," I said as calmly as I could, "I didn't love you. I thought you were beautiful and I thought that I was horny. I liked sex, and you were more than happy to crawl into the back seat of my truck with me, or the bed, or a blanket in the pasture. I never thought we'd be together forever. I was going to go to college and you wanted to get married. It was high school, Meredith. The start of our lives, not the ending."
"And now you're taking it up the ass by that shrink you had corrupting her!" Meredith yelled.
I opened my mouth to reply, but Faith leaned over the banister, beating me to it. "Like you have any room to talk. How many times did you suck off Brody to win a fight, huh? You think I didn't hear you bragging about that to Jodi on the phone?"
"That's enough!" I snapped. "Faith, it's your mom's weekend. You know you have fun when you're with her."
"And you're still sticking up for her!" Faith screamed. "Just like you always have! Just because she's my mom doesn't mean she cares about me."
"Kinda does, cupcake," I told her. "She loves you enough to fight for you. Now call Zeke and tell him you'll be bored this weekend or something. If he wants to go riding, I'll help him with Cricket, ok? You and your mom deserve a little time together, and you know you've missed her."
"Whatever," Faith grumbled, but her head disappeared again.
"Putting on a show now?" Meredith asked, the question snide instead of appreciative.
I couldn't take it anymore. After fighting with this woman all summer to keep Faith safe, the bullshit Meredith had dragged me through, and now this? I turned and shoved a finger right into her face.
"Listen," I growled, making it clear I was barely keeping control of my temper, "maybe you've never had to suffer a day in your spoiled little life, but I know how much it sucks to lose a parent. Mine haven't talked to me since they found out you were pregnant, and I never want our daughter to know what that feels like. I don't care if you're a fucking bitch. I don't give a shit whether or not you hate me. I love Faith enough to want her to have both of us. I'm willing to make concessions so our child can be happy. Try doing the same, just once."
Meredith stepped back, but her eyes jumped over my shoulder. Slowly, I lowered my hand, hoping that hadn't looked as bad as I knew it did, but no one yelled at me. Instead, I heard one of the cabinets in the kitchen open, and then the fridge. Closing my eyes, I let out a deep sigh, then turned to see who'd witnessed me losing my shit on my ex.
Berto was pouring himself a drink. It was mostly soda, but one of Violet's bottles was on the counter beside his glass. Hopefully that meant I wasn't the only one having a bad day.
"Meredith, have you met Berto yet?" I asked.
"Let me guess," she taunted, "he's the newest farmhand you're fucking?"
Berto just chuckled. "Not exactly," he said as he added another dash of alcohol to his Coke. "I'm the guy having the police department investigated for corruption due to incidents that came to light during your daughter's abuse case." He looked at me and tapped the bottle as an invitation, but when I shook my head, kept going. "I'm also straight, so he's not really my type."
Meredith's eyes went wide and she looked back at me. "What?!"
"The cops who didn't want to arrest Brody for videoing our child - with the intent to sell. You remember that? Your cop friends who weren't going to arrest him because people at Southwind are evil? Maybe that rings a bell?" I asked. "Well, while you're standing there wondering why Faith might be mad at you, I'm trying to make sure that she gets a little justice."
