I pull one of the chairs over from the table I have situated in the corner of my office and take a seat. “Let me ask you this. Do you really think you’re starting from scratch, or are you terrified of dating?”
“Both,” she confirms with a huff of laughter. “The guy I was telling you about–the dad of one of my students–he called me today.”
“That’s good news,” I say and wait for a reaction on the other end, “or not?”
“No. No, I think it is.” She lets out a groan of frustration on the other end. “He’s—Adam, is so sure of what he wants, and maybe that stems from being a parent. But it’s a foreign feeling to be pursued by someone. And when he called me earlier today, he said he was thinking about me.”
“Ugh. Yeah, bad thing to say,” I tease.
“You’re the worst.”
“And so are you. Emily, there is a guy ready to give himself to you. It’s natural for you to be scared—anyone in your case would be. But I also take it he’s not proposing at this stage. So my advice is to see where it takes you.”
“Even though he’s my student’s Dad? And I could get in trouble if I get caught?”
“So don’t get caught,” I solve for her and feel my phone buzz with a text. Pulling it away from my ear, I see a message from my mom. “I hate to do this, but I have to go.”
“Okay. Thank you for calling.”
“You’re welcome.”
We hang up, but I don’t lose the smile on my face. I always said that Emily was the sister I never had. When James died, I felt like I lost my brother and my sister, but after Thanksgiving, I feel like we got her back. Thinking about Thanksgiving reminds me I have a text to look at.
Mom: How long are you going to stay away from your family? Are you really going to put her ahead of us? You’ll find someone else to date.
Me: No. Until you realize that she is not her brother, I will not be coming around. Mom, I love you. But I will not allow you to disrespect my relationship like that.
I turn my phone on silent and move over to my desk with a groan. With the success of our game, we’re now brainstorming the sequel. We’re basically throwing noodles at the wall and hoping an idea sticks, and it’s usually something that gratefully focuses me, but not after that text. I’ve never known my mom to be cruel. No matter anyone’s race or sexual orientation, she was always accepting. But as soon as I date someone who’s the root cause of her issues, then suddenly she has a problem.
Just thinking about the last conversation and today’s text has me groaning again.
“Okay, what is the matter?” Carter asks as he materializes at my office door. “Whoa. You look like ass.”
“Gee, thanks.”
“You didn’t break up with Angie, did you?” he asks in a panic.
“I’d rather cut off my arm.”
“Okay,” he begins and lets out a sigh of relief before he takes a seat, “then what’s the problem?”
“My mother.”
Carter cringes. “That’ll do it. Is she still adamant about…”
“Me and Angie breaking up so she can have her son back? Yes.”
Carter shakes his head, disappointment coating eachshake. When Angie and I spent New Year’s with Carter and Miles, we spilled all that had happened. Luckily, my brothers have come around a lot more quickly and begun to accept not only Angie, but Angie and me together. But it’s not ideal for us. We’d both rather have our parents being supportive of our relationship. She’s reached out to her parents a few times and has been met with silence. That’s pushed her to longer therapy sessions and going back to her higher dosage of the SSRI she’s on. It crushes me because I hate seeing her break, and it doesn’t help that I know she misses playing. So with the help of Carter and Miles, I’ve been on the hunt for the perfect piano for her. It won’t be like the baby grand at her parents’ place, but it’ll be hers.
“I don’t know where your head’s at, but Miles found a lead on a piano.”
“I like your boyfriend,” I note.
“I like him too.”
26
ANGIE
