Her words hung in the air for a moment as I struggled to find a response.
“God, I can’t believe it’s come to this,” she lamented.
“Do you want to call it off?” I asked in a neutral voice.
She rubbed her arms as if to ward off a chill.
“No,” she whispered.
When she spoke again, her voice was more forceful.
“No. He stole from me, lied to me, opened credit cards in my name without my knowledge, didn’t pay bills I gave him money to pay. I can’t imagine how he thought I wouldn’t find out when the power and Internet got cut off.”
“How much longer do you have to pretend?”
“That’s the best part.” The relief in her voice was palpable. “Since Shayla initiated the fraud proceedings and has already presented the evidence I collected, and my credit’s frozen so he can’t do more damage, I’m free to break up with him. It’d be better to wait until I submit the small claims court paperwork so he doesn’t try to weasel his way out of it, but it’s not necessary.”
She stared out the window.
“Maybe I should have taken advantage of his behavior tonight so he wouldn’t be suspicious, but he was already so volatile.”
“How do you feel?”
I wasn’t sure what I expected, but Dani always surprised me. Despite everything, she took the time to think it through. We turned onto our street, and I silently railed that our night would be cut short.
“Relief that I’m not in it alone. Sadness and betrayal. Shock. Gratitude I found out before it got worse. Anger. A little bit of fear. Stressed that I have to navigate and pay for this. Tentative hope that once I’m on the other side of this mess, I’ll be able to breathe easier. Worry I’ll be living with my parents forever.”
We pulled into my driveway, and I turned to face her.
“What do you mean? Your parents are great.”
“They are, and I’m grateful. But nobody wants to move back home repeatedly because they can’t cut it on their own.”
“That’s not what happened. But if it were, they’re thrilled to have you there.”
“I know.”
She chewed on her lip, and I had to look away.
“I’m a little ashamed to say this because it makes me sound like an asshole, but I’m jealous,” she admitted.
“Of what?”
She stared into the darkness.
“My whole life, I grew up under their love. Not only are they great parents and the best people, they’re so in love. They’re each other’s best friend, but they’re also still cute and adorable about each other.”
Her little laugh was a mixture of humor and sadness.
“I always assumed I’d find that, too. Don’t most people want to find their person?” She picked at a thread on her pants. “I thought it would have happened by now, but here I am, thirty-three and starting over again. Kids were never an interest of mine until recently, but now I can’t stop thinking about it.”
I strained to hear her over the heavy thump of my heart.
“Maybe it’s that mythical biological clock ticking, but I want more than this. I want to be a mom, I want to be in a happy, committed relationship, and I want to raise my kids here in Sierra Rose Ridge. But time is running out. Beau stole not only my financial security but my chance at a future as a mom.”
Words lodged in my throat, but I swallowed them down. She wouldn’t consider me, which I’ve known for decades. I was just out of practice reminding myself. That’s why it hurt.
After I cleared my throat, I reassured her.
