Alice’s anger at my words is immediate, with her slamming the coffeepot down on the table. “How dare you speak about your family like that?! They loved you, especially Dot. According to her, your mom loved you to pieces right from day one!”
She glares at me before continuing. “Family is about a lot more than blood, young lady. And from the way you talk of Zoe and Tyler, I think you know that!”
The ferocity of her words, have me pressed back in my chair, courtesy of the first scolding I’ve received since I was a little kid.
“You need to get past having a baby of your own. I know it hurts to hear that, but you need to consider kids like Zoe who don’t have a mom.”
I stare at her, unable to believe what she’s just said. “What the hell does that have to do with me!? She wants a baby sister, not a mom. I can’t help her with that.”
My words break on the last few words, my tears yet again taking hold. This stops me from saying anything further. Alice, however, hasn’t finished her piece.
“For goodness’ sake. Have you ever considered she’d love a mom more? That in asking for a little sister, she’d already picked you out as the baby’s mom?”
I’m still reeling from the possibility of this, when Alice adds, “And have you ever thought that Tyler would rather you over more kids?”
TYLER
Lily turns up at the house just after lunch. I don’t know where she’s been other than not here. There’s no missing the way she scuttles down the drive toward the trailer, her eyes glued to the paving.
My being in the side bedroom means I can watch her without her being aware. Even though we haven’t officially broken up, I’m hurting enough for it to be fact. That text she’d sent this morning told me far more than she ever could.
After eating both our breakfasts while sitting on the front porch, I’d called into my mom’s house to have breakfast with Zoe. It was then I’d broken the news to my daughter that Lily didn’t want to be friends with us anymore.
There seemed little point in delaying the inevitable, although it felt cruel letting her know the day after her birthday. And, as expected, Zoe had been distraught. Far more upset than I would have expected, given she and Lily had only met a handful of times.
Damn it, what was it I’d always said to myself? That’s right, don’t get Zoe involved too soon. Even Lily had said she wanted to keep things casual, and I’d ignored her, my heart overruling my head.
I hadn’t been alone on that either, with Zoe wanting to spend more time with Lily following our trip to the aquarium. After that, Zoe begged me to take her to see Lily, and I’d given in because she’d never acted like this before. More often than not, she held back where strangers were concerned.
With Lily, it had been the complete opposite. From the moment the pair bonded over their love of mermaids, there wasn’t a chance I could deny my daughter. That’s what makes it so strange that everything had blown up at the birthday party, with the theme and the color being perfect.
When I’d walked into the clearing with Zoe, her breathing had hitched briefly before she squealed with joy, dancing around and exclaiming over every little detail. This morning had been a stark contrast, with tears streaming down her face and her throwing herself into my arms, seeking comfort.
This time, though, I can’t make it better. My plan now is to pretend like Lily and I never happened and concentrate on helping Zoe to do the same. It won’t be easy though because I honestly thought me and Lily had something special.
She had no right to mess things up like she did, to hurt my daughter as she had. Zoe doesn’t remember her mom, with my mom, taking on the role. Part of me worries what it’ll be like when she starts school and doesn’t have an actual mom on hand when the need arises.
While my mom will gladly accompany her, it won’t be the same, with Zoe sure to be asked by the other kids why her mom is so old. Not that I’d have expected Lily to volunteer. Rather, it was because Zoe needed every ounce of stability she can get.
The only plus to this morning is that I’m working on demolishing the old bathroom, my current mood perfect for smashing stuff. It’s my fury as I go about it that has me close to braining Ethan with my sledgehammer.
If not for him stepping back as smartly as he had, we’d be on our way to the emergency room by now. Even with my having missed his forehead, he still gives me a filthy look.
“Careful, Tyler! We don’t need any more accidents on site.”
I prop the sledgehammer against the wall, preparing myself for a further dressing down, but it doesn’t come. There’s no missing Ethan’s worry and I doubt this is anything to do with my nearly knocking him out.
“What’s up?”
Ethan nudges some of the broken tile with the toe of his boot, all while scratching the back of his head.
“You know that saying about it never rains, but it pours?”
I nod in return, all too well aware of exactly how it goes, even in love.
“Yeah, well, you know the Sanderson place we quoted on months ago?”
Again, all I do is nod, knowing he’ll tell me, anyway.
