“You cut your hair,” she said.
“I needed a change.”
“I like it.”
“You do?” I asked, surprised.
“Yes, your long hair was nice, but this suits you much better.”
“Joanna told me to wear it long.”
Mom leaned down. “Joanna can be a bit bossy.”
I laughed.
She continued brushing, the action rather soothing. “You’ve been through a lot these past few weeks,” she said lightly.
“I can’t stay with him, Mom. He cheated on me. He told me he was going to do it again. He doesn’t want a wife. He wants a trophy.”
She kept brushing.
“And I got fired from my job,” I admitted. “The head of the practice is a real douchebag.”
“What’s a douchebag?” she asked, pausing.
I stifled a laugh. “He wanted me to sleep with him as part of my job.”
“You’re right. He is a douchebag.”
This time I couldn’t keep the laugh inside me.
“Blake would never have made you happy. I’ve always known that.” Her words were flippant, almost casual.
I looked up sharply, surprise bursting through my middle. “Really? Why didn’t you say something before?”
“Sometimes we have to make our own mistakes.”
“You’re not upset that I’m divorcing him?” I honestly thought my mother’s reaction would be just like Joanna’s. I know I was a grown adult, but the opinion of my mother still mattered to me.
“I’d be upset if you didn’t. You deserve better than a douchebag like him.” She sniffed.
Oh boy. I think she just found a new favorite word.
“What about Daddy?” I asked, biting my lip.
“Your father wants you to be happy. Just like I do.” She said it like it was common knowledge. Had I really spent all these years being so hard on myself because I thought they were all silently judging me, when really, the only one judging me had been me?
“Joanna…”
The brush paused over my head and Mom drew back to look at me. “Joanna isn’t your mother. Sometimes she likes to pretend she is, but she isn’t. She’s your sister and she loves you, but she doesn’t get a vote on how you live your life.”
A heavy weight lifted off my shoulders. “I love you, Mom.”
She smiled and set aside the brush. “I love you too, Talie.”
From the shopping bag, she produced a hair tie and a thin, navy-colored headband. “I think off your face today. Yes?”
I nodded and she began making a small ponytail at the base of my neck.
“About that boy…”
“He’s not a boy.” I sighed. “And his name is Gavin.”
“There’s some sparks there?”
“I didn’t mean for it to happen.”
“Sparks like that can’t be controlled, Talie.”
I glanced up at her again, surprised.
“What?” she raised her eyebrows at me. “I was your age once.”
“You and dad?”
She smiled.
“Gross.”
“You asked.”
“Ugh,” I said, but inside I was actually charmed. I was glad to know my mom and dad had been married for over twenty years because they truly loved each other.
“There,” she said, adding the headband to my head and admiring her work. “Beautiful.”
Tears sprang to my eyes for no good reason.
“Oh, honey,” she said, wrapping her arms around me. “It’ll all be okay.”
“I don’t know if it will,” I murmured. I thought about Blake and the humiliation I felt when I saw him in bed with someone else. I thought about all the times he flat-out said or implied no one else would want me. I thought about Gavin and the way he overwhelmed me with so much desire and emotion. I thought about the baby who was barely formed inside me. Gavin never said he wanted me. In fact, he said just the opposite.
Maybe it was better this way. I shouldn’t jump into a relationship while getting out of another, even if there was a child involved.
“It will, honey. Life has a way of working itself out.”
I sniffled and pulled away.
“Why don’t you come stay with your father and me? You can take some time to heal from the accident and look for a new job when you’re ready.”
I nodded. “Thanks.”
I left the hospital gown on the bathroom sink and took the bag and hairbrush back into my room. Jack and Joanna were by the window, having a private conversation, and my dad was checking EPSN on the TV. Claire was doing something on her smartphone.
“Well,” my mom said. “It’s clear that Talie is going to be just fine. I think we should quit smothering her and go back home.”
“What about Talie?” Joanna asked.
“I’ll bring her home in a day or so. We can stay at Aunt Ruth’s until she feels like travelling.” Claire offered.
“Yeah, I’m sure I’ll have to see about my car before I leave,” I added, incredibly grateful for Claire.
Joanna looked like she was about to protest, but Mom interceded. “We can stop at the outlets on the way home, do a little shopping. Then we can have a nice dinner.”
I owed her big time.
“Well, if you’re sure,” Joanna said.
I nodded, trying not to look too relieved.
Mom turned to me. “Call us when you’re on your way. I’ll get your room ready.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
After we said our good-byes, everyone began filing out of the room.
“Jack,” I said, and he turned back. “Is there any way you can make this divorce happen any faster?”
I did not want give birth to Gavin’s baby while still married to Blake.
“Maybe,” he said, slipping into lawyer mode. “If he doesn’t contest.”
“He’s not going to contest,” Joanna said from the doorway. I hadn’t realized she was there.
“How do you know?” I asked.
“Because when I called to tell him not to come, that tawdry assistant of his answered his private cell. I’m pretty sure she doesn’t mind putting up with his… crude ways just to get his family name and prestige.”
The news didn’t even hurt me. It just made me incredibly sad.
“Well, if he already has another relationship, then I can likely get it pushed through in six months.”
“Please, Jack.”