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“Oh?” I feign interest.
“Yeah, it’s a bar on the upper side of town. It’s lovely, really. The staff is mediocre, but honestly, aren’t they always? I mean, they are bartenders and waitresses for a reason, right?” She laughs, but I don’t join her.
“So, that means Connor won’t be able to go.” I don’t understand why anyone wouldn’t want their son to be a part of all the festivities.
“Not everything has to include him or be about him. This is an adult part ofmywedding. It’s no different than the bachelorette party. I’m not taking him to that either, am I? I swear you can be so dense for someone who’s got the IQ of a genius.”
I’m gritting my teeth as I can picture her rolling her eyes at me.
“Listen, when you get married someday—ifyou do, I mean—thenyoucan invite your son to all of those things. But honestly, I would like for the focus to be on me for once.”
“For once?” As if she doesn’t always make it about her. I cringe at myself. I know better than to engage like this with her, even if itisthe truth.
“You’re such a jerk, Aiden,” she spits. “Why do you have to be so fucking rude all the time? It’smywedding. I’ll do what I want.I can’t help it if you’re jealous I found someone. It’s your fault you lost me, you know?”
“It was for the best.” I will never regret the marriage, but that’s only because it resulted in Connor. I thought I might love her once, but I now know I never really did. Not the way true love should be. But I’ll always be thankful for Connor, even if she treats him more like an accessory than a son.
And as she blames me, she seems to be forgetting she was the one who left me.
“It was.” Her voice seems to take on a light tone I don’t hear from her a lot. Never really have. “I never knew love until I met Richard. I swear, he’s everything that I ever needed and wanted. He’s the one for me.”
“Well, I guess it’s a good thing you’re marrying him, then.”
“Obviously,” she snaps. “Anyway, once we’re married and jet off to Italy for a while. I think we’re going to consider relocating.”
“What do you mean? Towns? States?”
“More like countries.” She bursts into a fit of giggles. “You know that Richard invests for a living. It gives him so much freedom. And the last trip we took to Italy, we loved it there. I think we might seriously consider putting our roots down there.”
“But...” My voice trails off. “What about Connor?”
“He is coming with us,” she says curtly. “What did you think? That I would jet off and leave my son? Come on, Aiden. I’m not the witch you think I am. I love him. I want him to be a part of my new family.”
“No fucking way. He is my son too,” I say through gritted teeth. “I don’t—”
“Oh, my God. Why do you have to be like this? You’re just trying to rattle me up and make my life hard because all you’re thinking about is yourself. It’s not like you’ll never see him again. Don’t be such a diva. He can visit. Maybe on holidays? He needshis mommy. You know that. He lives for the time we spend together.”
“Because you’reneveraround!” I explode, my voice jumping in volume. “He waits with bated breath for you to show up and half the time, you just fucking cancel on him. You break his heart over and over!”
I grip the edge of the desk with my free hand, trying to steady my temper. I know I shouldn’t lose it on her, or anyone for that matter, but Ihatewhen she does this.
She’s silent for a few moments, but then picks up like I didn’t just lose it. “I have a very busy work schedule, and I’ve explained that to Connor. He knows that in order for me to provide for him, I have to work. I’m not like you,” she sneers. “I can’t survive on a fucking part-time job and still live the life that I deserve.”
“I know that.” My voice loses the edge. “I pay alimony.”
“Oh, yes.” She scoffs. “I forgot that you pay alimony. And that alimony ends the day I marry Richard, thank God. Then you won’t be able to hold it over my head.”
“I don’t hold it over your head.”
“You just did.”
“Maddie.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I don’t want to fight with you. I’ll call the school and let them know that Connor is going to be picked up by you today, okay? We can talk about the relocation thing later.”
“Avoidant, just like always.” She snickers. “I should’ve known.”
Deep breaths.
“I’m not trying to avoid it.”
