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As I eat, new messages pop up in my friends’ group chat. The girls are joking about trying to organize some sort of embarrassing send-off for me today, but I shut that shit down fast. In the nicest of ways, of course.
Karli, Daphne, Layla and Nicky have come to mean so much to me. I’m going to miss them a lot.
While I eat, we exchange a few text messages and make plans to meet at Jittery Joe’s in a few hours for coffee. They want to give me presents and say goodbye before I leave. That gets me to crack a smile through my melancholy. Because who can say no to presents?
I’m nearly done enjoying my food when I hear someone speaking nearby. “Hey there, Lilian. It’s been a while,” the gossipy florist says extra loud.
My head snaps up and I see Nolan’s ex wife strolling through the market.
Fan-tastic.
My muscles tense up. I can’t really understand why, but my gut reaction is to shrink down, hide and be invisible. But my nerves begin to buzz with anger as Lilian gets closer. She’s browsing the nearby booths, complimenting the artists on their jewelry, while boasting about all of her own. She’s doing so in the loudest way possible, obviously trying to draw attention to herself.
“Rainbow!” She screeches when she finally makes it to the table where I’m sitting. She throws herself at everyone’s favorite vendor in a bear hug.
The older woman doesn’t hug her back. “It’s a surprise to see you again, Lilian,” Rainbow comments politely. Not a pleasant surprise, if her expression is any indication.
I can’t help but listen in, as I finish stuffing my face with my brain power salad.
“Are you leaving town again soon?” The florist butts into the fold.
“Nope,” Lilian replies, standing a little taller. “I am here to stay.”She makes sure to throw me a glance when she says that.
I’m not sure what she knows about Nolan and me, but it’s clear that she’s trying to mark her territory.
“Oh, really? You’re going to stick around Starlight Falls this time?”someone else asks, sounding skeptical.
“Yep. I’ve had my fun, but now I’m ready to settle down and be a family woman.”
When she says that, I struggle not to choke on my food.
Rainbow speaks in a wary tone, throwing a quick glance my way. “I think that Nolan may have moved on, dear. You’ve been gone for a long time.”
Lilian sweeps a dismissive hand through the air, waving off Rainbow’s concern. “Oh, I’m not worried about that. After all this time, I still have Nolan wrapped around my little finger.” She chuckles. “And Stella. She’s only five so she probably didn’t even realize that I’ve been gone. Precious thing. Pretty as a picture and growing like a weed.”
Nolan’s ex-wife just carries on nonchalantly, talking to the women about her big plans and promises, quite frankly, telling lies.
“Nolan’s clearly struggling without me around. Have you seen his awful new haircut? He needs me. It’s time for me to step into my ‘motherhood era’.” Lilian throws her head back, laughing, like any of this is cute.
The sound of it is like nails on a chalkboard.I physically shudder.
I’m trying to mind my business. I really, really am. I’m trying to remind myself of my commitment not to get in the way of a family reuniting.
But Lilian doesn’t deserve the good thing she’s been given, the good thing she’s taken for granted all this time.
Nolan works so damn hard, and he is so kind, so responsible, so patient. He deserves a darn parent of the year award for all he’s been doing.
On. His. Own.
As this bitch keeps talking trash about Nolan, I lose it. I rise to my feet, turning to face her. “Are you serious? You think you can roll in and out of town whenever you feel like it and bulldoze the lives of the people who actually call this place home? People who actually rely on you?”
“Oh, bartender girl. You think you mean something to him? You think you know him?” She scoffs in my face. “I’m his wife. Get a clue.”
Feeling feral, I walk toward her, barely maintaining my cool. “Ex-wife. You are his ex-wife. And you are a self-absorbed bitch for bragging about coming in and out of your child’s life. Seriously, who does that?” I raise my voice, shaking my head. “Nolan is an amazing father, and you are missing out on seeing your beautiful daughter grow up. Woman, you are the one who has no clue.” I toss my empty salad dish into a nearby recycling bin, ready to leave.
I probably look nuttier than a barrel of walnuts right now, yelling like a maniac in the middle of town. But I don’t care. I won’t stand for her—or anyone, frankly—badmouthing Nolan Brighton. I’m afraid I’m going to start throwing hands if I have to look at this woman any longer.
But then right before I storm off, I pause and yell over my shoulder. “By the way, your daughter isn’t five. She’s six years old.”
