Page 60 of Life, Love, and Other Messes

I wiped off on my T-shirt. “You’re so disgusting but I love you so much.”

He nudged me with his nose and gave a wuf.

And all he wanted was to go out. I got up slowly and traipsed through the house to the back door. What was I doing, writing another romance? The ones that won for real had been thrillers. All but one of the finalist spots had been thrillers. If I could just have controlled myself and kept up with the murder mystery, I might at least have hope for next year.

Shit. All this work and I still had gotten nowhere. All those Tuesdays with Catherine and I was still flattened when something bad happened. Just because I had better control over myself didn’t mean shit didn’t hurt anymore. No, I didn’t wish Lisa was home. I just needed to sulk by myself and pretend tomorrow that nothing was wrong.

Early Saturday morning, Lisa and I walked Ollie and I said nothing about the awards. I went to teach my classes, then brought home Asian food for dinner. We ate at my house, Ollie lying beneath the table hoping one of us would drop something. He loved Asian food. We’d just cleaned up and moved into the living room when my phone buzzed. Mom.

“Hope it’s someone good,” Lisa said.

“It’s my mother.”

“Go ahead and take it. Like I always say, it’s better to do it now than to have to call her back.”

She was right. I slid the screen to answer. “Hi, Mom.”

“Samantha,” she said in a singsongy voice.

I knew that meant something was up, and it was probably not something good. I decided to delay it. “How is everyone?”

“Rachel has strep throat, which means the rest of them will have it in five minutes.”

I didn’t understand how that family was ever well the way they passed everything around. “That’s too bad. We’re getting to that time of year.”

“I sure hope everyone is better for the party!”

I glanced over at Lisa, who looked away quickly. There was a little grin on her face. I wanted to whack her with the throw pillow, but I couldn’t help but smile myself. God, she made me happy. “Yes, it’s coming up.”

“It is, very quickly. You need a date.”

“Mom.” Yes, this was the something. “I do not need a date.”

Now Lisa covered her mouth so she wouldn’t giggle out loud. I moved through the room to the kitchen as quickly as I could. Ollie followed me.

“Of course you do. A plus-one, you know? There are six spots at the head table. That’s Daddy and me, Kevin and Missy, and you and your plus-one.”

“Last time I checked, Kevin and Missy were a party of eight.”

“Missy can keep the baby on her lap and Hallie from down the street says she’ll sit with the others.”

“I hope someone is paying her.”

“Of course they’re paying her.”

“Okay,” I said, taking a deep breath. I hadn’t planned to share the travesty that was my family with Lisa, at least for a long time, but I plowed ahead. “I kind of have someone who I might be able to—”

“A girl?” Mom asked.

My jaw clenched and I spoke through my teeth. “Yes, a woman.”

She went on as though I hadn’t said a word. “Well, guess what? I’ve spoken to Gerald and he’s happy to be your plus-one.”

Fuck you. Fuck you, fuck you, fuck you, and fuck Gerald. I hadn’t even invited Gerald. He was not on the list and I hadn’t sent him an invitation. “No, Mom. That is not okay.”

“Of course it’ll be okay.”

I lowered my voice and hoped that Lisa couldn’t hear. “I realize I’m nothing but a huge disappointment to you, okay? But if you have a problem with me bringing a woman, I’ll go alone. Or I just won’t come. I’m sick to death of pretending to be somebody I’m not.”