Page 42 of One Mistake

This had to be a joke, but my stomach revolted and shot everything I’d eaten in the last month into a dead spin in my gut. I stood and ran for the bathroom. For ten years, I’d covered for him. Lied for him. Taken the blame for what he’d done. Fuck!

I threw up until there was nothing left. And when I was finished, I took the stairs to my old room. It was just as I’d left it. Oh shit. He kicked me out of my life to keep me away from Mom. I walked in and sat on my bed. I’d spent so many nights sleeping on floors and in that fucking gazebo. And my Dad had let it happen.

“I didn’t change anything.”

“You didn’t kick me out?” I already knew, but I needed to hear her say it.

She walked in and sat beside me. “I was so angry at you. So…disappointed, but I wanted to help you. I pulled the firm’s best lawyers to help you…” She laced her fingers through mine and gave me a squeeze. “But I didn’t understand why you were so angry at me you would leave.”

Oh, God. If my Dad had been standing there, nothing would have stopped me from punching him in the throat. “Fuck.” I couldn’t stop the tears—some from relief, some from anger, some from pain—or the sobs, or the arms that reached out for my mother.

After a while, I lifted my head, dried my eyes, and looked at her. “Just to clarify, you never kicked me out? Took my truck? Cut off my money?”

She shook her head. “No. He told me you gave it all back and you didn’t want our help anymore. You wanted to handle your business without us.” She sighed. “I thought it was quite admirable at the time, but when you stopped taking my calls and sending those horrible texts…I never meant to be a bad mother.”

“I didn’t send any texts. And I never called you…” Well…

Fuck. All along, I’d hated her. Blamed her. But it was Dad. He’d cut me off from her. Kept us away from each other by telling us each the other one was pissed, knowing neither of us would check with the other. Because I knew too much?

“Ryder, I’m so sorry.”

So was I.

And then she started laughing. Hysterically. Manically. Until even more tears ran down her cheeks. Along with the crying, I couldn’t remember ever seeing her laugh either. I liked it.

“Mom?” I touched her shoulder.

“He stole all my money.” She doubled over again. “All of it.”

I watched her. At some point, I was going to have to find a phone to call a therapist or psychiatrist, but right now, I wanted to know where she was going with this.

“Mom?”

“It’s the irony. Don’t you see?” She blew out three big breaths then drew in a deep one before she nodded. “Okay, all these years, I’ve tolerated your father cheating because he always came home to me. But he only came home so he could figure out how to steal my money.” I didn’t really see the irony or anything funny about any of this. “He left me with…the only thing that ever mattered to me. After all this time.”

“How are you going to live without money?”

She cocked an eyebrow. “Darling, I never put all my eggs in one basket. We’re going to be fine.” She patted my hand. “And I have jewelry, properties. Things your father couldn’t take.” She smiled. “And I have you back where you belong. I would happily live in a shack for that.”

We still had a lot of things to work out, but we were going to be okay. Because as smart as Dad was, I bet Mom’s tech team was smarter and I was also willing to bet that he’d put those accounts in my name.

One Decade Ago

I stared at Dad. “She’s watching me like a hawk, probably discovered a couple twenties missing from the account.” He chuckled but handed over a couple of twenties.

“Thanks, Dad.”

He nodded. “You know I’d do anything for you, pal.”

Beth Cooper walked past the counter. This bitch was never going to leave me alone. Every week, some new story about me appeared in the paper, or some new spin on the same story that had been playing in the press for weeks. The Glouster Video Scandal. My story. Kind of.

She shot me a glare. Then a scowl. “Jesus, did you dump her or what?”

Dad jerked his head up. Shit. I hadn’t told him I knew about him and Beth. But I’d known as soon as I saw the video everyone thought was me and Beth.

“What?” He feigned ignorance like a pro. Lied like a god.

“It’s okay, Dad. I know about you and Beth.” He shook his head as if he was about to deny it. “Seriously. It’s all good.” He already knew I’d figured out he’d uploaded the videos.