AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Mom didn’t say anything, so I opened my phone and tapped Dad’s contact. It rang once before he answered.
“Did she tell you?”
“Dad? What’s going on? Are you sick?”
Dad’s blustery sigh crackled in my ear. “So that’s a no. She couldn’t even do that right, could she. Typical.”
I frowned. That wasn’t like Dad at all. Sure, every now and then he could get harsh when someone wasn’t meeting his expectations. I’d been on the wrong side of that as a teenager, even though I worked hard to avoid it. But it wasn’t usual.
“You didn’t answer my question.”
“Is your mother there? Put me on speaker.”
I hesitated. I glanced at Mom. She was standing in the same place, like she was frozen in time. But her eyes had closed and a single tear was dripping down her cheek. “I don’t think that’s a good idea. Obviously the two of you have something to tell me. Why don’t you just go ahead. Since Mom’s having a hard time with it.”
Dad’s snort of derision morphed my frown into a scowl. “Fine. I figured she could soften the blow and tell it her way. But apparently not. I’m divorcing your mother. I’ve found someone else, and I think the responsible thing to do is end things first before starting up something new. So I’ve moved out and started the paperwork. Once our legal separation is filed, I’d be happy to introduce you to my girlfriend.”
I pulled the phone away from my ear and looked at it, confused. “I’m sorry, what?”
“Don’t be dense, Cody. You heard me. You understood what I said.”
“But Dad—”
“Oh, please. Just stop. You’re grown and out of the house, and the reality is that your mother and I haven’t been happy for years.”
“I was happy.” Mom’s voice was a whisper.
I hadn’t realized she could hear him, but I should have. He was using his blustery no-nonsense voice, and it carried.
I swallowed. “I don’t know how to respond to this. What about therapy? Couples counseling?”
“No. I’m not interested. I’ve made my decision and it’s final. We agreed that she’d tell you, but she didn’t. Big surprise. When you’re over your shock, and you want to meet Jasmine, let me know.”
“Wait. Dad. Before you hang up. How old is she?”
Dad sighed. “Why? Gonna throw midlife crisis at me like your mother did?”
“Thinking about it.”
“It doesn’t matter. You can think what you want.” The line went dead.
I set my phone gingerly on the counter. “Oh, Mom.”
“I’m sorry. You should have heard it from me.”
I shook my head. “No. I think it’s better to hear it from the horse’s a—”
“Cody.” Her voice was sharp. “He’s still your father.”
“You’d defend him?”
She spread her hands. “No. That’s not what I’m doing. Not really. But you know how Jesus tells us to love our enemies?”
I sighed. That was a point. Maybe not one I wanted to embrace just now, but still a point. And more, it was so much my mother. She had to be shattered into microscopic pieces, but she was still able to say that? To think it? To live it? “I’m not there yet.”
“Try.”
I pushed away from the counter and stood, then crossed the kitchen to wrap my mom in my arms. “I don’t understand.”
