AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shut the fridge and moved into the living room, phone in hand. I’d order Chinese, eat out of the carton, and call it a day.
I’d just pulled up the app when the knocking started. I winced. It had to be Megan. I’d been dodging her—mostly successfully—for the bulk of the week. I’d responded when she texted, but that was it. Sunday, I’d gone to church with Mom and hung out with her all day with the barest explanation that there was stuff going on and Mom needed me.
Mom had been adamant that she didn’t.
I’d tried to spend the night again, but she’d sent me home, reminded me to pray, and told me she’d be fine.
She might be, but I wasn’t.
I briefly debated ignoring the knocking and pretending I wasn’t home, but that seemed low and immature even for me. I sighed, dropped my phone on the couch, and forced myself to stand and shuffle to the door.
I peeked to confirm it was Megan and pushed my lips into what I hoped passed as a smile as I opened the door. “Hi.”
Megan crossed her arms and lifted her eyebrows. “Hi back. What’s going on?”
I could have played dumb. Thought about it for like two seconds, then stepped back. “Why don’t you come in? I was just going to order Chinese. You want?”
Megan stared at me for a moment, then nodded. “Sure. Why not.”
I went back to the couch and retrieved my phone. “China Palace is the only place that delivers here, that okay?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I guess. They’re not the best.”
“No. But they deliver.”
“A definite factor in their favor.” Megan pushed the door shut and came over to the couch. She sat on the complete opposite end from me. “I’ll go kung pao.”
My mouth watered. That was a favorite of mine, as well. “Eggroll?”
“Yeah, why not. Do they have a fried rice option? I can’t remember.”
I scrolled through the sides and found it. “Seem to. Do that instead of the regular?”
“If you don’t mind.”
I shrugged. Rice was rice. Throwing in some peas and scrambled egg just made it tastier. I finished up the order and checked out before setting my phone aside. “Probably forty minutes.”
“Sounds about right. Which is plenty of time for you to tell me why you disappeared. What’s going on?” A line formed between Megan’s eyebrows and she twisted her fingers in her lap. “Is this about Wes giving you crap for dating me?”
I let out a bark of laughter. I wish. “No. I squared things with Wes. He doesn’t love it, but he’ll get over it.”
“Then what? Did I do something?”
I raked a hand through my hair. “It’s not you—”
“If you say ‘it’s me,’ I’m going to hit you. I’ll feel bad about it, but I’m still going to.” Megan swallowed. “Are you dumping me?”
“I—” Was I? My stomach knotted. I didn’t want to. At the same time, I couldn’t quite get the point that I saw a reason to continue with her. If my dad could throw away a lifetime like it was nothing, what chance did I have to make something that would actually last?
“Cody?”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to be the one who ended things. “I’m not. No. But maybe you should walk away.”
“Why would I do that?” Megan scooted closer and rested her hand on my leg. “What happened?”
I cleared my throat. I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to get the words past the lump in my throat, but I had to try. “My mom called on Wednesday and asked me to come over so she could let me know that Dad left her for another woman.”
Megan blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”
