“Dad will be interested to hear that. He’s a jerk, but I know he’s missing you.” I try to fight back the tears that are threatening to overwhelm me. I’ve done enough crying over this damn man. “Stella’s moving out today.”
That definitely grabs my attention.
When he notices my widening eyes and obvious curiosity, he carries on. “Dad’s found her somewhere to live, and he’s helping her move her in to her new place shortly—if he hasn’t already. He’s told her that although he will care for the baby and provide for it, he doesn’t feel anything for her. He made it abundantly clear that there’s no future, so there’s no point in her living with him anymore. He paid for it, of course. You know Dad, he’s generous to a fault. I think he feels he has to … for the baby.”
I shift uncomfortably in my seat, but my eyes remain fixed on Matthew. “You know this doesn’t change anything.”
He puts his hands up in surrender. “I’m not saying it does. Of course, things are different now. Quite frankly, it pisses me off, but selfishly, I’m glad she’s out the house, at least.”
My heart leaps at the prospect that he at least doesn’t love her, but it can’t and won’t change the fact that he’s gotten my mother pregnant. This, quite rightly, will be Jake’s priority now.
In my musings, I forget for a moment that I have guests, and so far, I have been a very rude host. “Where are my manners? You guys want a drink?” They nod their heads, so I make my way to the kitchen to grab them each a soda.
Once back, we start chatting about school, and then we get on the subject of their relationship.
“I’m meeting her parents this weekend,” Matthew practically whispers with a cringe. He’s obviously very nervous about the prospect.
I reach out and squeeze his hand. “I’m sure they will love you just as much as we do. You have nothing to worry about.” I look over to Cindy for some support, and she eagerly nods her head.
“I’m sure they will, too,” she smiles.
Once they leave, I’m busy in the kitchen making pasta when Jessie walks in the door. I’m stirring the tagliatelle when I feel her presence in the kitchen.
“Hey Jessie, how was work?” I shout with a big smile, keeping my eyes glued to the cooking.
When she doesn’t answer, I wonder what the hell is going on. I turn and see her staring at me with a deep frown on her face, making my smile drop with dread.
“We have company.”
6
My stomach drops thinking that it’s Jake, but instead, an even more unfavorable figure appears from behind the door.
My mother.
“I’ll let you two have some privacy.” Jessie places her hand on my shoulder, offering a comforting squeeze before turning to walk away.
Snapping myself out of my shock, I shout, “Jessie, stay, please. Whatever my mum has to say, she can say it in front of you too.”
My mother scoffs like what I’ve said is preposterous. “Ana, darling, please, you’re being silly,” my mum responds, a frustrated frown furrowing her brow. “I know I’ve hurt you, but there’s no need for this. Can’t we talk alone?”
That’s the last thing I want. “No, thanks. I don’t want you here. You up and left without so much as a goodbye, and you expect me to just open my arms out to you?”
My mother’s contemptuous sneer is lost on Jessie as she turns to her for support. When all Jessie does is glare back at her, crossing her arms in a defensive manner, I have to fight not to laugh.
Knowing my mum’s winning a losing battle turning to Jessie for help, she reluctantly glances back at me, her shoulders rounding in discomfort. “You’re not a child anymore, Ana. It’s time you cut the cord. I don’t need to defend myself to you anymore.”
I gasp at her audacity. How dare she talk to her daughter like this! Yes, I am a grown woman, and yes, she can now do what she likes, but does that still warrant her behavior? Does that still warrant her taking off like she did without a word or goodbye, not knowing whether I’d ever see her again?
I throw my hands up in the air before I reply. “You know, you’re right. Of course, you are. I just don’t understand your actions, and I never have. Why did you do it? Why did you take off the way you did … the way you always do with men? And why have you come back?” That first question has been on my mind since I was old enough to wonder. The second question, however, I may not want the answer to. I doubt very much it has anything to do with me but more to do with Jake. Again, that makes my heart hurt.
“I missed you, and I missed Jake. It was wrong of me to leave, and when I found out I was pregnant I had to come back.”
There it is. The answer I was dreading.
My stomach churns as her words hit me full on in the chest. I’m going to have a brother or sister, and Jake is the father. It can’t get much worse than this. We should be sitting on the Jerry Springer show rather than standing in Jessie’s kitchen. It’s all kinds of messed up.
“Mum, I’m fed up with the way you change from one man to the next. I’ve had enough. I’m done.”
She has the audacity to look offended. “Ana, please. I want to be able to speak with you without such anger in your tone of voice. Look, I know it’s your birthday—that’s why I’m here. I bought you a gift … look.”
She hands me a little wrapped package, but my arms remain tightly by my sides. I refuse to take it. When I’m unmoving, my mum lets out an exasperated sigh and places it on the kitchen counter.
“Maybe you can open it later, once you’ve calmed down a little.”
If it wasn’t for the fact that I am twenty-three—very much an adult—I would childishly roll my eyes at her. “Nothing about this whole situation is very calming, Mum.” I make a point of emphasizing the word mum because she’s always been anything but one.
My clipped tone brings a horrified expression to her face. “Why are you so angry? It’s not like you haven’t been through this before. I came back, didn’t I? What’s the big deal?”
I can’t believe her at times!
“The … big … deal?!” I stutter. “How can you say it’s not a big deal? You fucked off, just like you always do. You left without a word, and now you think you can just crawl back into my life and we’ll be one, big happy family again? Who do you think you are? You’ve messed up my life … Matthew’s. And now you’re determined to mess up Jake’s.”
I bite my tongue at my words. I probably went a little too far, but my petulant, childish anger won out. I’ve never told my mother how I feel, so it’s about time I grew up a bit and did just that. But then she blurts something I was neither expecting or was prepared for.
“Why are you so bothered about Jake anyway? What’s the deal with you two?”
My mum raises a suspicious eyebrow, causing my heart to pound against my chest. I flick my eyes towards Jessie and notice how wide her own are. The cogs in her head are working overtime, trying to think of a way to rescue me.
I sigh, glancing back towards my mum. The only person who can rescue me is myself. “Nothing, okay? I’m just upset with you. I’m upset because you’ve done this my whole life, and now it’s time I told you how I feel. Quite frankly, it’s been a long time coming.”