My Blossoming Redemption

FORTY-ONE

I suppose at least she is acting nice. That's one good thing to come out of it.

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He sets two glasses of red wine on the kitchen table.

"Calmer?" he asks.

"Not really, but this will help," I answer and take a large gulp of wine.

"You just disowned your parents at your late husband's wake, Aspen. I think we need to discuss it," Nick says.

"My mother turned up, uninvited to my dead husband's funeral and ran her mouth, Nick. She hysterically called him and me a sinner, ridiculed us and then outed your relationship to the son Joel and I put up for adoption in front of everyone there. That's of course after the twenty years of mental torture she put me through. I think I did myself proud, and I think wherever Joel is right now, he'd be proud of me too," I point out.

"Fuck... Aspen, you think I'm not proud of you? I'm so proud of you, I could burst. After what she did, she deserved a damn slap. I'm just worried you were hasty, especially about your dad. He was there to try and stop her, he clearly wants to build bridges with you. It was a highly emotional day, and I'm worried about you."

I sigh and down the rest of my wine without tasting it. I stare at him in his suit and remember when we shared red wine on our first date – it's an aphrodisiac, and right now my mind knows to take my time devouring him in that suit later when my emotions aren't everywhere.

But right now, all I can think about is that accusation and whether he truly thinks that.

Why would he? We were interested in each other before we worked out who I was to his brother. We've discussed it multiple times, and his parents know and want to meet me.

But her words... could he ever think that about me? What if he thinks I contemplated it after he told me, and he thinks I'm working on some covert plan to get my son back? Especially now Joel is gone? What if he thinks Joel and I came up with the plan to feign a divorce to get our child back and that's why I'm with him, and then Joel died?

"I don't know about my dad, all right? He's been silent this whole time, Nick," I say.

My phone buzzes. My dad.

"Why don't you see what he has to say? He really seemed to want to make it up to you before, he seemed to understand you and us," Nick offers.

I know he's right.

He smiles at me and hands me my phone.

"Dad?" I answer blandly.

"Aspen, look, after what happened, I know you might not want to talk to me, but I want to clear this up. I don't agree with your mother, okay? I... I don't think that about you and Nick for what it's worth. It's clear to see you both love each other, and that situation is between you," Dad says.

"Thank you," I answer. "Look, I meant what I said about Mum. I don't want to see her again. Ever. But... maybe we could try and work things out? I just... for now, I think we need some space. Maybe in a couple of weeks, you and I could try and move on?"

I can tell he's smiling by the way he chuckles a tiny bit. "That would be great. Look, things are not... great with your mother and me right now either. I respect that divorce is okay for you because you don't believe like your mother does, so things for us are a little... well, let's just say—"