The Girlfriend

Chapter Sixteen

Lydia

I hugged Jon hard, wishing that he would stay and knowing that he couldn't. "Call us when you land," I begged. "Okay?"

Jon hugged me tighter and hummed softly into my hair. "I will," he promised. "Be a brat while I'm gone, really piss off Patrick for me."

"Don't encourage her."

I laughed and buried my face in Jon's jacket. I didn't want him to go, but I couldn't keep him here and away from his responsibilities. Patrick stood a bit behind me and when I finally released Jon I stepped back so they could say goodbye. A slow smirk spread across the older man's face and he held out his arms, waiting for a hug.

"I'm not hugging you," Pat said flatly. "Don't make this weird."

"Oh, come on, I won't bite."

I gave Pat a light push and he groaned before letting Jon pull him in for a hug. He was like a kid when they don't want to hug someone; his arms at his side and a bored look on his face.

"Be a good little boy while I'm gone," Jon teased as he pulled away, ruffling Pat's hair.

"You two are awful," I complained, immediately pulling Pat to my side to keep him from retaliating. "We'll see you soon, say 'hi' to Mari for me."

"I will," he promised again.

An announcement came over the loudspeaker and Jon waved while heading off to the gates. I leaned into Patrick's side as he rubbed my arm and waited until Jon had disappeared into the crowd. Eventually, we had to leave and I knew Pat was getting anxious to see his dad, especially since I was coming with him.

"What was that about?" I asked as we slid into the backseat of the car. "With Jon, I mean."

Patrick shrugged and used his translation app to give the driver some instructions. This was Jon's gift to us this morning so we could stop fucking around with cabs; a hired driver and a private car that would take us anywhere for the rest of the weekend. I wished Pat had done it sooner but honestly, I don't think he had thought we could get one, which I hadn't either.

"His moods drive me crazy," he replied once the car was heading away from the airport. "Everything is his way and he wanted to wait about telling you but now that it's out he's all affectionate and acts like he always wanted this... It bothers me sometimes."

I took his hand in mine and kissed his ring. "We're all going through a lot, try to give him a little extra patience."

Patrick let out a long sigh and rolled his head from shoulder to shoulder. "You need the patience of a saint to spend any amount of extended time with him." He cocked an eyebrow at me and leaned in to whisper, "That's why Christine went crazy."

"You're so bad!" I cried, shoving him while he laughed. "Ohmigod, you're awful. And she's not crazy, I'm sure she's going through a lot too."

He shook his head and relaxed into his seat with his arm against the window. "Watch her turn into Betty Broderick," he said quietly.

I smacked his arm and could see him smirking at his reflection. "Don't even, you know about as much about their relationship as I do and neither of us has any idea what's gone on behind closed doors."

"You know, sometimes it's as simple as a woman scorned. It doesn't have to be deep and meaningful."

"You know, sometimes you can be a sexist jerk."

Patrick reached out and pulled me to his side despite my protests. "I'm trying to get you going, don't crucify me yet."

I huffed and cast him a harsh glare, Pat just chuckled and kissed the top of my head despite the irritation radiating off of me. Give him some leeway, this trip hasn't been easy for anyone. It wasn't like Patrick had sexist behaviour as a regular thing, it wasn't even what I was annoyed about; it was his attitude about Christine. I didn't have good feelings about her, but that was Jon's family, the mother of his only child, and a woman he'd been married to longer than I was alive. It wasn't fair to chalk it up to her just being a 'woman scorned' or 'crazy'. I mean, Morgan had done way more against all three of us to harm our relationships than Christine ever could, and Patrick had barely said anything about or against him.