Backwoods Backwards

Thirty-Five

"I think it's best if you leave now, Rob." Her words are stiff, but they don't shake.

With a curt nod, Dad strides past me, clutching the items in his arms with white knuckles. Mom and I wait as he gets in his car, and it's only once he's gone that we both breathe.

"Oh honey," Mom whispers, reaching out to me as she sinks down onto the porch, "I'm sorry."

I move toward her quickly, wrapping my arms around her as I also sit down. "It's okay, Mom."

"No, it's not. What just happened.... I should not have done that like that, not so publicly, not with you standing there, but I.... I just couldn't hold it in any longer and-" Mom cuts herself off, shaking her head as she brushes my hair away from my face with one trembling hand. "I'm sorry, baby."

"Mom, it's fine. I'm fine, okay?" I don't dare tell her now that I already knew. If I did, it would kill her. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

She pulls back a bit, taking a moment to herself. When she speaks, she's surprisingly calm and unfazed. "Your father and I used to really love each other at one time. I can't really figure out when that changed, but it did. We used to be able to tolerate each other, but now we can't even do that." She sighs. "I thought we could stick it out until you left the house, but when I learned of his affair, it got harder to ignore our issues."

I squeeze her hand. "When did you know?"

Mom laughs again shortly, but it's not as cruel this time. "A while ago. Your father has never been good about cleaning up after himself."

I think back to when I caught Dad with his secretary in the house and shudder inwardly. "I'm sorry."

"I'm the sorry one, Lacey." Mom hugs me tighter. "You and your sister should not have been caught in the middle."

For the first time since I came home, I feel my throat closing up as the backs of my eyes burn. Hearing her confess that my suffering on the sidelines was very real and terrible is the validation I never truly realized I needed.

If Mom expects a response from me, she doesn't show it. Instead, she kisses the side of my head. "I hope you also know that there's more to love than what your father and I showed you. It can be a truly beautiful thing, sweetheart."

Then as I'm frozen in place, she stands up and goes into the house, and I'm left thinking about Duke.

----

"Lacey, a friend is here for you!" Mom calls from downstairs.

It's a week after the events at the Hollow and everything that transpired after that and I've barely left my room, so I can't imagine who it is.

"Not really in the mood, Mom," I call back, rubbing my forehead. "Tell them I'll call later." I don't know who it is, but it doesn't matter; I have no intention of calling anyone.

The night after Duke dropped me off at home while my parents had been fighting, I had talked to him on the phone. He'd texted me asking if I was okay, and I called him to let him know I would be. What should have been a quick phone call lasted for hours, and somewhere around two in the morning I had fallen asleep on him with my phone pressed to my ear and a blanket wrapped around my body.

But since then, I haven't talked to much of anyone. Dad came back the next day to take his things, and since he's left, it's only been Mom and me. And I've been okay with that, mostly because I know I have things I need to work through.

"Too late." A feminine voice fills my room, and I don't even have to look to know a megawatt smile fits with it.

I tuck my hair behind my ears and lick my lips, placing my hands on my hips. "Angela, what are you doing here?"