Kiss My Sass [Books 1 & 2]

[book 1] chapter twenty-three: the ugly truth

    "This doesn't explain anything though," I argued. "Why did he leave?"

    She heaved a sigh before resuming. I could tell this was difficult for my mom to say, but having my dad leave and not knowing why was also pretty damn difficult if I said so myself. "Well, your father and I worked at the same law firm and as our home tensions increased, he started taking longer shifts and changed his hours. I assumed it was to spend less time with me at home but I was wrong." I stared into her eyes, able to see the reflection of the flames from the fire burning in them. She tore her gaze to stare at the fire instead. "Two years." A single tear rolled down her cheek. I thought I was the only one shocked, but I looked around to see my brothers showing similar reactions. Not only did my mother never ruin her makeup but she also never cried. My heart sunk a little and I suddenly felt like the world's shittiest daughter but I didn't think I wanted to hear what she'd say next. "For two years he had an affair with my colleague."

    It felt like I had just been punched in the gut. My throat constricted as bile rose up from my stomach and it felt like the life was sucked out of me. My lips parted as I gasped for air, unable to make sense of the words she uttered. Brenton tried to comfort me but I slapped his hand away, wanting nothing more than to undo this entire day. There was no way, absolutely no goddamn way my father was a cheater. My eyes welled up with tears. He couldn't be. He left because Mom wanted him to, not because he abandoned his family. I had heard more than enough, but Mom wasn't finished yet. "It's almost kind of comical. The coworker you saw every day but never even talked to, aside from a few hellos, was sleeping with your husband right under your nose." Mom shook her head. "They both played me like an unsuspecting fool for two years."

    I swallowed my lunch that was threatening to come back up, ignoring the burning sensation in my throat. "Was her name Elizabeth?"

    When Mom and Niko both looked at me with widened eyes, I didn't want to hear any more. "Let me guess," Mom spat bitterly. "They're still together, aren't they?" I didn't have to answer because she knew. We all knew. "The night I discovered your father's unfaithfulness, I gave him the option of breaking things off with Elizabeth and starting from a clean slate, or that he leave immediately and never contact you kids again."

    "You would have forgiven him?" I asked bewilderedly. My mother was a stubborn as hell woman and I never heard of a single incident where she was willing to forgive, forget and move on.

    "No," she said in a voice so soft I almost didn't catch it. "I could never forgive him for breaking my trust but I knew how special he was to all of you."

    My heart sunk even more. The woman I had pinned as an evil monster for so long was willing to put up with the man who cheated on her just because I wanted him in my life? "You don't have to continue..."

    She held her hand to silence me. "I promised myself I would tell you everything if this day came. After he left I filed for divorce and took sole custody of all of you. He didn't put up a fight, even when we made an agreement that he was never to see or speak to any of you again." That made absolutely no sense. How could Dad not put up a fight? He loved us more than life itself, there was no way he'd let Mom win that easily. "I never told you the truth because I knew you were the closest to your father and it would have killed you inside and ruined your image of him to know why he left. It was my fault for keeping this from you for so long."

    Now that she was done everyone looked at me expectantly as they awaited my response. I had a series of mixed emotions coursing through me from feeling betrayed, furious, devastated, and strongest of all, broken. "You were left in the dark for two years and you couldn't find it in yourself to forgive him." I paused. "Try five years." I stood up and bolted up the stairs though thankfully no one stopped me. I opened my bedroom door before getting inside and slamming it shut as I made a beeline for my bed. I pressed my face against my pillow as the remainder of the tears I had been holding in finally escaped. I lost track of time, finally getting a temporary break from my raging thoughts when my bedroom door opened. "Get out," I barked without checking who it was.