FATE

73. Four am

BROOKE

Four am.

Her unconscious form lays on the couch across from me. I had brought down a blanket to cover her with but she turned around so much that it fell off her body, draping over the floor. I sigh to myself. Why would she say something like that? Why would she say he isn't my dad?

I've always felt like sometimes, she says things to purposely hurt me. Perhaps this is one of those moments? But it doesn't feel like that. It would explain a whole lot of things plus she was drunk. Jonah once told me that drunk men tell no lies.

I stand and creep towards the couch. Her purse lies on the floor next to her. I pick it up and open it, taking out her phone. As I turn it on, the bright light distorts my vision slightly. The phone makes a beeping sound and she groans in her sleep, adjusting herself- but she doesn't wake up.

The phone is locked but fortunately, she doesn't have any password or fingerprint set. I swipe up and open the phone, going through her call log. She called Blake, my dad and Phil yesterday. That's why she got drunk. She had a fight with one of them.

I know I'm invading her privacy, but I can't stop thinking about what she said. I leave her call log and go through her texts, glancing at her face just in case she wakes up. There are no texts with Blake or my dad- but with Phil, there are texts from my mom to him. He hasn't replied any of them. I know how painful that must feel.

I scroll up to their last conversation. My mom has been texting a lot since Phil left. I would be too scared I'll seem awkward and desperate. I'm surprised he hasn't blocked her or something.

I'm relieved when I finally find the last message, he sent her. it's a voice note. I glance at her and stand. Then I walk out of the living room. I play the voice note and reduce the volume quickly so it doesn't wake her up.

"I need some time off Ally", I hear Phil say, "I would appreciate it if you don't try to contact me. I just- ", he pauses. I've never heard Phil sound like this, "- I love you", he says, "I love you and that's the worst part of it all. I loved you enough to forgive you the last time but I can't let my love for you turn me into a fool. I'm sorry but I can't"

The voice note ends. Phil sounded sad. I've never heard him sound so sad. He is usually smiley and laid back so whatever my mom did must have hit him. Of course, it did, he moved out of his own house because of it.

I stare at the screen. My mom replied him two minutes later.

"I'll never see him again, I promise", the first message says, "just please come back home"

"That's what you said last time", Phil replies, "When you love someone, you don't cheat on them Alison"

That was his last message. After that is the billion texts my mom sends him.

I'll never see him again.

I turn off the phone and step back into the living room. So that's what happened. My mom cheated on Phil and she didn't just do it once. I shake my head as I walk back to the couch to slip the phone back into her purse. I have learnt not to judge people for the things they choose to do but I can understand how painful this must be for Phil. Just the thought of Jonah being with that Shannon girl was enough for me.

I place the purse on the coffee table and stare back at mom. I push back loose strands of her hair. She sighs in her sleep. She looks so peaceful, almost like how she was when I was younger. She's changed a lot since then and now but she's still my mom.

"Oh mom", I say softly, "you need to stop hurting the people you say you love"

I stare out the window. The night sky is still dark but I know it's going to brighten soon and then the sun will rise. I really need to get some sleep. In the morning, I can talk to mom.