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“Mom!”
“You were so upset and trying to put your life back together,” I try to explain. “I just wanted you to have whatever you needed.”
“I didn’t need you to lie to me, Mom,” she says. “Jesus. Does he know?”
“Not yet,” Court says. “But Wyatt alluded to things not being as they seem with you when he was angry. Secrets like these don’t tend to stay down for long. It would be better coming from you than a stranger.”
“Yeah,” she says. “I guess. I gotta go figure somethings out.”
“Honey, I’m so sorry.”
“Yeah, Mom. Me too,” she says and then the call ends.
I turn on Court. “You had no right!”
“She had to know,” he says calmly.
“It doesn’t matter,” I shout. “I told you no and you pushed anyway.”
“It will be better coming from her than if he hears from someone else.”
“That doesn’t matter,” I reply. “She’s my daughter, not yours and you had no right.”
He reels back as if I’ve slapped him. “Zelda—” he starts.
“No, none of it matters because this was all a mistake.”
“What?”
“You heard me. This was a huge mistake. I never should have gotten involved with you.”
“So let me get this straight, you’re going to throw everything we have and could have away because I want to do right by not only your adult daughter and her child, but also a man I’ve grown to have a lot of respect for. Whether you like it or not, this whole town is perpetrating a huge scheme against him because he should have every right to know his daughter.”
“Yes,” I say. “That’s exactly what I’m telling you. I think you need to leave.”
“You’re a real piece of work,” he says, grabbing his jacket by the door. “And for whatever reason, I still love you but I’m also not going to chase you only to be thrown away every time you get scared or upset. I’m either all in or not. No going back and forth.”
“Then you’re not.”
He nods once, pulling open the door before he turns back and says, “Goodbye Zelda.”
It quietly snicks closed behind him. Honestly, it would have been better if he slammed it. That would have given me something to hold onto to know that I did right by sending him away. Now, I’m not so sure and it’s all gone. Forever. No going back and forth.
My legs seem to slide right out from under me and I sink to the old, worn wood plank floor and cry. I cry and cry and cry until there are no tears left inside me. And when there’s nothing left—no tears, no hope, no love—I let the darkness envelop me and I drift off to sleep.
It is anything but peaceful.
Chapter 13
Court
AVALANCHE
My head is fucking pounding.
The last thing I wanted to do this morning was get up and go on a bloody nature hike with Merritt, Wyatt, and Mason, but we’re supposed to be scouting for part of the show. Matt is shooting some B-roll scenes to cut to.
Poor Merritt looks the worse for wear. She got her hide chewed good yesterday and now has to face everyone again. I have to hand it to her; she’s been quiet and thoughtful but not at all disrespectful. If I were in her shoes, I’m not sure I could do the same thing where Wyatt is concerned.
