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She took the wingback chair near the fireplace and sat with perfect posture, her eyes still zeroed in on us. “I realize I am not a favorite person for either of you at the moment, and that I owe both of you an apology.”
Jonah’s shoulders relaxed and we both leaned against the couch, waiting to hear what Eliza had to say.
She cleared her throat. “Last night I behaved horribly. I spent the night taking inventory of myself and my actions. I did not account for how difficult it would be to see my daughter and Jonah move on so quickly and so well from me.”
Jonah’s eyes narrowed. “We didn’t move on from you, you moved on from us a long time ago. We just adjusted. But you’re right, we’ve done well without you, thanks to Ariana,” he snapped.
Eliza gripped the chair. “I did not come down here for a confrontation.” She squirmed as if she was begging him not to make her show any emotion other than her calm, cool exterior.
“That’s the problem. We should have had more of that when we were together.” Jonah wasn’t letting up on her even though there were hints of regret in his tone.
I wasn’t going to lie, it panged my heart that he still had enough feelings for her that he regretted the end of their marriage, but I suppose that’s what made him a good person. And did I want to be with someone who could walk away from something that was supposed to be permanent without any thought or feelings at all? Of course not, but looking at the beautiful, well-put-together Eliza made it difficult for me.
Jonah must have known I was feeling uncertain. His arm around me tightened and he took my hand. He shifted his gaze from Eliza to me and the tender look he gave me said I had nothing to fear in regard to his feelings for me. I wanted to believe that. So much.
“I did not come down here to revisit past choices,” she reiterated, her voice desperately trying to remain steady. “I did what was best for all of us.”
“I’ll agree with you there,” Jonah zinged back.
Eliza blinked several times as if Jonah slapped her, but she took a deep breath and, while letting it out, rested her neatly folded hands in her lap. “We are on different paths now, and I have to come to terms with that. I thought I had. But obviously I have not worked through it as I should, but I will.” She sounded unnaturally determined, like she could will herself to do anything. Maybe she could.
“You do that,” Jonah sighed in frustration.
I was beginning to see why their marriage had ended. She had no fight in her, at least not for the things that mattered most. Once she decided something, that was it, even if it meant breaking up her family. I wondered if Jonah saw that I was trying to fight for us, even if I wasn’t all that great at it and gave up from time to time. Case in point, last night. But I was trying. I was no longer seeking therapy from Goldie and had moved on to Dr. Morales. And the fact I was here with him now was an incredible feat for me.
Eliza steeled herself and zeroed in on me. “I truly am sorry for my behavior last night, Ariana. You are doing what I asked at Thanksgiving, allowing Whitney to be part of your life. We may disagree with how she should be raised, but that does not make you wrong. And I am pleased she loves you,” she stuttered, not sounding pleased at all. “I will not interfere with your relationship with her.”
I tilted my head, not sure how to take this woman. It was as if she was relinquishing her rights to me. “Eliza, I’m not trying to take your place. There’s room for all of us in Whitney’s life.”
“That may be,” she choked out some real emotion, “but I know it is you who will make room for her.”
I rubbed my heart, aching for Whitney and in shock that Eliza would admit so freely that she was going to neglect her daughter. I wanted to yell at her that she was making the wrong choice, that she had no idea what repercussions she was setting in motion. But I didn’t, because the wonderful girl I would make all the time in the world for had woken up.
She appeared at the top of the stairs with her grandparents, who were already dressed for the day in business casual clothing. This was a weird family. I tried to ignore that Carol and Paul were with her and focus in on how cute she looked in her dinosaur PJs. Jonah hadn’t told me he had given them to her. She looked absolutely perfect with her bedhead.
