Bette shook her head, stopping the trail of questions now before it got out of hand. "No, Mother. I live alone in my apartment." Clara didn't need to know that Kerrie was only a floor away and her landlord.
"Mom!"
Bette looked up, searching for where her daughter's voice had come from.
"Zoe! Over here, Zoe," called out Kerrie, her long arm going up. No doubt she was easily spotted.
Bette's chest exploded with jubilation when she saw her daughter beaming from ear to ear with her cap and diploma in her hand. The jubilation lasted about two seconds because right behind Zoe were Shelly and the toddler.
Zoe rushed over and hugged Bette, who allowed herself to soak up the embrace. Her little girl was not so little anymore, but when she looked into Zoe's face as she pulled back, all she saw was a toothy little 2-year-old grinning back at her with tiny blonde pigtails and little overalls. She felt tears beginning to spring up. She swallowed thickly to push them back down. She had already become an emotional wreck once, and she didn't want to do it again, especially with Shelly there. It would only make her look weak. And someone should never look weak in front of a predator.
Shelly and Jen were styled to the nines as always. Both were dressed femininely. Bette was glad that she didn't wear the jumpsuit because Shelly was wearing something similar. Hanging on her arm was Jen, looking every bit of her 23 years.How in the world could Shelly have that child on her arm and not feel ridiculous?The age difference was clear as day despite the fact that Shelly worked very hard to keep her youthful looks up, fighting the aging process with everything in her. Try as she might, she still looked like Jen's mother, not her lover.
"Ah, there you are. We tried looking for you but didn't see you," said Shelly. She shifted her gaze over the three of them as if deciding who to approach first. "Mother Cooper, it's nice to see you again."
"Hello, Shelly. Lovely day for graduation, don't you think?" She turned her attention to Jen, putting on a condescending smile. "And who is this child with you? Are you a friend of Zoe's?"
Bette would have given anything at that moment to have been filming Shelly's reaction—the shocked, wide-eyed look that was quickly replaced with cool, tight-lipped anger. She was secretly proud of her mother. Bette heard Kerrie let out a soft snort beside her and gently elbowed the taller woman in the rib while trying to contain her own laughter.
Jen's face quickly became red, and she huffed, but Jen wasn't as smooth as Shelly. Shelly gave the briefest shake of her head to Jen and plastered on a fake smile. "No, this is not Zoe's friend. This is my girlfriend, Jen."
Looking indifferent, Clara shrugged slightly. "My apologies, June."
"It's Jen," stressed the bright blonde through clenched teeth. She looked lovely in her bodycon beige dress, so tight that the outline of her belly button showed, andher black heels were paired with a nice leather shoulder bag. Her hair was a little too slicked down. The outfit gave the impression the young woman was trying to look sophisticated but didn't quite know how to pull it off. Bette almost felt bad for Jen. She probably felt every bit of the weight of judgment from those around her.
"All right, so why don't we get a few pictures, and then let's go to the house? I'm starving," interjected Zoe. She was always really good at redirection.
Pictures were a slightly awkward affair, but they managed to get a few in without much of an issue. They would take formal ones after lunch.
"Your mother is brutal," said Kerrie when they got back in the truck. She turned it on, and they both let out a sigh as cool air began flowing out of the vents.This old truck has a great AC.
With her eyes closed, Bette took a couple of deep breaths, her head leaned back on the headrest, and nodded. "That she is. I absolutely loved what she said to Shelly, though. My mother and Shelly never got along. Two narcissists butting heads with me in the middle for over 20 years of fights."
"I can only imagine the kind of throwdowns those two would have had. I did kind of feel bad for Jen. She looked as if she was trying her best to fit in, but I don't think she has the confidence to do it yet."
"Yeah, I think you're right. I really want to dislike her, especially because she did know that Shelly was married when they began their affair, but I can't help but feel like she's a lamb among wolves."
Chapter 21
Bette hadn't been back to her old house in months—not since the judge had awarded the house to Shelly. That had been a hard day. She tucked her tail between her legs and drove back to her mother's house, where she hadn't lived since she was 20 years old. She had vowed never to live with her mother again, but there she was, at 47, moving back in. It had been a hard pill to swallow.
They pulled into the long driveway that curved at an angle so as not to obstruct the view of the house. She found herself with nervous jitters running all through her. As if sensing it, Kerrie reached over and took her hand, squeezing it gently as she slowly rolled the truck to a stop and parked. They stared up at the large three-story, five-bedroom, six-bath home with its modern-day columns and white and wood beams. They had argued over the house when they were house hunting. Bette wanted something more classic. Maybe a vintage fixer-upper. She absolutely adored wooden staircases, rounded door frames, and vintage white tiles. The kind of home that had withstood for 100 years. The kind of home that had character. Shelly wanted modern blacks and whites and metal, chunks of wood here and there. The family room was the only area that was a little bit more Bette's style. Even their shared bedroom didn't have a cohesive feel. One could spot little things that were Bette's touches, but it was always surrounded by her wife's cold and impersonal choices.
"This is a really nice house," said Kerrie, staring up at it.
Bette nodded, the lines in her forehead creasing. "It is a nice house. It's a really nice house. But it always felt a little cold. You can put all the money you want into something, but that doesn't make it home."
"Are you going to be okay doing this? We can always turn back around, and you can blame me for needing to leave. I don't mind."
The urge to let Kerrie whisk her away was strong. She didn't want to walk back into that house, and she didn't want to spend the next two hours with her ex-wife and ex-in-laws. But she did want to make this day great for Zoe, and though Zoe would probably understand, she would still be a little disappointed if her mom didn't show up.
With a squeeze to Kerrie's hand, she put on a smile. "As tempting as that is, I have to do this. Zoe deserves this day to be about her."
Kerrie nodded. "I understand. I know it must be hard, but I admire your love for Zoe. She's lucky to have you."
"I think the same thing about you with Kenny."
A car pulled up beside them, and they both turned to see who it was.
