Clara: I tried to be vague.
Clara: But she wants to meet me.
Jonah: No.
Clara: It might be easier if I just come back for a quick visit. I have to be in Houston in a couple of weeks, anyway. I’d be happy to fly over to Tampa for the weekend. We can treat it like we treated it when you met my uncle.
Jonah: Absolutely not
Clara: Fine. Whatever.
Clara: But I’m not going to ignore her when she messages.
Jonah: Fine. Just don’t go meet her in person.
Clara: Why not? I get it. You can’t stand me. But she’s lonely and wants to meet the woman she thinks is her daughter-in-law. What could it hurt?
Jonah: You have no idea what you’re talking about.
Clara: Believe it or not, I am a nice person. Most people like me.
Jonah: I’m sure they do.
Clara: I’m not mean. I’m not malicious. Most people think I’m a goddamn delight.
Clara: I would never purposely hurt her. So if she wants to meet me, why would that be the worst thing ever?
Jonah: Just stop. Please.
Clara: Fine.
Clara: But I’m not going to block her. I won’t go see her the next time I’m stateside, but I won’t block her either.
chapterseven
Clara
Seven months after the wedding
Yeah. I don’t block his mom.
She and I keep chatting. In fact, she’s quickly becoming one of my favorite people. Take that Jonah-McBossy-Pants-Landrine!
Do I harbor unrealistic fantasies about introducing her to my Uncle Red and the two of them having a late-in-life-romance? I just might.
Do I secretly pretend she’s my real mother-in-law and that I’ll get to have custody of her in the divorce? Yeah. Probably.
That’s not particularly emotionally healthy, is it?
What can I say? My three big weaknesses in life are Ding Dongs, bioluminescent sea life, and women who treat me like a daughter.
It’s not my fault Ding Dongs are delicious and bioluminescence is beautiful, or that my own mother is a self-absorbed narcissist who never hugged me enough. My point is, messaging with Jonah’s mom is one of my favorite parts of my day, and I’m eternally grateful that Ididn’tblock her.
Marcia: Hi, dear. How are you today?
Clara: I’m great. How are you?
Marcia: I’m good.
