“Oh, I know, honey. I’m sorry I wasn’t able to answer. I’ve been in talks about this fabulous role in a psychological thriller, and it’s been consuming my energy this past week or two.”
“That’s great, Mom. When will you find out if you got the part?”
“Hopefully in the next few weeks.” There’s a slight commotion in the background, then the slamming of what sounds like a car door. “I’m leaving my Vinyasa session with my yogi.”
Ah. That explains the out-of-breath-ness. Ever since my parents decided to divorce, I’ve been dreading the moment one of them calls to tell me they’ve fallen for some younger movie star or one of their assistants.
Though, in my dad’s case, that would mean he’d be falling for my ex-boyfriend, so that seems unlikely. Not entirely out of the realm of possibility, but unlikely.
Also, I guess my mom could be fucking her yogi.
“Have you spoken to your father lately?” She may be a world-class actress with two Oscars on the shelf and a whole host of other accolades, but I can always see right through her.
“Not really.” Neither of my parents is great at keeping in touch. I love them, but I’ve spent the better part of my life with one or both of them away from home for months at a time. Regular phone calls aren’t a staple of our family dynamic.
She makes a huffing sound. “He wants to keep the estate in Hollywood. You know he doesn’t love that house as much as I do.”
Oh, no. I’m not doing this. The very last thing I want is to get in the middle of their divorce drama. “Mom, we’ve talked about this.”
“I know. I just can’t believe he’s doing this to me.”
There’s been a lot of speculation in the media as to why my parents are divorcing. Affairs, jealousy, boredom, even that the whole thing could be one giant PR stunt to get people talking about them again. I have no idea which is the real reason, and to be honest, I’m not sure I want to. They’re not perfect people, but I love my mom and dad. I don’t want the way I see either to change.
“Divorce is always hard, Mom.”
“I never thought I’d be in this position.” There’s a weariness in her voice that can’t be faked. A lot of people were surprised to find Robert Bloom and Vivian Marsh in this position. They’ve been America’s sweethearts for decades. The pinnacle of a Hollywood love story.
But I’ve watched the cracks form and grow firsthand. I’d have recognized them even if I wasn’t a romance writer, but they’re even more obvious to me because I am. It was the way they stopped kissing each other goodnight. How my mom’s smile wasn’t as bright when my dad would come home from a particularly long shoot on location halfway across the world. They used to hold hands anytime we left the house when I was a kid. But somewhere around my late teens or early twenties, they’d switched to holding their phones, necks bent, bodies angled away from each other.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
“It is what it is, I suppose,” she replies a little too breezily. “How is Minneapolis? I still don’t understand why you had to go halfway across the country. What does Minnesota have that California doesn’t?”
Sebastian Navarro.
“I needed to get away from the media circus.”
She hums at that. “I’m sorry they’ve been bothering you again.”
“Comes with the territory,” I reply. Which is why I needed to leave it.
“Ryland was asking about you the other day when he came to the house to pick up something for your father.” My parents both love Ryland. They were more devastated than I was when he ended things, which feltgreat, let me tell you.
“Was he?”I don’t care.
“He was surprised to hear you and Lola had gone to Minnesota. You didn’t tell him?”
“Why would I, Mom? We broke up.Hebroke up withme.”
“I still think you two were perfect together. He’s such an ambitious young man. And so handsome.” Which are two of the most desirable things you can be in Hollywood. Handsome and ambitious. Too bad things like kindness, loyalty, and empathy aren’t as celebrated. The things I happen to value are often seen as weaknesses in my parents’ circles. You need to be cutthroat to succeed in Hollywood, and it’s difficult to be cutthroat when you’re also kind and loyal.
“Sorry to disappoint.”
My mom sighs. “Oh, sweetie, no, that’s not what I meant.”
“It’s fine. Listen, Mom, I’m pretty deep in this chapter. Can we talk later?”
“Of course. Do we get to read this one?”
