Page 112 of A Love Like Candle Light

Erik glances up, first in surprise, then the words register and once he meets my eyes, both of our faces pull into a grin. It's the first time I've called him my boyfriend to his face, and saying it out loud still feels a lot more meaningful than just thinking it.

“Oh dear.” Here we go. I close my eyes and prepare myself for the inevitable rant. “I cannot believe you, Kylie. You're going against the holy sacrament—”

“Mother, may I just remind you that you are on husband number three?” Erik hides laughter with a cough.

“I have repented. Marriage is a holy connection.”

“Oh, then it's all fine.” I roll my eyes and jump up to pace my living room. “I'll jump into a church real quick and do a bunch of repenting. Will you get off my back then?”

“Kylie, you are making a joke of God.”

I stop in front of my ceiling-high window, staring at my confused expression in the glass. “I quite literally said I was going to repent.”

“But you don't sound like you mean it.”

“Did you? Just to freshen up your memory, the reason you divorced Dad is because you were having an affair. That's twice the repentance you have to do.” I cross my arm over my chest, eyebrows furrowing into a frown.

“Kylie—”

“And I'm pretty sure you've lied to me before. About Santa, for example. Have you repented all of those? How about your second divorce?”

“You can't just—”

“Yes I can. I asked you to leave me the hell alone about my divorce countless times. And what do you do? Send Zach here. I have enough of your meddling.”

“Kylie, I—”

What can I even do? Cut contact with my mother? She will make that everyone's problem. I'm not ready to deal with a freak-out of such a scale at the moment. And then I get an idea.

“Mother, if you keep pestering me about this, I will convert to satanism.”

She gasps. “Kylie, you—”

“Hey, look on the bright side. If I'm a Satanist, maybe I'll get a special place in hell. Maybe we'll run into each other.”

“Why can't you—”

“I mean it, mother.” All I hear on the line are her heavy breaths. Disappointment washes over me. Is my non-existent marriage all she cares about? Guess I won’t know unless I ask. “Do you really have nothing else to talk to me about aside from Zach? How was the vacation you and Thomas went on?”

“I am trying to save you—”

And there is my confirmation. “From hell. Yes, I know, you’ve made it more than clear. And I've made it more than clear I don’t want you to. Maybe I like the prospect of a warm and toasty afterlife. Last chance, how was your vacation?”

“Never mind about my vacation.”

“Okay, then I'm hanging up now, mother.” Fingers tapping against the crease of my elbow, I let out a deep sigh. “And I'm serious. One more call about my divorce, and satanism it is.”

Before she can answer, I hang up.

“Is everything okay?” Erik nods at my phone and tilts his head in worry.

“That was only my meddling mother.” I put the phone on silent and set it on the counter screen-down, knowing she’ll ring me about five more times until she gives up.

“Parents, huh? Hate them, love them, even through the stupid shit.”

“Amen.” As much as it sucks, it’s freeing to talk to someone whose parents aren’t all roses and sunshine either. Though he arguably has it worse than me.

We stare at each other for a moment or two, and then, as if on cue we burst into laughter. Full on belly-holding, can’t calm back down laughter