Page 534 of End Game

“That isn't reassuring.”

“Neither is divorce court, Mom.”

Clay covers his mouth.

Dad looks like he's fighting a smile.

Mom is not.

“I know what you're asking,” I say. “I can't promise we're all going to die holding hands at ninety-five. I couldn't promise that about one husband either.”

I glance at Griffin. “What I can tell you is this isn't an experiment.”

“It's not a phase. Griffin isn't waiting for me to get it out of my system. The other guys aren't temporary entertainment until I decide to be normal.”

Mom winces at the word.

Good.

Maybe she should.

“They are people I love.”

The sentence sits there.

Simple.

True.

Mom looks at me for a long time. “I don't know how to be okay with this.”

My chest aches. “I know.”

“I don't approve.”

“I know.”

“But I don't want to lose you.”

That almost does me in.

My eyes burn so quickly I have to look down.

I blink hard. “Then don't.”

Her face crumples slightly.

Dad reaches for her hand. “We love you.”

“I love you too.”

“That doesn't mean we're going to pretend this makes sense to us.”

“I didn't ask you to.”

Mom shakes her head. “I just hope all of you come to your senses.”

The hurt lands exactly where expected.