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I sat there stunned at my father’s confession. He wasn’t the emotional type, so this was a side of him that I’d never seen. Especially since he’d tried over the years to convince Nick that love didn’t matter, that it wasn’t real, and a bunch of other crap. My dad had definitely turned a corner since he’d tried to ruin Nick’s life.
Then pride rolled through me at the thought of my mom’s strength and determination to stand up for herself and for my baby brother. I was so damn proud of her for doing what was obviously right, and found myself inspired.
“I can’t believe all of this happened and none of us knew.”
“You boys are a bit busy running a successful business.” He gave me a sheepish grin. “And I didn’t want you to know. I was pretty embarrassed.”
I was nodding in understanding as my mom poked her head through the doorway.
“Can I come in?”
I stood up and swept her into a bear hug, pride still surging inside me. “Mom.”
Her green eyes, so like mine, shone brightly as she cupped my cheek with her hand. “My sweet Frank. How are things?”
I cast a wary glance at my dad, and he cleared his throat.
“I’ll give you two a minute alone,” he said before placing a soft kiss on my mom’s cheek and peeking out the door. “You’ll be happy to know that your brother’s shirt is back where it belongs,” he called out before closing the door behind him.
I laughed, and my mom’s face lit up. She looked genuinely happy before focusing her attention on me, her expression shifting to reveal the concern she so clearly felt.
“If your dad left us, then I’m a bit worried.”
Curious what her opinion might be, and knowing she’d never let me get away with not coming clean at this point, I filled her in. Her face softened as she listened intently, tucking a strand of her sandy-blond hair behind her ear.
“Oh, honey, I’m so sorry you’re in this situation, and I know how hard it must be for you. I want all my boys to be happy. It kills me to think of how long you haven’t been, and that I had no idea.” She pressed a hand to her heart and sighed. “And while I would never suggest leaving one relationship for another, that’s not what this is. So, before you go beating yourself up over that notion, because I know how you are, listen to me.”
She motioned for us to sit, and I moved back behind the desk while she took the chair Dad had just left.
“I like Shelby. She’s a nice girl, but if she’s not the one for you, then it’s time to move on. For your sake and hers. It’s not fair to either of you to continue living like this. It’s not about the other woman you met either, and you need to know that. She will probably need to know that as well at some point, since she was the push you needed to finally put things in perspective. I’m convinced that if you’d never met this girl, you’d probably stay with Shelby as long as she allowed it. But I promise you that eventually Shelby would have left you. A woman can only take things not going well for so long before we snap. And once we walk away, there’s usually no coming back.”
Everything Mom said made so much sense, and I nodded. “I’ve just been so afraid to make a mistake or make the wrong decision. I’ve been afraid that leaving would somehow ruin Shelby, or break her, or make me a bad person.”
Mom gave me a stern look. “You’re not a bad person, but you are being selfish and inconsiderate. You’re not being fair. And more importantly, you’re wasting time. Life is short, sweetie. It’s too damn short to live with regrets. Or to spend years in a relationship when you’ve grown apart and the love has shifted. Not one of us is guaranteed a tomorrow. Everything can change in an instant,” she said, snapping her fingers. “We all think that our time is infinite, but it’s not. It’s limited, and you’re throwing it away. True love brings true happiness, and you deserve to have both. So does Shelby. You need to set her free, and you need to free yourself. Her dad would understand, honey. I promise you, he would want that for you both as well.”
My eyes stung, and I almost started bawling like a baby. I’d never realized how much I needed the support and encouragement from my parents. Hearing them both tell me that what I wanted to do was the right thing, and that wanting it didn’t make me a bad person, made a difference in how I felt about myself and the situation I’d put myself in.
“Are you okay?” she asked.
“I am,” I said, feeling stronger and more resolute than I had five minutes before.
“I love you.” She stood up and hugged me, and I squeezed her extra tight.
“Thank you.”
She looked up at me, her gaze pleading. “I’m always here for you, Frank. Please don’t keep things like this to yourself from now on. Talk to me. Or, at least, talk to your brothers.”
“I will,” I promised, and she turned for the door. It opened before she reached it, and my dad stepped through.
“I was just coming to get you. I’m exhausted, woman.”
My mom laughed. “Me too.”
“I’ll be right out,” he said as she slipped past him, and my heart felt full.
“I thought of something while I was out there talking to your brothers,” he said, and I nodded for him to continue. “If you were to go home to Shelby right now and she asked you to leave, told you it was over, how would you feel?”
That was a question I hadn’t expected. My answer was a gut-level response that came out before I could stop it. “Relieved.”
