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She nods and follows me into the bar.
It takes me a while to find Battle. He’s playing pinball in the corner. A cigarette dangles between his lips. I suppose I’m responsible for his nicotine relapse as well. I’d been expecting to see him with his tongue down the blonde’s throat, and I’m relieved he’s alone.
I square my shoulders as I approach him. He doesn’t look up when I lay the stack of checks and cash on the glass of the pinball machine. I stare at him, giving him a second to acknowledge me, to look at me. To say something—anything to reassure me he’s more than a hollow shell of a man, hell bent on punishing himself for God knows what reasons. To make me believe my heart isn’t deceiving me by thinking he actually cares about me. Nothing. He doesn’t even blink.
Ginger puts her arm around me as we walk to her car. With close friendships comes understanding. Ginger knows me well enough to understand I’m not ready to talk about what happened. Even when she drops me off at my car and says goodbye, she doesn’t push for details.
My parents are expecting me for dinner in half an hour. I have no desire to go, but they need to know Wyatt and I are no longer together. They’ll be upset, but I believe once I explain how things have been going, they’ll understand. As much as they like Wyatt, I’m their daughter. I know they want me to be happy.
At least the restaurant they chose is relatively casual. I can wear jeans. After I get dressed, I pull my long blonde waves into a ponytail and freshen up my makeup.
I arrive at the restaurant a few minutes late. The hostess shows me to the table where my parents are. There are three extra and unexpected people in attendance. My chest flames. The heat spreads slowly up my neck as my hands shake mildly. I take a deep breath to stay calm. How could they ambush me like this?
“Hey, beautiful,” Wyatt says. I glare at him as he walks over to me. He kisses me on the cheek and whispers, “I missed you.”
Sure he missed me. That’s why he called me every night and sent flowers.
“Obviously,” I huff as his mother approaches me.
“Oh, Faye, it’s been too long since you’ve come to see me.” Her hand is cold in mine as she kisses both of my cheeks. I don’t recall her coming to see me, or calling to see how I was.
She flips her shoulder length brown hair before returning to the table. Mr. Daughtrey greets me with a friendly hello from the chair next to her.
I glance at my parents. Their expressions alert me to what they already know. I dumped Wyatt and they aren’t happy about it. The crease between my father’s eyebrows is deeper than I’ve ever seen it. My mother looks like she’s been sucking on a lemon, and neither of them says a word.
“Mom, Dad,” I say, with a tenacious distance I hope they feel.
“Faye.” My father nods as I fill the seat next to my mother.
The air in the room thickens with unpleasant vibes. Everyone radiates unpleasantness, except for Wyatt, who sits, gloating with a complacent grin.
He’s pulled this crap before. It usually works. The difference this time is I’ve matured in the last few weeks, become an independent woman, less fearful of spontaneity, and more accepting of life’s unexpected turns. I’m not afraid of abandoning the plan if it no longer works for me. And Wyatt Daughtrey definitely no longer fits into my future.
He had an opportunity to prove himself worthy of me, and he failed. I will not be held accountable for his actions by our parents.
My father sits up in his chair. I silently recite what I know he’s going to say, before he opens his mouth and repeats it verbatim. “Faye, honey, life’s like a game of chess, one wrong move and it’s game over. Wyatt has shared with us that you broke up with him. We’re a little disappointed to say the least. Makin’ such radical decisions without thinkin’ them through is rather irresponsible.”
I mentally roll my eyes. “I gave plenty of consideration to my decision.”
“Well, honey,” my mother interjects, “I’m sure the two of you can work it out. I had cold feet before I married your father, but we talked about it, and … it worked out.”
I can’t do this. I can’t listen to them draw comparisons, and try to manipulate me to do what they want. They need to hear what I want. “What happens in mine and Wyatt’s relationship is between me and Wyatt. I’m sorry, and I mean this as politely as possible, but y’all need to butt out.”
“Faye,” my mother recoils.
“No, Mother.” I hold my hand up, shooting Wyatt a menacing glance. “Wyatt and I have an understandin’.”
“Hardly,” Wyatt tosses his hands up. “You broke up with me, and I didn’t even get a say.”
“Do you actually want to have this conversation in front of our parents?” I ask through gritted teeth.
“We’re concerned about you, honey,” my mom offers. “You haven’t been yourself lately.”
“Yes, I was very disappointed to hear you requested a break,” Mrs. Daughtrey chimes in, adding her unsolicited two cents. “Wyatt is working extremely hard. You should be supportive.”
Now I do roll my eyes for the world to see. “Is that what he told you? No disrespect, but Wyatt is the one who requested a break.” I turn my head to Wyatt. “What was it, the fourth, maybe fifth one since college?”
“Faye, don’t,” Wyatt requests, his plan failing miserably and slapping him in the face.
