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Brooke sighed. She so wasn’t ready to have this conversation. Especially on the stairs of the university building, surrounded by students she studied with every day. “I can’t come with you in the car,” she said, her voice patient in spite of her frustration. “My own car’s in the lot. Plus Nick has swimming lessons today, so we’re heading straight there.” She started to walk down the stairs. Her mother followed her, a step behind. She could see her shadow moving.
“At least tell me you and Nick are okay. I’ve been worried to death about you. We both have. The way you left was so childish. I can’t understand you putting your son in danger like that.”
Brooke stopped short. “I’d never put Nick in danger. Never. We stayed with friends for a few days, and now we have our own place. We’re both fine.” And she’d already said more than she intended to. Damn, her mother was good.
She took long strides across the concrete path, her mother’s shoes clicking as she struggled to keep up. This was so stupid and embarrassing. She felt about five years old.
“Where are you living? We need to know for insurance purposes. And what if something happens to you? Who’s going to help you?” Her mom was panting between words. “Will you slow down for a minute? Let me talk to you, for goodness sake.”
Dear God, she wasn’t going to let it go, was she? Biting back a groan, Brooke stopped and turned to look at her mom. She was standing about five feet away, her hands on her thighs, trying to catch her breath. Brooke tried to ignore the guilt tapping at her brain, pushing all the buttons her parents installed from birth.
She’s your mother, she demands respect.
He’s your father, he knows best.
You’re a child, Brooke. Let us make the decisions.
Dammit, they were like fruit flies, buzzing around, distracting her. Impossible to swat away.
“We’re both fine. We’re in an apartment near Silver Sands. It’s clean, it’s nice, and it’s close to the bay. What else do you want to know?”
“How are you paying for it?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“But it is my business. You’re my daughter, and Nick is my grandson. If you’re getting into debt, it could reflect badly on us. Or if you’re doing something…” she lowered her voice, “illegal or immoral.”
Brooke laughed, shaking her head. “Are you asking me if I’m turning tricks to pay the rent?”
“Brooke! Stop it.” Lilian looked around to see if anybody was listening. “You shouldn’t make jokes like that.”
Funny thing was, she wasn’t really joking. She wouldn’t put it past her mom to suspect that. Everything about this conversation was making her want to scream.
“What illegal or immoral things do you think I’m up to?” Brooke asked her.
Lilian shook her head. “Stop evading the question. How are you paying for your apartment?”
“With the money I’ve saved from working every spare moment I’ve had.” There, she’d said it. And she was annoyed at herself all over again.
“And the furniture? How did you pay for that?”
“It’s a furnished apartment.”
Lilian frowned. “You didn’t choose the furniture? Have other people used it? Oh, Brooke.” She scrambled in her purse, pulling out her wallet. “At least let me buy you some new beds. You don’t know who’s been laying on them.”
Brooke could feel her jaw begin to ache from biting her tongue for too long. “Mom, I don’t need furniture. I don’t need anything. We’re fine. Thank you.” Her words were like rifle shots, staccato and loud.
Lilian blinked, as though the sun had caught her eyes. She had exactly the same expression on her face Nick got when he was reprimanded. Sad, innocent, hurt. “I’m sorry,” she said softly. “I only want what’s best for you.”
Brooke felt her shoulders slump. It was almost impossible to be mad at her mom when she had that expression on her face. She wasn’t a bad person. Okay, so she made some bad decisions – helping her dad kick the Black family out of town was one of them – but she had kindness inside her, too.
“I know you want what’s best for us,” Brooke said. “And I understand you worry about us, but you don’t need to. I’m a grown up. I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself and my child.” She licked her lips, trying to ignore the guilt still tugging at her stomach. “I’m really grateful for everything you and Dad have done for me. For us. But it’s time I started standing on my own two feet, and making my own decisions.”
It was an echo of what she’d said to Aiden, but this time it came out as a plea. Why was it so hard for her mom to understand? All her friends were treated like adults by their parents. Sometimes too much – like when Ally’s dad left her to bail out his failing business. But every time Brooke tried to pull away, her parents held on tighter.
Not anymore, though. It was time to cut the ties.
“But the decisions you make aren’t always good ones, darling.” Her mom pursed her lips, shaking her head sadly. “First, that time with Aiden, and then when you got pregnant with Nick. You were supposed to go to college, to enjoy your teens. But everywhere you went you made wrong choices.”
