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“And the necklace you’re wearing?” she asked already knowing the answer to that. I felt the burning in my eyes again. Apparently I couldn’t stop crying.
“Yes,” I muttered through tears. “He gave it to me.”
Elizabeth came and hugged me while I wept. At some point I felt she waved off Garret and Troy. I heard them leaving the house.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Clem? You are clearly suffering. It can’t be right if it makes you so miserable.”
“I have to. I have to,” I was saying franticly shaking my head. “I’m just going to miss you all so much.”
She looked at me for a few seconds, she was hesitating.
“I talked to Lucas last night. He knows that there is something wrong and that it is big enough to mess you up like this, but he still has hope, Clem. If you are sure you’re leaving, tell him. Give him closure. It doesn’t have to be ugly. I even think he’ll understand.”
I nodded.
“I will. I will. I just need to pull myself together.”
I wondered where Lucas was. He wasn’t home when I left. And three hours after his family left my house, his room was still empty. I could see it now. My curtains were open.
The doorbell rang, and I jumped up from my bed, running downstairs, thinking it was him.
I swung the door open out of breath.
My mother was looking at me from the other side of the door, dressed in a pencil skirt and a shirt. Her hair was up, her make-up perfect.
I was wearing jeans and a tee. I had zero make-up on and my hair was a mess.
We were so different. Two strangers. She had no idea who I was. She only knew who she wanted me to be. And I had no interest in finding out who she was.
“What are you doing here?” I asked.
“I came to see the house.”
Of course. Not me. The fucking house.
Her gaze was moving over my body.
“You put on some weight.”
“And I see you haven’t changed one bit,” I plastered a fake smile on my face. It was true. I had put on a few pounds, but when she left for rehab I was really skinny. I looked healthy now. “Please, come in. Take a look around.”
I moved away from the door and waved her in.
She didn’t apologize, didn’t mention the fire. She didn’t ask how I was doing or anything about the Coles or the fact that the least she could do was to thank them for taking me in. She just looked around and whatever thoughts she had, she kept to herself.
Rehab might have helped her with her drinking problem, but sure as hell hadn’t changed anything between us.
“You know, Clementine, you’re the only one that never came to visit me in the rehab center. Even your father came twice.”
Did he now? He went visit his ex-wife twice, but he didn’t come see me even for my birthday. What was that all about?
“Good for you. Listen, Sylvia,” I exhaled. “I know that dad rented you an apartment. Why don’t you go there and call the others?”
I pointed the front door. She moved towards it.
“Everyone is coming next weekend,” she said when she stepped outside.
“Everyone?” I asked, but I couldn’t care less.
