AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Have a seat, dear,” she said. Haven received me in the parlor, greeting me with an air-kiss when I approached her. We didn’t touch. “I was delighted to see your request for company. And very surprised because it’s such a sweet gesture.”
I would have loved to spar with her, but that wasn’t the point of the visit. I had to keep my eye on the prize. It was so difficult, her voice oozing with judgment. It infuriated me that I had such a hard time getting her to like me, despite my sparkling wit and undeniable charisma. I knew that Haven and I would have gotten along just fine if I had come from some family of consequence. No question. We were quite similar when it came down to it, but I feared that I would never be good enough in her eyes. She might never consider me one of them, merely pretending forever, always secretly hoping Collin would serve me my walking papers and my allotted millions outlined in the prenup.
And yes, she’d made sure it was just under $5 million to spite me.
“The pleasure is all mine, Haven.” I smiled at her. “Thank you for hosting me.”
“So how are we enjoying married life, Mrs.Case?” she asked me, as if my new name were a punch line. I had to cut right to the chase. Get in, get help and get out.
“You know that I’m so happy to be married to your son,” I began.
“Oh, yes,I know,” she interrupted, sipping her tea, keeping her eyes locked with mine.
“But I’ll be very clear with you. I wanted to ask you about something rather difficult. You see, since we’ve returned from our trip, Collin has seemed distant. I’d even go so far as to say unwell, and I’m not really sure what to do for him. To help. And since you’re his mother, I wanted to come to you.”
“Forhelp?” She cocked her head to the side, feigning cluelessness.
“Yes. Withyourson.” I had to swallow my pride. It was the best thing for Collin, so it would be the best thing for me.
“But you’re his wife?” She was taunting me. Enjoying it.
“Yes, which is a role in this family that I’m taking very seriously, hence my visit to see you today. I know we both want what’s best for Collin.”
“Do we?” Haven let the question hang in the air. I refused to acknowledge it. I had my limits. “So Collin’s in one of hismoodsI take it?” Haven said, finally breaking the silence.
“Could you clarify what you mean?” I wanted specifics. I wanted to know everything that she knew.
“I assume he’s getting a little insular? Withdrawn? Sad, basically?”
“Yes,” I said, nodding my head as she rattled off symptoms like a Zoloft commercial.
“So he gets a littlesurlysometimes, Bea. It’s not a big deal,” Haven mused, completely nonchalant. “He snaps out of it eventually every time. You just have to let nature run its course. Be patient. It’s really nothing to worry about.”
“But Iamworried, Haven.” I was insistent, hoping she would suggest something tangible, like a refill or a shrink. “I’ve never seen him like this before.”
“Bea, please. You’ve only known him, what, a little over a year or so? Isn’t that right?” She played with the pearls around her neck as she played with me.
“That’s right,” I said with a pained smile. “Since you’re so familiar with this issue, I gather that this is a recurring, um, problem?”
“It’s not a problem if you already know the solution. And the solution is time. Collin will sort himself out. He always does.”
“Okay. Does he have other resources available to help him with depression?”
“You saydepressionlike it’s something serious,” Haven scoffed. “The Cases come from healthy stock. It’s nothing, Bea. Completely normal. As for resources? Hmm. He has a wife, doesn’t he? In sickness and in health, dear. You said it yourself.”
She was reveling in my dismay over her own son’s mental issues. No wonder Collin was so eager to get married to me, my charm and beauty withstanding. I actually made it a point to care about his well-being. I knew intimately that if you couldn’t rely on your own mother, you’re inevitably fucked-up forever about where to go for any sort of help. You just let any and all issues fester on the inside until you explode or melt down or spiral into a deep pit of despair, like Collin. Or use it as fuel, like I did, but most people weren’t like me. At any rate, Haven Case was basically telling me that Collin was my problem now.
•••
AFTER A FEWmore weeks of being patient and no improvement whatsoever, I realized I would have to speak directly with Collin about the issue at hand so we could fix it and I could get down to business with Gale. My previous soft attempts were always rebuffed. He was rather deft at changing the subject or he’d stonewall me altogether, retreating to another room without me. It was infuriating. I demanded respect and admiration at all times, especially this early. Our marriage was off to a pitiful start, which could make it easier for Collin to leave. Sure, a few years down the line, couples get ornery with one another. It could happen. It’s normal. Every WASP probably stays in an unhappy marriage, or spells of one, regardless; no one wants to divorce after a certain amount of time. More discretion needed for anyextracurricularactivities perhaps, but they often learn to look the other way. Put up a front. It’s fine. But that’s not where Collin and I were. We were mere weeks in and he was alreadybehaving this way? I was very concerned. With Collin being of a different generation from his parents, maybe there would be even more understanding that he made a mistake. A rash decision. Who among us hasn’t fallen in love too fast before? Wrongly seduced by Cupid’s wayward arrow. They could all look the other way as I was left out in the cold with nothing. A blip on the Case family radar. Break off my branch from the tree, let a new one grow in its place. I had to get ahead of this and figure out what was wrong with him. Primarily for myownmental health.
Collin was watching an animated show for adults, in pajama pants, housing ice cream from the carton. Dreadful. His poor diet was starting to show on his body. He needed me and I would have to be up to the task. “Hello, Mr.Case.” I snuggled up next to him and went in for a kiss. He offered his cheek. Savage. I had to bring out the big guns. “I visited your mother the other week. As you know, I’ve been concerned about you.”
Collin shot up from the couch and turned around to look at me, stunned by my revelation. “So you went to see mymom?” It was the most animated I’d seen him in ages. I stood up to meet his gaze.
“I had some questions for her about what’s been going on with you. I thought she might be helpful, since it didn’t seem like you wanted to talk about it with me.”
“You went to my mom for help?” He laughed mirthlessly, his teeth taking center stage yet again. “Jesus Christ.”
