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Professor Jacobs tries to follow them but Ma, quick as a flash, gets in his way. “You knew,” she spits. “This whole time, you knew.”
“This is your fault,” he spits back, fingers wrapping around her bicep and yanking her close. “If you'd just done what I asked and gotten rid of it-”
A cracking sound splits the air as Ma's hand meets his cheek. “She is my daughter.” Her fury is palpable, like something charged in the air as she slaps once more for good measure. “You told me you wanted to know her. You told me if you'd known, you would've helped. My gut said you were lying but I gave you the benefit of the doubt because I actually felt guilty for keeping her from you. But you are just as despicable now as you were twenty years ago.”
“And what does that make you?” Jacobs snarls. “I didn't force you to do anything. You were more than willing like a little-”
“Don't finish that sentence.” For the first time since we walked into this damn house, Jackson leaves my side. He shoves Professor Jacobs back, knocking his hand off Ma and nudging her towards me. “Lay a hand on anyone in this house again and I swear to God, you'll regret it.”
Without taking his eyes off Jacobs, Jackson fishes his keys out of his pocket and tosses them towards me. “Take your mom and wait in the car, Luna.”
“What're you doing?” I don't think he's going to beat him up—that’s not really his modus operandi—but if he does, I really want to see that. Hell, I think we all want to see that.
“Just making sure Mrs Jacobs gets her stuff and leaves in peace.” When I don't move, Jackson's gaze flicks my way. “Ten minutes, sweetheart. I'll be right there.”
Reluctantly, I go, tugging my mom along behind me.
We’re both quiet as we get in Jackson’s car, both releasing pent-up breaths in unison, both slumping in our seats. I eye my mom in the rear-view mirror. She looks exhausted, about a decade older than she did earlier this evening.
When she catches me staring, she musters up a weak smile. Leaning forward, she smoothes a tentative hand over my shoulder. “Are you okay?”
I nod, although I’m not sure how much truth there is in it. “Are you?”
Just like she didn’t question my slightly deceitful nod, I let her one slide, and silence settles between us as we alternate between staring at each other and anxiously peering at the house, waiting for the front door to open.
Ma breaks the silence. “I didn't know she was pregnant.”
“Please don't-”
“No. I need to tell you,” she interrupts me firmly, determinedly. “When I first started seeing him, I didn't know Jennifer was pregnant. I knew he was married but he told me he was leaving her, and he gave me no reason not to believe him. He stopped wearing his ring. There was no sign of her in what I thought was his apartment, no clothes, no photos, nothing. There were no photos of her in his office. We went out in public. The only time he hid me was around campus and I thought that was because he was a teacher and I was a student. When I found out, I left him, but it was too late.”
She looks... pained. Like what she's telling me is causing her actual physical harm. I want to comfort her, maybe take the hand practically super-glued to my shoulder but I don't. I just… can't.
Ma's grip on me tightens, her free hand coming up to swipe beneath her eyes. “I was twenty years old and in love and I made a mistake. I know that. But if I never made that mistake I wouldn't have you so I mean it when I say I don't regret it. I hate that I hurt people and I hate that it's made you see me differently but I don't regret it.” Fingers graze my cheek, so much sincerity and hurt shining in her eyes that it hurts my chest. “I am so, so sorry that I hurt you, hun. I never wanted to.”
“I know.” And I do.
“I love you.”
Ever so slightly, my head tilts so my cheek leans against the hand on my shoulder. “I love you too.”
Whatever moment we're sharing is interrupted by the front door opening. Three people spill out into the night, laden down with boxes and bags. Pen dumps her portion of the load in her car before jogging toward us. I crack my door and drag her half-inside, enveloping her in a tight hug. “I'm so sorry, Pen.”
Pen pulls back and glances over at her mom quickly, a tight smile pulling at her lips. “We're better off without him.”
I squeeze my sister's hand. “Is she staying with us tonight?”
Pen shakes her head. “I'm taking her to a hotel. I'm gonna stay with her tonight. I…” She sucks in a shuddered breath. “I don't wanna be in that apartment tonight. Or ever again.”
Yeah, me neither. If I could burn the place down without consequences, I probably would. But I don't think either of us can afford to live anywhere else. “We'll figure it out.”
“We will,” Pen agrees with a firm nod. She offers my mom a brief word of goodbye before kissing my cheek and scampering off. Just as she gets into her car, Jackson slips inside his.
Instantly, a hand curls around the nape of my neck. “You okay?”
I don’t answer his question, mostly because I don’t really hear it. My mind is wholly occupied by the hand gripping the steering wheel. “Why are your knuckles all red?”
The epitome of calm, Jackson shrugs. “He tried to stop them from leaving.”
