AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Back to the hospital,” I toss over my shoulder.
“Are you sticking me with the tab?Hey!”
I’m sure he’ll be griping about that for a while, but I can’t stop.
Not until I know for sure.
26
Noah
“—and another thing,”my mother is saying. “I am so tired of hearing about your life fromRegina, of all people. It’sembarrassing, Noah. If it weren’t for that daughter of hers being as gossipy as her mother, I wouldn’t know anything! I can’t believe you didn’t tell me you put in your resignation. Were you just going to hop over to New Mexico without even saying good-bye?”
Given the way that my mother has been grilling me for the last ten minutes, I decide it’s probably a bad idea to tell her that, yes, that’s likely what I was going to do. Mostly to avoid a conversation like thiswhileI’m still nursing my Mackenzie-related wounds.
“It all happened very fast,” I tell her, trying to placate her a little. “It’s been a bit of a whirlwind.”
“You still could have made time to pick up the phone,” she tuts. “We could have thrown you a going-away party.”
Definitely not in the mood for a party right now.
“It’s fine, Mom. Really. You can come visit when I’m settled.”
“You’re damn right, I will,” she snorts.
“Language,” I remind her, earning myself another curse.
“And what about Mackenzie? What happened to trying for more?”
I wonder if there will ever be a time when thinking about her doesn’t make my chest hurt. I pause from folding my shirts, taking a deep breath. “It didn’t work out.”
“ ‘It didn’t work out,’ ” she echoes blandly. “That sounds like a crock of shit to me.”
I shut my eyes, sighing. “It wasn’t a real relationship, Mom.”
Will I have to have this conversation with everyone in my life?
I’m suddenly very grateful that my personal circle is very small.
“Don’t give me that,” Mom says with accusation in her tone. “We both know there was more to it than that.”
“Yeah, well.” I throw the shirt I was folding onto the couch, using more force than I need to. “That’s how it goes sometimes.”
“You can talk to me, you know,” she says more gently. “You’re never too old to lean on your mother.”
“I’m fine,” I lie. “I just have a lot to do before the move.”
“Was the hospital sorry to take your resignation?”
“They did offer me a significant raise to stay, but I think this will be a better opportunity.”
Another lie. There is no better opportunity for me that doesn’t include Mackenzie.
“I just hate that you’re moving so far away. You’re going to be all on your own.”
“I’m used to it,” I mumble.
“Well, youshouldn’tbe,” she sighs. “I worry about you so much, son. You’re nearing forty, and you still have no one to come home to. I don’t want you to work yourself into an early, lonely grave.”
