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“Wow, thank you!” Owen beams as he walks back to his mom.
“You’re welcome, buddy!” Robert waves again and makes his way over to me.
“That was very nice,” I tell him. “He’s going to talk about that for days, maybe weeks.”
“Just wanted to help the kid out. I know Katie isn’t making that much money at the bank.”
I’m taken aback by his rude comment. Katie might not be loaded with a hefty savings account, but she’s done damn well, considering her situation.
“Actually, I think she makes great money, and if that’s the only reason—”
“Gemma, not now. Smile, for Christ’s sake. Everyone can see you.”
My lips move into a frown as I glare at the man in front of me with disgust. I glance over at my friends and see Tyler watching us. His arms are crossed over his chest as he narrows his eyes with a shake of his head. There’s no way he could’ve heard what Robert said, but he undoubtedly sees how tense I am.
Between the disastrous double date and the fight with Robert, then my talk with Tyler afterward, my mind is a fucking mess. Robert’s true colors have always been right in front of me, and for whatever reason, I’ve turned a blind eye. I wanted to please my dad and make him proud, but it’s not his fault I ignored the red flags. I know Robert isn’t a bad man, but he might not be the man for me. His intentions have always been very clear—he wants a wife, someone who will stay home with his children and have dinner ready when he comes home.
When the parade ends, we’re out of candy and money. All the children were so ecstatic over Robert’s gifts and how generous he was. Right now, I’m feeling too claustrophobic, and I think I need some space from Robert. Once we get home and I change, I’ll explain I need to do some laundry and clean before work tomorrow. Hopefully, it will give me the ability to clear my head.
“I wish you’d stay,” he says, repeating the words he always says when I leave. “Or move in.”
My jaw tenses at his constant pushing. “I’ll see you tomorrow, I’m sure,” I deflect, not in the mood to have the same conversation again.
He tells me he loves me, and though I repeat the words to him before closing the door behind me, it’s the first time in our relationship when I’ve second-guessed if I still do.
Tyler arrives at work the next day with a mumbled good morning and barely looks in my direction as he goes into the garage instead of making small talk. Over the past week, he’d make himself a cup of coffee or refill his tumbler and chat with me before starting with his first project. However, today he looks at me with an annoyed or pissed-off expression, though I’m not sure why.
Last night, I had hoped taking a hot bath would help me relax, but it only allowed me to overthink everything. For the first time in a year and a half, I cried about missing my mom. Before that, it was when Robert proposed, and I had wished more than anything she was here to celebrate with us. But now I’d do anything to talk to her about how I feel so she could guide and tell me what to do.
Although I don’t remember a lot about her, I feel the emptiness and ache in my chest from her not being here. Katie and Everleigh give great advice and tell me to do what feels right, but I still need and miss my mom. She had life experience that I’ll never learn from and stories I’ll never hear. After years of being married, having kids and a family, Mom would know what’s best and could give me the advice I need.
My father leaves work early to drive out of town for a custom part, but Tyler stays in the garage even after I lock the lobby. We hardly spoke when we were in the break room earlier. I asked him what he thought of the Labor Day parade, and he responded with, “It was eye-opening.”
Instead of asking him what he meant by that, I nodded and left the room. I don’t know how to fix the tension that swarms between us. The friendship, or whatever it is, gives me whiplash. One moment things are fine, and the next, it’s awkward.
After work, I don’t immediately go home and stop by the store to pick up some groceries. Robert texted me earlier and said he had a work meeting and wouldn’t be able to stop by tonight but told me to be at his house so he could see me. Instead of agreeing, like usual, I declined and tell him I’m cooking dinner for my dad. We still haven’t talked about what happened yesterday at the parade because the moment I speak up about his behavior and the pressure he’s putting on me, it’ll blow up and turn into another huge fight. Perhaps it needs to happen, but I don’t have the energy to deal with that right now.
