AllFreeNovel
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“Hey, Mom,” I yell through the house.
I pass the living room where Jack is watching a game, waving to him. He acknowledges but is too busy yelling at the television.
Jack has two grown daughters of his own and has been divorced for several years before he and Mom married. They’ve been married for close to ten years now, and honestly—they’re so perfect for each other. Jack is a movie director, and he and Mom have so much in common since her life revolves around movie sets too.
After me, Mom never had any more kids. My half-brother, Michael, is still in Mom’s life. She treats him like her own, and now that he just had his first baby with his wife, Mom is always talking about more grandkids.
God forbid it’s from me.
I still want to enjoy my freedom, not to mention move up in my career. I’ve got all these plans, goals written down, all the things I want to achieve before I hit thirty. My journals are full of dreams and bucket lists, many of which involve my best friend, who I’m angry with right now.
We sit inside the kitchen as Mom has her laptop open, trying to reschedule a shoot for Aunt Scarlett. I can see she’s getting annoyed as she releases small huffs while talking to herself. The word ‘incompetent’ is vocalized several times.
“Okay, done, now we don’t have two photoshoots scheduled at the same time all because the brand manager wants to fly to Cabo to hang out with his eighteen-year-old girlfriend.”
I scrunch my nose. “How old is he?”
Mom presses her lips flat with a hard smile. “Old enough to be your father.”
A groan escapes me. “Pleasant.”
“Anyway, how are you doing, and how was the birthday party?”
“It was loud and tiring. Lots of kids, and I think I can still hear ringing in my ears.”
Mom laughs. “I remember your first birthday. It was the size of a wedding. Noah wanted only the best for you. Bouncy castles, ponies, and performers who did something with balloons which freaked you out.”
“When I have a kid, it’s going to be intimate with one smash cake. The end.”
A glass jar with Oreos strategically stacked in circles sits on the counter. I open the lid and retrieve one and split the Oreo apart so I can lick the inside. Why I’m even snacking on this is beyond me, especially after everything I’ve eaten today.
“And Andy?” Mom asks while taking an Oreo for herself and doing the exact same thing. “I thought you’d bring him over. I wanted to ask his opinion on some shots sent over which Scarlett wants to use for a new campaign.”
I lower my head. “He has, um, a date.”
“Oh.”
“Eric, actually set him up on a blind date while we were at the party. It was a last-minute favor, something about big titties.”
“Big titties?” Mom tilts her head. “That doesn’t sound like Andy at all.”
“No,” I drag, still trying to stomach the situation. “That was Rocky and Eric making a fuss over it.”
“Sounds more accurate,” Mom says, only to meet my gaze to observe my expression better. “I can see it’s upsetting you.”
“Me? No, Andy is free to do whoever he wants.”
Slowly, Mom places her hand on mine. “It’s okay to have these feelings, Jessa. The two of you are best friends. But, sometimes, you need to question why you feel a certain way? You’re right. Andy is free to do whoever he wants. But if there’s more to this, perhaps the truth will set you free.”
“The truth?”
“Maybe your feelings have extended beyond friendship.”
“I’m not in love with him.”
“I never said that. All I’m saying is when feelings begin to stir, what lies ahead may turn into something greater.”
“Is that what happened with you and Dad?” I question, trying to understand where she’s coming from.
