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“I’m nothing like him.”
“You’re right. You’re worse. He doesn’t even pretend to be a sheep. He’s a wolf in wolf’s clothing. You’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing.”
“Mom…”
She points her finger. “No. There’s nothing you can say to explain what you’ve done. Life has blessed you, Beckett.”
“Money isn’t a blessing.”
Her eyes widen in bloody murder. “Not money, you moron. Life has blessed you with love. You have a wonderful daughter who thinks the sun rises and sets with you. It took fifty years, but you finally have the love of a good woman. A pure-hearted woman. The right woman. And then you get blessed again by her becoming pregnant. You get a chance to give Andie a sibling. To have the family life you’ve always craved. To raise a baby with a partner full of love, and you throw it away? Why? Because of your ego? Because of your insecurities? Because of a few photos and stories this week you know full well are manufactured nonsense?”
“Because people always want the same thing from me.”
“Tell me, Beckett. Deep down, do you believe that? Do you believe Amanda is interested in you for your money? I’ve seen the way you two are together. I know how she feels about you. What she’s endured this past year to be with you. You can’t possibly be that stupid.” She turns her head. “I can’t look at you right now. I’ve never been more ashamed of you. I’m going to bed. We’ll finish this tomorrow.”
I mumble, “I can’t believe you hit me.”
She turns back with pure venom in her eyes. “That was for Amanda. Frankly, you deserve much worse.”
She’s right. I do deserve worse, and I know exactly where I can get that.
“Daddy,wake up. Why are you so sleepy?”
My face is buried in the pillow as Andie continues to shake me. I mumble, “I need sleep.”
“Daddyyyyyyy, come onnnnnn. I need my morning joke before school.”
I sigh. “Fine.”
I turn over and Andie screams out. Tears immediately run down her face. “Daddy, what happened to you?”
Mom walks into my bedroom and her eyes widen. She covers her mouth in horror and whispers, “Oh my god, Beckett. What have you done to yourself?”
I feel my face. It’s swollen and it hurts. Shit. It must look bad.
Mom quickly composes herself. “Andie, Karenneeds help. Why don’t you run downstairs. Maybe you can make a bag of ice for your daddy.”
Andie stares at me in shock. I rub her arm. “Baby, I’m fine. It looks worse than it feels.”
She slowly nods as her shocked little face leaves the room.
As soon as it’s clear she’s out of earshot, Mom steels herself. “Time to grow up, Beckett.”
“You don’t understand.”
“Oh, bullshit. Your woe-is-me crap is growing quite tiresome. You know what’sactuallyhard, Beckett? Growing up the way Amanda and I did. We hadzeroparental love and support. Zero. Yet here we are, thriving in our own ways. We don’t mistreat other people or ourselves. We don’t find ways to sabotage our lives. We are appreciative of what we have and make the most of what we’re given. You had the love of two parents. Your father might be an asshole, and he might be misguided at times, but he loves you and always took care of your needs. You didn’t scrounge for lunch money or rides to school. You had a closet full of clothes and toy chests of toys. You didn’t worry about Santa coming for Christmas.”
“I’m sick of feeling used.” I yell out, “My own fucking wife used me. I was nothing but a meal ticket to her.”
Mom quickly closes the door. “Quiet your voice. Andie doesn’t need to hear what a lowlife Jenny was.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “You knew? All this time, you knew?”
“I always suspected.”
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You were happy. She got pregnant quickly after you got married. I didn’t want to upset the applecart.”
