Page 92 of Holding On

"No. She asked me to stay and I wanted to but..." He shakes his head.

"Tricia," I say, fighting an eye roll.

"I know it sounds stupid but for a moment I felt like...never mind."

"Like you were cheating on Tricia?" I can't believe he thinks that, but knowing Mike, I know it's possible. He's still so hung up on her. "Mike, you haven't been with Tricia for months. You're not cheating on her. It's time to move on."

"I know." He rubs his hand over his jaw and takes a breath. "So anyway, I see you got my message."

"What message?"

"About having brunch with Mom."

"I didn't see your message. Did you send me a text?"

He checks his phone. "Shit, I didn't send it. Heather distracted me and I forgot. So how'd you know about it?"

"Mom called me and told me to be there. She said you'd already agreed to go."

"I'm surprised she called you. I told her I'd talk to you myself."

"I didn't actually talk to her. She left a message on my phone. She showed up here last night after you left."

"Yeah, she told me."

"So what do you think this is about?"

"She wants us to meet her new boyfriend."

"That's it? She came all the way here for that?"

"Maybe she's here to tell us she's marrying him."

"Marrying him? I didn't even know she was dating him. How long have they been going out? And why didn't you tell me she moved to Chicago?"

"I did. More than once. Weren't you listening?"

"Guess not." I tend to tune Mike out whenever he brings up our mom.

"We need to get going." He takes his keys from the hook on the wall. As I walk to the door, he says, "So you stayed with Ethan last night?"

"Yes, and don't get on my case about it. I'm already stressed out having to do this brunch. I don't need even more stress."

"I didn't say anything," he says innocently.

"Yeah, but you were about to."

"Only because you said you were staying in last night. What changed your mind?"

"Ethan stopped by." I open the door for Mike and we walk out to the parking lot. "I didn't know he was coming."

"How'd he get here? I thought he couldn't drive."

"He took a cab."

"Why didn't he just call and ask you to come over?"

Mike doesn't stop until he gets answers. It drives me crazy.

---