Page 38 of Tutored By the Smart Girl

“Really?”

“Oh yes.” Mom nods. “When I was probably about three-fourths through the pregnancy, an ultra-sound revealed your heart issue. Once your dad learned it was a genetic issue, he had trouble with that. He couldn’t seem to wrap his head around it or come to terms with it.”

“Why?”

Mom shrugs. “I guess because his life had always been so perfect. He’d rarely experienced anything going wrong.”

Mom props her pillows up and gets comfortable again. “Your dad has always been what I describe as a free spirit. I was barely twenty years old and back then being a free spirit appealed to me. He was kind of a rebel, I guess. He did what he wanted when he wanted to do it.”

“But not very reliable?”

Mom chuckles. “Correct. Not very reliable. A lot of times he put his needs above mine and then after we were married and had you in our lives, his needs still came first. He worked when and how much he wanted and as the years went along, it only became more of a problem.”

“Why did you get a divorce?”

Mom shrugs. “A lot of different reasons. He claimed he was tired of being tied down and wanted to do his own thing.” Mom wraps her arms around me. “Even though he did his own thing and wasn’t there for you, he never missed one child support payment. I’m sure you would’ve rather had him at your activities.”

“Definitely.”

Mom’s hug becomes firm. “I need to get downstairs and get the supper started. Want to help? I’m still planning to do fried chicken— just like we always do. You in?”

“Of course.”

Mom always hasa way of soothing me and after I spend a few days with her, I’m feeling more like my old self.

We spend the evening in our pajamas and reminisce about the good times when I was growing up.

The next morning, Mom treats me to breakfast at a café downtown and we spend the day browsing through the small shops in the Market Place area of town. The footpaths are made of cobblestone and food vendors line the area. We enjoy ice cream cones, buying jewelry at an antique store, and visiting over a cup of coffee.

For dinners, we order our favorites–– Chinese, Italian, pizza, and burgers. We watch movies, read books off our tablets, and go for long walks. Mom is searching for a second movie to watch when the doorbell rings.

Mom looks at the clock on the mantel. “It’s almost ten o’clock. Who’d be stopping by now?” She rises from the couch and makes her way to the front door.

“Should you be answering the door so late?”

“I’ll check who it is before I open it.”

She opens the main door and leaves the chain in place. I hear a man’s voice and she closes the door, unfastens the chain and I hear the footsteps on the wood floor of the foyer.

“Addy, there’s someone here to see you.”

I rise from the couch and pad to the front door.

Who’d be coming to see me?

My jaw hits the floor and I stand in awe. His leather coat hangs off his taunt body, his upper chest rigid.

“What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to talk toyou.”

14

Rush

The house is mostly dark when I pull into the driveway.

I hope they’re not in bed already and if so, it wouldn’t make a very good first impression.

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