Page 56 of Fall at Once

“And I love him right back?—”

“Whatever, Mother! It’s not fair, and you know it!”

I jumped and almost fell on my ass as I spun on the lawn toward Cole’s house and the sound of Natalie arguing with what had to be her mother. Where was Cole?

“That’s Sherry’s car in the driveway.” Gigi tutted. “The two of them haven’t been getting along lately. She’s here to drop them off. They arrived a few minutes before you pulled up, and they argued all the way into the house.”

It tore at my heart to hear it. I knew how much she had been hurting, feeling abandoned and unloved by her mother. I felt the same way from time to time about my dad. I’d yet to see my father, and I’d been here for ages.

“Did that used to happen a lot when they were together? The fighting?” I picked Basil up and set him next to Gigi as I joined her on the porch. “She’s usually outside to meet me. I’ll wait and make sure everything is okay before I leave. Sometimes, we talk when she walks Basil with me. I want to be here if she needs me.”

“No. Never. Not until after the divorce. But Sherry always was a little self-centered. Cole didn’t see it; he probably got used toit since they grew up together—he sees it now, though, no doubt about that. Her family used to live right there.” She pointed to the house next to Cole’s. “I’ve known them both all their lives. Her momma is just devastated by this entire situation.”

“Oh, no.” I hadn’t thought much about Cole’s history with his ex beyond the fact that he was divorced. I didn’t want to speculate on his life or his feelings. I didn’t want to know anything about him until he told me. He must be feeling awful.

“They dated all through high school and got married right after college. It’s shameful what she did to him. And his best friend too. He and Todd had been thick as thieves since they were kids until she got between them. However, it takes two to tango. He’s just as much at fault as she is. Terrible, the entire situation.”

“Yeah, Natalie told me a few things. I feel horrible for her.” My eyes drifted across the street to his house. “And he deserved better. No one deserves to be lied to that way.”

“He sure did deserve better. He’s always been a good boy. And now a good man. One of the best.”

Cole’s front door flew open so hard we could hear it slam into the drywall inside.

“What the hell is going on over there?” I went on alert.

Natalie stormed out of the house screaming, followed by a woman who looked like her older carbon copy.

“That’s Sherry,” Gigi whispered. “We were never that close, so you might not have met her while you were here. I don’t remember.”

“All my friends are allowed to have a date to the Fall Ball,”Natalie shrieked. “Why can’t I? You said I could before!”

“You’re too young, that’s why. I thought about it again and the answer is no. You’re only fifteen?—”

“So what?” She whirled on her mother. They were in the middle of the lawn now. “That’s old enough.”

“See?” Sherry’s arms flew out to the side in exasperation. “Thank you for proving my point. You’re screaming in the front yard at sunrise for all the neighbors to hear, Natalie. A fifteen-year-old should know better. It’s early. You’ll wake the people up.”

“Oh, I get it,” Natalie shot back. “Age is so important, right? You’re thirty-eight years old, mother. Why didn’t you know it was wrong to cheat on your husband with his best friend?”

“Oh god.” I started to stand up but changed my mind and sat back down. “Should we go over there? Where’s Cole?”

“Dad!” I heard Ethan yell from inside their house.

The crack of Sherry’s hand against Natalie’s cheek echoed across the street. “Watch your mouth, young lady,” she bit out.

Gigi let out a gasp. “Noooo.” She breathed, clambering to her feet to put Basil in the house.

“I hate you!” Natalie shrieked. “I never want to see you ever again.” Her sobs broke my heart.

Without thinking, I ran, meeting Natalie in the middle of the street and catching her in my arms as she collapsed against me.

“I’m so sorry, Nattie,” Sherry cried when she caught up to her. “I didn’t mean to—I would never—oh my god, please?—”

“What’s happening?” Cole came barreling through the frontdoor and into the street, dripping wet with a towel wrapped around his waist.

I pulled back to check on Natalie. Red bloomed across her cheek in the perfect print of her mother’s hand.

“Did you hit her?” He gasped. His mouth hung open as he gaped at Sherry. “You hit her? Sherry, what the hell were you thinking?”

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