Page 102 of Oblivion

“When he asked me to marry him, he told me we’d be having four kids. He even named them without talking to me. He decided that I’d freeze my eggs so he could plan when we’d have boys and when we’d have girls. He spoke to Harvard and declared a major for me so I could graduate at the same time as him. He’d meticulously planned our life without considering my wants and needs. And I would have gone along with that. I would have married him and lived his life.”

“A wife’s job is to support her husband,” Mama says, her brow furrowed.

“Yes, it is. But a husband’s job is to support his wife too. Drew dropped me the moment he realized I wasn’t just a pretty robot. I don’t know exactly what triggered it, but he told me that he, his dad, and their PR team had polled me to the town’s voters, and that I hadn’t polled well. I’m sure there’s more to it. But he ended our engagement because his PR team didn’t like that strangers, who don’t know me, didn’t think I was suitable.”

Mama’s lips turn down into a frown. “They didn’t think you’re…suitable?”

“Pretty much.” I nod.

“And this boy…this house,” she says, gesturing to the beautiful mansion we’re standing in.”

“Evan, Mama. His name is Evan.”

“Fine. Evan. What about him?”

“I love you, Mama, but I don’t want to be you.”

At the sound of her sharp inhale of breath, I close my eyes. “When I left for school, I decided that I’d try new things, and meet new people, and see what the world had to offer. I bought new clothes and found my own style. I made friends. People who liked me for me and not because I was Drew’s girlfriend. I went to parties and dated boys. I created a new version of myself.”

“What exactly was wrong with the old you?” she sneers.

“Nothing at all, Mama. That’s what I realized when I came home for the summer. I fell right back into my old life, and it fit just as well as my new one, and it made me question everything. When Drew asked me to marry him, I was so confused that I said yes even though I shouldn’t have. I said yes because I wasn’t sure where I fit anymore, and Drew offered me a whole life, preplanned, and set out in front of me.”

“Is that what you’re doing with Evan too? Did you say yes because he’s got a plan for you as well?” It’s not an unreasonable question, but for some reason, it rankles to hear it.

“No, Mama,” I say, shaking my head. “The first time I met Evan.” I sigh dreamily. “I thought he was beautiful. He’s a complicated man. He feels things deeply, and even though we both knew we cared for the other, we never tried to be together.”

“So, what changed?” she asks.

“He realized that I was only marrying Drew because I wasn’t sure what my place was here, if it wasn’t with him.”

“So, knowing you were going to marry someone else gave him a kick up the ass to make his move?” Mama says, shocking the hell out of me.

“Yes.” I laugh.

“Do you love him?”

I nod. “Yes.”

“Do you want to marry him?”

I nod again. “Yes.”

“Does it have to be in a couple of weeks? Can’t you wait until you can plan a real wedding?”

I shake my head. “Evan doesn’t want to wait.”

“And Evan always gets what he wants, does he?”

“Not always. But on this, yes, he does.”

“And these friends of yours, they’re all married?”

“They are,” I say on a giggle. “The guys were all pretty single-minded once they fell in love.”

“And you’ll live here. It’s so far away.”

Sighing, I wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly. “I’m sure there’s a guest house somewhere on the estate, and if there isn’t, then I’ll ask Evan to build one. Then you and Dad can come and visit. Or you could move here. Dad’s not getting any younger.”

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