Page 102 of Things Left Unsaid

“He finds it hard to be around idiots,” she corrects. “Peculiar though your wife might be, she’s not a moron.”

“No, she’s not. But you might be looking at one.” I plunk my teacup on its matching saucer then set both on the coffee table. That done, I rest my elbows on my knees and rub my eyes once I’ve bowed my shoulders. “I’ve been a real idiot, Mum.”

“Not possible.”

If only. “You know what the town thinks of her.”

“I do and I know it makes things awkward. The small-town nonsense is ridiculous. They don’t like your father. I’ve no idea why they were so quick to vilify Susanne when you vouched for her.”

“I’m not him.”

“True. People don’t fear you. You’ve always been too popular for that.

“I’m not sure how Clyde and I made you. I was a geek and he wasClyde. Somehow, we produced the most popular boys in school. I swear I don’t know where you came from.”

“Maybe the stork brought us?”

“Maybe,” she says, amused. “So, what is it? Why are you an idiot?”

“I…” I sigh. “I vouched for her and gave her an alibi but I thought she started the fire.”

“Why would you think that?”

“I saw her in the stables.”

“I never did understand what a McAllister was doing in there.”

“You didn’t think she was behind the fire?”

Mum sips at her tea. “You don’t want to know what I think.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means I have a habit of blaming genocide, the razing of the rainforests, and the rising sea levels on your father. It’s a failing of mine.Butthat’s neither here nor there. Continue with the story, son. You look like the burden’ll make your spine buckle soon.”

I scratch my jaw. “She was there to see me.”

“You? But?—”

Her aghast expression has me huffing. “We were friends.”

“Friends?”

I nod, wondering why I’ve only just recognized how badly I missed her all these years.

The fact she’s here, but barely present, makes the absence of her friendship even starker. Like pouring fresh salt in a wound that healed badly.

“So, she was meeting you?”

“She was.”

“But why would you think she started the fire if you were friends?”

“She tried to kiss me.”

Mum drums her fingers on her armrest. “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.”

At least she didn’t accuse me of taking advantage of Zee.

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