Page 43 of Behind the Bars

“You think nothing,” she told him. She placed her silverware down on the plate and gave Ray a cold stare. “You had no right to take her there, to get her hopes up on this silly music. She’s nowhere near as good as she is with her popmusic.”

“That’s a lie,” Rayargued.

“It’s not, and anyway, you have no right to decide what’s best for her. You are not herfather.”

“Mama!” I cried. “Stopit.”

“I really wish you would stop that,” Ray said, his hands forming fists. “I’ve been by both of your sides for fifteen years, Heather. I watched that little girl grow up from a toddler to the teenager she is today. I gave my all to make a life for you both, so will you stop with that bullshit? Yeah, I might not be her biological father, but I am her dad, and I’m tired of you trying to take that away from me. She’s my daughter—our daughter—and maybe you’d realize she’s been so damn unhappy with the life you’re trying to force her into if you thought about someone other than yourself for oneminute.”

“Force her into? She loves herlife!”

“She hates it!” Ray barked. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. “She hates it all, and admit it—you saw her on that corner performing, saw that for the first time in a long time, she’s actually happy, and it kills you inside that you had nothing to do with that success. It drives you insane that you couldn’t control this aspect of herlife.”

“Go to hell,” Mamahissed.

“I’m already there!” he fired rightback.

Mama pushed herself away from the dining room table and stood up. “You’re not welcome here anymore. You need toleave.”

“What?” I asked, bewildered. “Mama, this is hisapartment.”

“Not anymore.” She crossed her arms. “Go,Ray.”

“I’m not leaving. We aren’t going to sit here and have you act dramaticallyand—”

“I slept with someone else,” Mama said, so matter-of-fact.

My mouth dropped open, as did Ray’s, and we just stared at her,stunned.

His voice dropped low. “Excuseme?”

“It doesn’t matter. I just, I don’t want to be with you anymore. You’reweak.”

Ray took a deep inhale. “Who wasit?”

“Itdoesn’t—”

“Who?” he shouted. I’d never seen him look so angered and heartbroken in all my life. Sure, Mama wasn’t the easiest person to love, but still, Ray was Ray. He was a good man, and good men always hurt a little more thanothers.

“Trevor,” she answered softly. “I’ve spent over fifteen years with you, and you’ve never done anything for me. Trevor is different. He’s promised me so many greatthings.”

“Trevor Su?” heasked.

“Yes, Trevor Su. You know—the one you refused to have meet withme.”

“Because he’s asnake!”

“He’s a mogul!” She stood tall, proud. “And he’s going to change ourlives.”

“You can’t work with him, Heather. You can’t have Jasmine around thatasshole.”

“I can, and Iwill.”

“I’m serious. He’s dangerous. He’s a wildfire, and I swear to God he’ll burnyou.”

Mama pursed her lips together and shrugged her shoulders. “I’d rather play with a wildfire than a weak spark likeyou.”

Ray’s eyes grew heavy as sadness hit him hard. It was as if the ultimate betrayal destroyed his heart. Sure, he wasn’t madly in love with Mama, but he’d never step out on their relationship. He was loyal to a fault. He rubbed his hands against his face and then blinked hard. “Fine. You win. I’m leaving.” He pushed himself away from the table. His hands clenched and his face was red from anger, but he didn’t say anotherword.

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