Page 138 of Now and Forever

“Because I didn’t think it was necessary. It’s between me and her.”

“Between you and her?”

“Exactly. My father taught me not to let myself be pushed around by bad people. That idiot, so as not to call her anything worse, fucked with me. She was a harpy, and she tried to mess up my life. What did you expect? You want me to congratulate her when I see her? You’re crazy!”

Eric rubs his forehead and avoids my gaze.

“I don’t expect you to applaud her. I just expect you to have nothing to do with her. Stay away from Betta and we can live in peace.”

“And what do you have to say about tonight? That ... that ... bitch had the gall to come close to us in that dark room. She touched you. She rubbed her dirty hands on your body, and I urged her on without realizing it was her. She touched you in front of me. You think I should forgive her again?”

Eric doesn’t answer. What I just said surprises him.

“She was the woman who ...”

“Yes, her. That disgusting woman.”

He swears and starts to pace.

“It’s late. Let’s go to bed.”

“Fuck that. I don’t care what time it is. You and I are having an adult conversation, and I’m not going to let you cut it off. I just told you that bitch tricked us again.”

He walks around the garage, cursing.

Suddenly, he notices something. I see my yellow bike helmet. Oh no! I close my eyes and swear. God, not now! Eric walks toward his goal and shouts when he pulls off the blue plastic.

“What’s this motorbike doing here?”

Tonight is going from bad to worse.

“It’s my bike.”

Incredulous, he looks at me, then at the bike, and hisses, “This is Hannah’s bike. What’s it doing here?”

“Your mother gave it to me. She knows I do motocross and ...”

“This is unbelievable! Unbelievable!”

I know what he’s thinking, and I soften my tone of voice.

“Listen, Eric. Hannah liked the same sport I like, and I don’t have my bike here and ...”

“You don’t need that bike because you’re not doing motocross. I forbid it!”

That gets to me, and my neck starts to itch.

Who is he to forbid me to do anything?

“You’re wrong, mate,” I say. “I’m going to keep doing motocross. Here, there, and wherever I feel like it. And just so you know, I’ve gone riding with your cousin Jurgen and his friends some mornings. Has anything happened to me? No, nothing has, but you, as always, have to be so dramatic.”

His eyes are blazing. I know I’m digging myself into a hole, but I can’t seem to stop.

“You’ve been hiding it from me?”

“Yes.”

“Why? I think the first thing we asked each other when we got back together was for honesty, right, Judith?”

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