Page 10 of Mic Drop

The way Jenna did.

I reprimand myself. Jenna didn’t lead me on, she only needed her mommy more than me. Which is better or worse?

Mom continues as if I didn’t say anything. “Yet, there was a baby, Bennett. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Mom. If Lissa got pregnant, it wasn’t mine.”

“Are you sure? Lissa seemed pretty confident on the show.”

“I’m positive.” Not going to admit tomy motherI was a virgin until I joined UC, though. “No way on earth could I have been the baby’s father. If there even was a baby.”

“Well, this is a good thing. Lord knows you weren’t ready to be a father back then.” She waits a beat. “Or now.”

On this score, I couldn’t agree more. “You’re right.”

“You’ll never be fit to raise another human being.”

Just like she wasn’t. I keep this factoid to myself. “I don’t want kids.”

“This is the first smart thing I’ve heard come out of your mouth.”

“On this we agree.” Needing to take this conversation in a different direction, I ask, “How’s Ramona?”

“She’s a gem. Today she took me to the farmers’ market and helped me buy an adorable pink tablecloth.”

I breathe a sigh of relief. Whenever she praises Ramona is a good day in my book. Not going to fight this fortunate turn of events. “Sounds nice. Where did you put it?”

“On the table behind the sofa, right when you walk in. I’ve rearranged the furniture since you were here.” She pauses. “I forget how it looked when you last stopped by, but I like it now.”

For today. Until another manic mood strikes her. “I bet it’s great.”

“It is. The pink reminds me of your sister, you know.”

Here we go again. Reminding myself of her doctor’s suggestion not to engage her about my twin’s death in utero again, I pivot. “What are you having for dinner? I’m going out for—” I break off. I have no idea where Luke booked us for dinner. “I think Mexican.”

“Have a margarita for me.”

Thinking I need to meet up with the band for the unidentified dinner, I nudge her toward a close. “Well, I should be going.”

“Of course you have to go. It’s what you do best.”

Geez, let it be. “Mom, I only meant our manager arranged for us to go out to dinner and I have to get in the limo.”

“Oh, la la. Get in the limo. Aren’t you all fancy pants now? While your poor, old mother lives in a cheap place in the middle of nowhere New Jersey. Bet you’d like me to end up like your sister and father, so you don’t have to talk with me ever again.”

Just like that, she turns on a dime into the raving lunatic I knowso well. But knowing how she acts and not rising to the bait are two different things. With how I left it between Jenna and me, my reserves for handling her bullshit have been depleted. I manage, “That’s not true.”

She cackles. “I forgot to add in your little band friend to the list. Darren, right? You leave a wake of death and destruction wherever you go, and I refuse to be another body you cast aside, do you hear me?”

“Loud and clear!” I whip my phone across the hall, watching as it breaks into pieces. At least I don’t have to talk with her anymore.

I’m still seething when Luke joins me in the hall. “What happened here?” His chin points to my broken phone.

Blood rushes through my veins. “Take your pick. My mother. Jenna. Tristan.”

The manager’s eyebrows rise with each name. He latches onto the last one. “What did Tris do to you?”

“Jenna.”

---