Page 67 of Live Love Steal
My silence must have made her nervous. “I know it’s sudden. I just wanted you to know, so you could talk to Noah. I haven’t been the best mom. He might not want to see me.”
“I’ll talk to him.” What was I going to say?
We’d made plans.
Her little sob sounded real. A part of me, a stupid piece, still felt a little…protective when I heard that sound. “Are you going to be okay in the meantime?”
“It’s just… hard. I tried. And he cheated on me.”
Did she remember who she was talking to?
“You don’t want to hear any of that, do you?”
Nope. “Listen, I got this thing…” I was almost going to lie to her, but couldn’t. “I need to process this, okay?” It was going to be a huge change. Right as my life was finally going right. I had a beautiful home, my kid was doing well in school, and we’d finally figured out what was going on with his health, and Isobel…she was my life, my light, my partner in crime… I loved her. And tonight, I’d planned something special to show her how much I needed her in my life.
“I was seeing a therapist.”
“Sharon, just… stop, okay?”
“I was going to say to you that I realize we’re done. I hurt you. I’m sorry, and I know that I should have been better. But I wasn’t that person, and we, well… we will never be that couple. Okay? I get it, you need to work through a lot of anger toward me, not only because of our past history, but because of how much my selfishness hurt Noah and reminded you of how your mom abandoned you. That was awful of me. I am trying to do better. And this? Well, it set me back, too. I don’t know what I was thinking, calling you. I’m sorry.”
I sat on the cushioned sofa near the outdoor fireplace. “I need to talk to the lawyer about visitation. The courts are going to have a say in it, too.”
“I know. I’m not asking for custody.”
Thank God.
“This might set Noah back.”
“If it does, I’ll stay away.”
She was saying all the right things. Years too late.
“I gotta go.” I pushed the button to end the call and tried really hard to figure out what butterfly flap tilted my whole world again.
I was still sitting there when Izzy walked out onto the deck. I heard the slider open and close before I turned to see her.
She was so beautiful. Every day she got prettier to me. “Hey.” My voice was hoarse.
“What’s wrong?” She ignored all the fancy lights, the lit candles, and the food covered in plastic to sit down and wrap around me.
“Sharon called.”
“Is everything okay?”
No. “She caught Jimmy in bed with someone else.”
A snort.
That was my Izzy. I pulled her in close and leaned back with her snuggled against me. “What do you think?” I stared up at the lights.
“I love it. Who helped?”
“All the wives. Sprout and Smoke carried those damn things up the staircase.”
Isobel studied the planters I’d indicated. “Those were Danielle’s contribution, weren’t they?”
I nodded.
