Page 113 of Another Love, Another Time
I take another sip of my coffee. “This is me trusting you, trusting you to do something that you say you will. If I find out you’ve told anyone, it will be the last straw. We are talking about someone’s life. I understand I’ve had a lot longer to come to terms with it. Just give it time.”
“Okay. I will.” He reaches over and grabs my pinkie. For a moment, butterflies flutter in my stomach. He brings me out of my thoughts when he says, “I promise, River. I won’t say anything.”
I nod, and then we sit in a comfortable silence while we drink our coffee. It’s always been like this. Neither of us feels like we has to say anything. We simply enjoy each other’s company.
I’m so conflicted right now. I’m still mad that he lied to me, but when I’m with him, I feel this connection to him that I just can’t shake.
Our bliss is interrupted by a knock on the door. “Who could that be?” I ask. It’s way too early for the company. I really hope it’s not Melissa trying to start something.
Auggie stands up. “I’ll get it,” he announces.
I take another sip of my coffee, and when I hear my mother, I roll my eyes. I look up and see all three of them: Aunt Connie, Aunt Jess, and my mother. They all walk in with coffee cups in hand. Good. I didn’t want to share my coffee.
“To what do we owe the pleasure?” I ask, slightly annoyed. “This will have to be a short visit; we have to work.” I start to walk back to the kitchen to refill my cup, and the group follows me.
Aunt Connie looks at Auggie. “Did you stay here last night?” she asks.
I answer for him. “Yes, in the spare room.”
She just looks at me. I know she wants to say more, but then my mom starts to speak. “Melissa called me last night crying, telling me you attacked her and broke her nose.” She sighs. “Why can you both just get along? Maybe if you sit down as adults and talk—”
Auggie goes to say something, but I hold my hand up to let him know I’ve got this. “Did you just ask why I can’t get along with Melissa?” I ignore the comment about breaking her nose. She fucking deserved it, especially after what she did. “You want me to sit down as an adult? Whose mom are you? I love you, and that is why I moved here, but I’m this close,” I nearly pinch my fingers in demonstration, “to selling or listing my house and saying, ‘Fuck it all.’
“The only reason I haven’t is because Dad wouldn’t have wanted me to. He’s the only one who took my side. Ever!” I look at Auggie, implying didn’t either. My mom seems taken aback. “He’s the only one who could see through her.” They know I’m speaking about Melissa.
“All we ever wanted was for you all to include her,” my mom says. “Oh, Riv, Melissa’s home life was not good. Yes, her parents provided for her financially, but they were absent. She didn’t have any adults in her life who were there for her. All we were trying to do was care for her, show her she could come to us ifshe needed us. We wanted to make sure she was included, so at least she felt love from one place.”
“At my expense,” I snap. “You never stood up for me.” I beat my chest. “You never protected me! At the expense of trying to show her love, you made your own daughter,” I look at my Aunt Connie and Jess, “feel like I did something wrong, like my concerns weren’t warranted. You made me your own daughter, your own niece, suffer so that you could show another little girl love. You all know the shit she did to me, and you let her get away with it! You let her manipulate the situation and separate Auggie and me, knowing I only had a limited amount of time with him. Where the fuck was the love for me?”
I point to my chest. “You want to know where your love went?” I laugh, but it’s not funny. “Melissa is the reason I was attacked and was almost raped. How does that make you feel about your precious fucking Melissa? You did so well in showing her love that she orchestrated the whole thing to get me out of the way so she could have Auggie. And before any of you ask me, ‘Are you sure?’— If I hear that come out of your mouth, I will cut you out of my life.
“I was attacked because the little girl you wanted to show love to, that you wanted us to include, turned into a spoiled teenager that you all always let get her way. She wanted Auggie.” I thrust a finger at him. “And when she realized that wasn’t going to happen, she had someone attack me and force themselves on me.”
I delve into what happened, that I have proof that she arranged it. I don’t tell them I know who the attacker is. They don’t need to know that. The look on their faces is one of shock.
“‘Are you sure?’” I go on, voice rising. “You’re damn right, I’m sure. So, no, I will never play nice. I will never get along with her.And if you want me to be at any family events moving forward, you better make damn well certain she doesn’t show up.” I’m screaming at this point, but this is long overdue.
My mom starts, tearfully, “You were always so strong, we thought. Oh my—”
I interrupt her. “Because I had to be fucking strong, Mom. Would you have really cared if I wasn’t? All you cared about was making sure Melissa felt love while you made me feel like I didn’t matter. You all could have accomplished that so differently. Instead, you choose to be okay with her manipulating a situation and keeping me and Auggie away from each other. Did you all hate me? I know our relationship has been strained.” I wipe the tears from my eyes. “For once, I need you all to be on my side. For once, I need you to think about what is best for me because I can tell you with certainty, she made my life hell.”
I take a deep breath to try to calm myself down, but I’m still so angry that they all showed up this morning asking yet again to make an exception for Melissa.
“One of the reasons I wanted to move here was to fix this,” I point down at the ground, “but if this is going to be a repeat of my childhood, no thanks.”
And then, I walk out of the house. I don’t have time for this shit. I’ve said what I wanted to say. I’m not a kid anymore; I don’t have to listen to them anymore. I need to get ready for work, but I need to calm down first.
Auggie
The door slams shut. I look at the three women, flabbergasted. Aunt Ashley is crying, my mom is in complete shock, and Jessica looks horrified.
I start, “First of all, Melissa’s lying. She was here waiting for River when River got home last night. River didn’t attack her; she was defending herself. Melissa instigated it all. And second of all, what the hell, guys? Why do you continue to do this?” I shake my head.
All my life, I’ve looked up to these women. I’ve taken advice from them. I’ve done everything they’ve asked of me, even if I didn’t agree with it, because I trusted they knew what was best. But I won’t sit back anymore. They are wrong. I hate that it’s taken this shitshow for us all to see Melissa’s true colors.
Aunt Ashley is still crying when she looks at me. “Auggie, do you think she’s right?” she questions. “I just… I can’t. Do you believe Melissa was behind her attack?” She knows I’ve probably spent more time with Melissa than anyone.
“Did you not just hear what River said?” I throw my hands up. “Think about it. Do you really think River would go to those lengths to make something like that up? She’s your daughter.”
