Page 57 of Living for Truth
Huh. Sounds like Hannah.I shake that thought away to focus on Aly.
“No, Bub. Like I said before, Hannah knows you come first, and she’s not only okay with it, but she wants to know you’re safe, too. I won’t tell her anything you don’t want me to, but I think I need to tell her some of it.” I swallow hard, nervous to tell her the next part. “Liam and Hannah used to be married, so she can help me know what to do to make sure you’re safe.”
Aly’s jaw drops. “Hannah was married tothat guy?” I nod, and she worries her lip. “He was saying mean things about his ‘ex’ to Mom, and I tried not to eavesdrop, but he wastalking really loud.”
Much calmer than I feel, I ask, “Do you want to tell me what he said?”
“He said that she was selfish. She only cared about herself, and she ‘let herself go’ and got fat. I wanted to interrupt him and tell him ‘fat’ isn’t a bad thing to be. Aunt Al, Sar, Livi, and Asha are fat, and there’s nothing wrong with it, but he didn’t seem like he’d want me to say anything. Then he said she wasn’t good in the bedroom, and I didn’t understand what that meant.”
My mom and I look at each other and make a silent agreement not to bring that part up.
“Thank you for telling me, Aly. I know it was probably hard to hear and hard to repeat.”
“I don’t want Hannah to get her feelings hurt by him anymore. It’s a good thing she has you now.” Aly wraps her arms around my neck.
I hope Hannah feels the same way.
Chapter 26
Hannah
For the first time in my life, I didn’t see my mother on Mother’s Day.
People always argue, “That’s so harsh! She’s your family! Blood is thicker than water.”Blah, blah, blah.
It was poor timing on her part to give me a two week move out timeframe right before Mother’s Day. If she wanted me to pretend everything was okay and celebrate the day, then she shouldn’t have scolded me like a child and kicked me out for no good reason.
It’s been a strange week, adjusting to living completely on my own. I moved straight out of my parents’ house and into an apartment with Liam when we got married, so I’ve never had a space that was completelymine.
I can listen to whatever music I want, I can walk around in a tank top and short shorts without getting judged for not wearing garments, and I can eat whatever I want without my mother’s judgmental gaze watching my every bite.
It’s Saturday, which means it’s concert day. Elli and Emma will be coming over any minute to get lunch and go shopping, then we’ll come back here to get ready.
Morgan wants to come to dinner with us to get to know Emma and Elli, and as nervous as I am for them to meet, it makes me a little giddy he wants to spend time with them. He offered to be designated driver tonight, too, so I could “let loose,” he said.
It will be the first time my cousins and I will be together since all of us left the church, so I think a few drinks are in order. I’m not going to get drunk, though, because Morgan and I need to have a conversation, and I want to be coherent when it happens.
I texted him last week to make sure everything with Aly was okay, and he assured me she would be fine. On Wednesday when I came home from work, he was sitting outside the shop in his car so I invited him up, and he told me all about what happened on Saturday.
I wasshocked.I’m still feeling outraged on Aly’s behalf at the audacity of her mom and my ex-husband. I’m glad Morgan is an amazing dad and would protect Aly at all costs.
I’m just finishing the dishes when my phone pings from a text. I wipe my hands on a dish towel, and this time when the butterflies erupt at the sight of Morgan’s name on my phone, I don’t try to push them away.
Morgan:A package for you got delivered here by mistake. Do you want me to bring it up?
A package? What did I—
Oh shit.
I don’t bother to text him back, just slip my shoes on and rush out the door, down the steps, and in through the back door of the shop.
I round the corner to the counter to see Morgan typing on the tablet at the front. Thankfully, the store is empty, so I clear my throat to alert him of my presence.
He turns around and grins, “Hey, Butterfly.” He holds up the hot pink mailer bag, “This is for you. What’d you get?”
I’m not a great liar, and it’s notembarrassingto order underwear. Everyone wears it.
So why am I shy about the fact I ordered it? Probably because I ordered a specific set with him in mind.
