Page 154 of As They Are
It almost felt true.
The second I was back out in the dining room, Mollie found me.
“Where did you go?” she asked. “And why are your eyes red?”
I blinked. “Oh, you know. Emotional stuff. I’m fine.”
Her hands settled on my shoulders. “What’s going on?”
“It’s your day. Don’t worry about me.”
“I can multitask,” she said. “Were you hoping it was a boy like Cain was?”
“No. It was stuff about my mom.”
“Your mom?” Her eyes widened. I didn’t talk about Mom, mostly because I hadn’t realized she’d abandoned me until it had been years since she’d answered the phone. Mollie had tried to ask about her many times, and I’d always changed the subject.
“Yeah.”
“What made you think about her?”
“Sometimes when I see people win their lottery with their moms, like your future daughter has, it’s hard. But that’s a me problem?—”
“No,” Mollie interrupted. “It’s not a you problem. I know something happened. Something bad enough to where she isn’t in your life.”
“Mollie, nothing happened. That’s the issue. She just ... stopped wanting to talk to me.”
To anyone else, something like that made no sense. A mother’s love was usually guaranteed, unconditional, and to have it endhadto come with some falling out.
But not with me.
“I don’t ...” Mollie’s voice was strangled. “What do you mean she just stopped talking to you?”
“I called and she didn’t pick up. It’s gone on for years.”
“When was the last time you talked with her?”
“The day I met you.”
“But that was ... You were having a rough day. She seriously never talked to you again?”
“Nope.”
Her voice raised in pitch. “What iswrongwith her?”
“No idea. I’ll never know.”
She wiped at her eyes, but I knew she wasn’t only sad. She waspissed. “She lives in Mom’s neighborhood, I could go kick her?—”
“I tried visiting her once. Dad did too. She didn’t answer the door. She’s not worth all of that.”
“She ignored you at herdoor?”
“It was years ago. Before I figured it out. Most of the time I don’t even think about her. Until ... until Jude said something similar to what she used to tell me. It’s been haunting me since I got here.”
“Wren,” she said. “I’m so sorry. Is there anything I can do?”
“Just continue to be the amazing friend you are. That’s all.”
