Page 72 of The Lies I've Told
“You did!” I rose to my feet. “You brought me out here knowing I couldn’t tolerate the heat well anymore, hoping I’d, what? Sweat my secrets out to you?”
My mother, the one who’d kissed my boo-boos and sung lullabies at night when I couldn’t sleep, looked up at me with that same amused, doe-eyed expression before turning to Molly. Both of them seemed like they were about to burst.
Until, finally, they did.
Laughter filled the patio.
I rolled my eyes, my hands flying up in defeat as I turned on my heels, preparing to storm off.
“Oh, come on!” Molly said. “Don’t go. She was only messing with you.”
Letting out a giant huff, I pivoted back around and plopped back down on the chair, still uncomfortable.
Still hot.
Still annoyed.
But, this time, I grabbed my sweet tea and downed half of the glass in a single gulp as my sister and mother chuckled in the background.
“We had to get even with you for not responding to our text messages,” my mother said. “That, and it is nice to know you actually still want to talk to me about these kinds of things.”
“I don’t want—”
She gave me a look.
One of those motherly don’t-mess-with-me looks.
“Okay, maybe I do,” I replied.
“I don’t know why it’s so hard to admit,” she said, grabbing the pitcher of sweet tea so that she could top off my glass. She went around and did the same for Molly’s and her own as well.
“Because I’m twenty-eight years old,” I said. “I shouldn’t need my mommy anymore.”
Her face grew serious as she set down her tea and took both of our hands in her own. “My own mama died sixteen years ago, and there isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t need her,” she said as I watched her lip tremble. “Every daughter needs a mother whether you’re all grown-up”—her eyes fell to mine with a gentle smile—“or brand-new.” That same smile traveled to Molly. “And I’ll be here for you as long as I’m able.”
She squeezed our hands and let out a breath, blinking her eyes several times, like she was willing away tears before turning her attention back on me. “Now, he must be a special one if you want to tell me about it.”
I scrunched my face and looked out at the water for a moment. “It’s complicated,” I finally answered.
“Oh, boy,” she said. “Not another one.”
“Another one?” Molly scoffed. “I’m not complicated.” She folded her arms across her chest, doing her best impression of indignant.
“Oh, please!” I laughed. “Sulking around here for twelve years? And then almost marrying your best friend? That’s not complicated?”
She leaned back in her chair, her eyes locked on mine until she finally gave up. Shrugging, she looked at Mom and said, “Okay, but I’m not complicated anymore.”
“No, but what a hell of a time it took to get you there. I knew it was only a matter of time with your sister. You know Maria from my bridge club? Each of her two daughters? No drama. Simply met a nice man, fell in love, got married. No muss, no fuss. But my daughters? Nothing but drama!”
I didn’t know if she was talking to herself or us at this point.
“So, tell me about your fellow,” she finally said, her voice soothing, as I sat back in the seat, the heat no longer as bothersome as it once had been.
I clutched my sweet tea in my hands and closed my eyes as I thought of Aiden.
“He’s not my fellow,” I finally answered.
“But you want him to be,” my mother’s voice replied.
