Page 133 of Revolve
“Is that right?” I look at a red-faced Sierra. She rolls her eyes and instead grabs my arms to pull me with her.
“We’ll be upstairs,” she says. I send an apologetic look to her parents, but they don’t seem to mind.
“Babe, I don’t think we should be up here when they made us a whole dinner,” I say.
“They won’t mind.” She waves a hand. “Now tell me why you’re being so weird.”
I give her a look. “I thought you brought me up here to make out.”
“Stop trying to distract me. You’re quiet; I can tell you’re thinking about something. Is it your mom?”
It scares me when she does that sometimes. No one’s ever been able to read me so easily.
“She hasn’t picked up? Try again,” she says seriously. “I can stay here with you.”
I’m about to refuse, deny that I’m thinking about her, but I can’t. Sierra’s right. “I think I should do this on my own.” I’m going to call my dad, and I don’t want her to hear any of the shit he might say.
She nods and steps out of the room before lightly closing the door behind her.
My dad picks up on the first ring, and I’m caught off guard for a second.
“I’m sorry for how I reacted that night,” I say quickly before I’m sure it won’t come out and I’ll come to my fucking senses. The last thing he deserves is an apology, but this isn’t for him. It’s for my mom. I just can’t hold this animosity anymore. I’m so fucking tired of it. “I have my feelings about your relationship, but that didn’t solve anything. That’s not me anymore.”
The line is dead silent, and I have to check if the call is still connected.
“I appreciate that,” my father says after a long minute. “But …” He pauses like the words come with great difficulty. “You were right.”
“What?”
“I’ve screwed it all up. We had a beautiful family, and I ruined everything.” If I didn’t know better, I’d say he’s been crying. For a split second, I wonder if he’s actually changed, if my mom was right, but his next words crush all of that.
“Your mother left, Dylan. She gave me the divorce papers, and said if I couldn’t respect her, she needed to respect herself. For her kids. She left the night of the vow renewal.”
I stand from the bed, clutching the phone tightly. “What do you mean left?” I ask. “Where did she go?”
“I’m not sure, all I know is she’s gone. There isn’t a trace of her in this house anymore.”
“You’re telling me this now?” I shout. “Where the fuck is she?”
“A hotel? I don’t know, son, I just—I’m sorry. I—”
I hang up and dial my mom. I couldn’t care less what he has to say to me. If what he’s saying is true, then he’s not my problem; he’s not any of our problems.
“Where are you?” I say as soon as the call connects.
“Dyl.” It’s my sister. “I’m so happy you called.”
“Ada, why are you answering Mom’s phone? Where is she?”
“She’s with me. We’re at a hotel in West Hartford. I was going to call you, but she didn’t want me to. She said you were finally away from it, and she’d hate to drag you back.”
That’s why she didn’t call. She thought I was done with her. “I’m coming to get you,” I say when Sierra tiptoes back in with a curious gaze. She must have heard how loud I was talking.
There’s some shuffling, and I can hear Ada speaking in Turkish before my mom’s voice is on the line. “Dylan, I’m fine. Don’t ruin your Thanksgiving for me.”
“It won’t be ruined, Mom. I want to see you. I’ll come get you.”
Sierra nudges me. “They can come here. My parents won’t mind,” she whispers. Before I can even think of refusing, Sierra gives me her most serious look. The one that tells me not to defy her.
