Page 68 of A Me and Him Thing
“Yes. She was hit by a car while riding her bicycle. The head injury caused severe brain damage.”
My mind wanders to Ren’s overprotectiveness, his obsession with safety. Everything falls into place. No wonder. An accident took his life from him. It’s not surprising that he’s scared of one happening again.
Ren calls us to dinner. He made his “famous” lasagna, as everyone calls it, along with salad, green beans with bacon, cream cheese and green chili corn, and garlic French bread.
He kills it in the kitchen. Dinner is delicious but interminable. I’m simmering on the inside, minutes away from a full boil. I promise myself over and over that I won’t lose it and act horriblylike I did with Sawyer and Quinn, but my thoughts are starting to rage.
Ren is married.Married. He shouldn’t have carried on with our “friendship.” He’s right, it was wrong of him.
As the minutes tick by, I feel angrier and angrier. I feel for Ren and his situation. I even understand his actions.
It still doesn’t make it right.
But I promised Ren I would withhold judgment until I’d heard the entire story, and I’m going to keep that promise.
Susan scoops a bite of lasagna into her mouth. “Ren, this is so good. Who are you and what have you done with my son? You know, the one who burned toast practically every morning before school.”
Ren chuckles. “Once I mastered toast, I knew I had talent.”
Kate raises one hand in the air. “I can make toast.”
“Yes, you can. That’s why you’re a genius,” Ren says in his smooth voice.
Kate smiles adorably, proud of herself.
Ren’s phone dings, and he checks his messages.
“How’s Allie?” Jack asks.
“Finally sleeping. With nighttime being so hard for her, she tends to exhaust herself. She can’t sleep; she can’t relax. She’s aggressive and angry. Sedatives don’t seem to help at all. It’s no wonder she’s so irritated during the day.”
Everything clicks into place. I now understand where his constant text messages were coming from. Updates on his wife.
“How was the visit?”
“She was agitated today. It was tough.” Ren exhales sharply.
“I’m sorry,” Susan says, frowning. “I saw her on Thursday afternoon, and she was so peaceful, so relaxed. I was hoping the kids could see her like that.”
“She screamed at us,” Kate says sadly.
“Not at you, sweetheart,” Susan soothes. “She just screams sometimes. It’s part of her sickness, remember?”
“Yes.” Kate hangs her head.
“Hey, no sad faces are allowed while Dad is here. Otherwise, I might eat all of your green beans. And I know how much you love them.”
Kate hasn’t taken a single bite of green beans. They’re separated from all the rest of her food in a corner of her plate. “I’ll give them to you, Daddy.”
Ren holds his heart. “I couldn’t let you make such a sacrifice.”
Kate giggles but still doesn’t touch her vegetables.
“How are things at Exodus, Ren? Going well?” Jack asks.
“Going really well. We’re booked solid for the next six months. I see a lot of dirty dishes in my future.”
“Dishes?” I ask. What does he mean? He has people for that sort of thing.
