Page 83 of Broken Strings

I tugmy duvet higher over my body, shivering despite the heat on this beautiful August morning.

Glancing at my nightstand, I can see my phone, and despite needing to call Anna, or even Vaughn, for a sympathetic ear, it feels too far away just now.

A glass of water sits alongside it, though how it got there, I don’t know. My mouth feels and tastes like ass, but even so, the temptation of the cool liquid isn’t enough to make me stir from my puddle of self-hate.

After Jesse had stormed into Caden’s office, I’d not gotten a word in edgewise. Ford had appeared as though out of nowhere, whispering to follow him.

I’d not been able to move under my son’s vitriolic attack until Caden had spoken aloud, quelling my son—our son—with a simple solution.

“Summer, I think it’s best if you go back to the recording studio. We all need time to adjust.”

Jesse had stood at his side, staring me down until I’d moved to follow Ford.

The trip back here had been made in absolute silence—proof of just how far from grace I’d fallen—and once he’d seen me inside, he turned and walked back to the house without a glance.

I’d pilfered a bottle of rum from Caden’s stash and drank the lot until I’d thrown up for hours. After falling asleep, literally with my headinthe toilet, I’d crawled back to bed and sobbed myself into a fitful sleep.

Thankfully, I didn’t drunk dial…

My eyes widen when I realise I did, in fact, drunk text.

Summoning the energy to reach for my phone, I click into my messages and cringe.

Me

Jesse, baby. I love you. There’s so much you don’t know.

Jesse

I know you’re a liar. And a thief. You stole my life from me.

I hate you.

Me

You don’t mean that, baby.

Jesse

I do. Go home, Mom. No one wants you here.

I swallow roughly as tears swim in my vision. This is worse than I could have ever imagined. I knew it wouldn’t go well, but I can’t get the image of his hatred-filled eyes from my mind.

Eyes that were identical in both colour and emotion to his father.

You’ve lost them both now.

Me

Do you really want me to leave? I will if you say the word. I’d do anything for you, baby.

My heart tremors when I see the dots blaze to life immediately, praying that he only spewed that venom in his anger last night.

Jesse

Go back to New York. You’ve done enough already.

A whole new wave of sadness washes over me, pulling me into its soothing embrace as a fresh onslaught of sobs wracks my body.

---