In My Bed (18+)

Chapter 9

Parking in front of the modest, brick house my grandparents used to own, I stepped out, slamming the door harder than necessary.

Storming up the walk, I pulled out my key and marched inside.

"Mom?"

Down the hall to the bedrooms, I heard movement.

My mother peeked her head out of the bathroom, clad in a robe, hair wrapped up in a towel, "Hailey? What are you doing here?"

Ignoring her question, I asked, "Did you break Jason Coleman's nose?"

Her expression hardened, "You spoke to him again?"

"Yeah, I did, and he-"

"Hailey, why?"

"Wh-" I shook my head, walking toward her, "don't dodge the question - did you or did you not break Jason Coleman's nose?"

"What did he tell you?"

I crossed my arms, "I noticed that his nose was crooked now, and when I mentioned it, he said that I should ask you what happened."

Mom rolled her eyes as she turned back into the room. Under her breath, she muttered, "Of course he did."

"Well?" I demanded, following her.

"'Well' what?" She sat down on her stool at the counter, picking up a small brush.

I gaped at her, "Are you serious? Mom, did you break his nose?"

Her lips pressed into a line as she leaned toward her makeup mirror, strategically applying a swipe of eyeshadow, "Can you blame me?"

The breath left my lungs, and I stared.

As she blended the shadow out, she continued, "Hailey, you have to understand what I was going through at that time; my mom had just died, my father was in failing health, and I'd just discovered that a man my age had been sleeping with my baby girl."

"And that justifies assaulting him?"

Setting the brush down, she shrugged, "In my eyes, yes."

I blinked, not trusting my ears, "How?"

She took a tube of mascara, expression turning stony, "Because it was my duty to protect you from men like him, and I failed."

"'Men like him'?" I asked, my voice raising, "Mom, how many times do I need to tell you, I was eighteen, it was consensual-"

"Exactly," she snapped, twisting the tube to open it, "you were eighteen. Legally, that might qualify you as an 'adult' but it's still an incredibly vulnerable time, and-"

"Jesus Christ, Mom-"

Pausing, she looked my way "Are you going to keep interrupting me, or are you going to let me answer your question?"

Annoyed, I leaned against the door frame, waiting.

She shook her head, turning back to brush mascara over her lashes, "Eighteen is still vulnerable. I know it didn't seem like it to you then, or now, but from the perspective of forty, it's undeniable. You might have been a willing participant, but that doesn't mean that he's blameless." Closing the tube, she sighed, "The day after you told me everything, I went over to his house to confront him. I wasn't planning on it, but when he opened the door and I saw him, I... I couldn't help myself. I saw red, and I hit him." Her eyes grew distant as she reached up and pulled the towel off of her hair, "Honestly though, thinking about it now? I'd absolutely do it again."