On Purpose

~26~

Isabelle's face mirrored mine: pure shock and disbelief. "Your mom?!" she yelled too loud and I had no time to cover her mouth.
Parker shot me a perplexing glance, his expression inscrutable.
"Hey, my wife is here," he announced. My mother appeared equally astonished, and I could sense Parker's bewilderment.
"Oliver," She whispered in disbelief. I would too if I left my family behind.
"Hello, Alice." I said proudly, addressing her by her actual name instead of the one I was supposed to use.
Parker gestured between my mother and me, inquiring, "Do you two know each other?"
I calmly asked her, "You didn't tell him?" She responded in that intimidating tone that used to frighten me as a child, "Not here."
I gently took Isabelle's arm and urged, "Let's go, Isabelle." She didn't seem inclined to resist, merely gazing at my mother with an enigmatic expression. Parker, his eyes wider than the universe, turned to my mother and demanded, his tone stern, "How do you know him, Alice?"
"He's my son." She covered her mouth as if the words had slipped out unintentionally.
I held the door open for Isabelle, guiding her like a pet on a leash. She slid into the passenger seat, and as my mother called out for me, I walked to the driver's side. I couldn't bear to look at her right now, I don't believe I ever could.