Dad's Best Friend

Waking Up To Reality

     I woke abruptly, sweat dripping down my face. I looked around my room, the sunlight pouring in through the windows. When had I fallen asleep? I'd been up for hours replaying what had happened in my head. Owen was gone, and he wanted to leave. He didn't even try to fight to stay. I closed my eyes against the sun, I didn't want to wake up and face the reality yet. There was a soft knock at my door. "I don't want to talk." I mumbled, rolling onto my side with my back to the door now. I heard someone come in anyway, feeling them sit down next to me. I knew it was Chris when he laid down next to me. I turned to face him. He was laying on his back with his hands folded on his stomach. "What?" I groaned. I wasn't in the mood to talk.

     "Why didn't you tell me?" he said, staring up at the ceiling. "Chris." I sighed loudly and flipped onto my back. "You should have told me." he snapped, turning his head to look at me. "I'm sorry okay." I said to the ceiling. "If you had told me I could have helped with keeping it from mom and dad, I could've been an extra pair of eyes Z." he sounded hurt, or disappointed. I couldn't tell. I closed my eyes again, I couldn't deal with this right now. "It doesn't matter now, does it? He left." I squeezed my eyes shut. "He didn't have much choice." "He could've asked me to come with him, could've told me he was only leaving because they were forcing him to, hell he could have just sent me a text or called saying he only left because of them." I pressed my palms against my eyes now, forcing myself to keep from crying. Chris was silent now. "Maybe...maybe he was too old for you then." Chris sat up now. "Really, you too?" I asked as I moved my hands from my face. I sat up with him now. "I just mean if he left then it's his loss." Chris glanced at me, standing up off the bed and heading for the door. Even though I didn't believe it yet, it was nice to hear. "Mom and dad are pretty freaked though, so good luck with that." he saluted me and left my room, closing the door and leaving me alone with my thoughts again.

     I reluctantly headed downstairs an hour later. I'd pulled on a pair of jean shorts and a white v-neck shirt. I tiptoed into the kitchen, trying to avoid mom and dad as best I could as I tried to find something to eat. "Suzanne." I heard mom's voice behind me as I opened the fridge. I sighed, shutting the door and turning to face her. "Mom I really don't want to hear it." I shook my head at her, leaning against the island. She frowned at me, her lips piercing. "Well you should have thought about that before you slept with your father's best friend." she snapped at me, her words cutting through me like knives. "Please mom, we didn't even sleep together." I threw my hands up, heading out of the kitchen. "Suzanne stop!" mom called after me. I stopped in the doorway, turning around to look at her. "What?" I asked and crossed my arms at her. "Stop with the attitude." she warned me. "Mom I understand that I'm still your daughter but I'm twenty-two and I live on my own, I don't have to take this from you." I said, holding my breath as soon as it fell out of my mouth. I was mad, and upset, and while what I said was true I was still a little afraid to talk to my mom that way. She stared at me, crossing her own arms now. 

     "Suzanne..." she sighed and looked away from me. She rubbed her forehead before speaking again. "You're right, you're grown and can make your own decisions on who you date but when you mess with someone your father works with, someone we consider a close friend you have to deal with the consequences, this situation has been so dramatic. But the bottom line, age put aside, is that he left. He left and didn't look back Suzanne and I know you know that you can do better than that. I raised you to think higher of yourself than that." she stepped closer to me, her eyes piercing my soul. "Mom, I'm just sad." I shrugged at her, tears starting to stream down my face again. "Oh sweetheart. I know." she wrapped me up in a hug, holding me tight as I silently cried against her. "I know I deserve better than someone who isn't willing to fight for me, but it still really sucks." I cried, mom slowly petting my head. "I know it does Suzanne, but you're father really is right. That man is too old for you anyway. You deserve someone your age who wants to fight till the end for you." her voice was soothing but it made my heart ache. My entire body ache. I stayed in her arms for as long as possible.