I Think I've Had Enough

Chapter 21: Just a little bit

Jillian tapped her foot nervously as she waited for Patrick's voicemail to pick up. She'd stopped expecting him to actually answer. He hadn't returned her call in weeks. It was starting to make her suspicious but she wanted to give him space.

"Patrick you've been gone for a month and have had zero contact with any of us." She sighed, "I know you're busy but we really miss you." Jill paused, "Just tell me what you want us to do. Tallulah wants to come back to LA but I'd honestly still like the kids to spend their summer away from there." Jill glanced out the window above the kitchen sink. She could see her grassy, flowery backyard. But it felt very foreign, "I don't want to be here without you. This is your home Patrick not mine..." Jill picked up a knife off of the counter and started to chop the lettuce. "I'm thinking of taking the kids to the house in Texas... to be by my family for a while." Jill's voice filled with emotion, "Are you mad at me Patrick... I mean did I do something wrong?" she took a long moment of silence, "Please call me back."

Jillian clicked end on the phone and sniffled a few times before pulling herself together and starting to cut the veggies again. As she was cutting the carrots she heard someone pad into the kitchen behind her. "Has he called you back yet?" Tallulah swung open the refrigerator door to grab a bottle of water.

She must have retrieved it because Jillian heard the fridge door slam shut. "No," Jill said quietly not looking away from her meal preparations.

"Can't say I'm surprise," Tallulah said snottily taking a large gulp of water. Jillian ignored her, hoping to have a moment of peace. She didn't like fighting with her moody teenage daughter but it seemed to be an everyday occurrence lately. Jill wondered quietly if it was because of Patrick's absence. Or maybe it was because Jill was keeping T from her dreams. Either way, this wasn't easy.

"I was thinking we could take a trip to the house in Texas..." Jillian suggested in a phony positive tone. "Have some warmer weather. You could get a better tan there. Catch up with your cousins."

Tallulah stared at her blankly. Then, her eyes narrowed and she studied her mother's face. A arrogant triumph lit her eyes, "You're getting a divorce right? Is that what this is..."

"What?" Jillian asked in surprise.

"Dad leaves and doesn't contact us for months at a time and suddenly you need to go back home for emotional support..." Tallulah raised her eyebrows waiting for her mother to confess that her suspicions were right.

"We're not getting a divorce." Jillian said sharply.

"Denial is a sad defense mechanism. It'll only hurt you more in the end." Tallulah said in a tone of mockery. She picked up a cookie and started to leave the kitchen.

Jillian sighed and pulled herself together without much effort. Tallulah would only win if she could see that it affected Jill. Jillian didn't let her see, "so is that a no to Texas?"

Tallulah looked back, rolling her eyes, "It's whatever." She looked away heading out of the kitchen, "Obviously I don't get a say in anything else in my life. Why should I get a say in this?" She mumbled under her breath.