The Way We Were

The Way We Implode

Quinn and Laura sat in their family's living room, patiently waiting for their mother to tell them why they were there.

Judy sipped her tea and tried anew to tell them what was going on. "I- How is married life, girls?"

"We've been married for months, Mom." Laura looked at her like she was crazy. "I'm coming up on my first year."

"I know but how are you both doing? Really?"

Laura and Quinn looked at each other, shrugged then looked at her. "Okay."

Judy huffed. "Give me details."

Quinn pursed her lips. "Well everybody at school knows we're married. There's been backlash from that but being married is fine. It doesn't feel all that different than before."

"Except now you can make love."

"Mom!" Quinn blushed.

"Oh, honey, I know you're not celibate."

"You don't know!" She sputtered.

Judy gave her a look. "Are you?"

"No but we could be! You don't know!"

Judy pursed her lips and looked at Laura. "Will I get the truth from you?"

Laura wrinkled her nose. "We have a happy marriage, Mom. Don't be weird."

"Why don't you girls gush? I used to brag to my mother about all the things your father did for me."

Quinn chewed on her bottom lip. "Mikey does get us flowers all the time. Just for no reason. He's big into PDA, too." She smiled with a blush. "He's always kissing us in front of people."

"That's nothing." Laura waved a hand. "MarcD always pulls me onto his lap and kisses me. And I can't sit across from him. I have to sit right under him. And he's always holding me in his sleep."

"Well Mikey saves the letters we send him and put them in a binder."

"Marc sprays my perfume whenever he misses me."

"Mikey sends us texts through the classes we're not in together."

"Marc rubs my feet at night."

"Mikey runs us baths."

"I threw your father out!" Both girls looked at Judy in shock. She eyed them. "I threw your father out."

"What? Why?" Laura gaped.

"He cheated on me."

"Oh, Mom."

"When?" Quinn was thrown.

"I found out at Christmas." Judy murmured.

"Christmas?!" Both daughters yelped.

Judy nodded.

Laura felt her brow. "Why did you wait so long?!"

"We tried therapy at first but by the time of the wedding, we agreed that it would be best if he moved out. But you had just gotten married, Quinnie. We didn't want you to become upset so he stayed in the house until you went to camp."

"And he's just been gone this whole time?!" Quinn shrieked.

"We came up with the plan for you to stay with Marcus for September, October and November first so you'd get used to married life before I told you. Then you'd stay with me December through February and the Changs March through May before you go back to camp. But I wanted to tell you before you came to stay here."

"It's only October though." Laura didn't get it. "You have plenty of time."

"Your father won't be at Halloween."