Page 39 of Pieces of Us

A few hiccups and a sniffle later, I get through the part where I hung out with Uncle Jacob, but can’t continue.

‘He’s gonna need a hell of a lot of make-up when I get through with him!’ Her violent outburst makes me laugh.

Dad backs up her antics by taking it a step further.

‘That’s it. He’s a dead man. I don’t care if I love the kid. He’s going down,’ Dad blows up.

‘Dad! Mum! Just wait. Calm down,’ I sputter. I take a few breaths. ‘We actually had a long overdue talk.’ My head bangs the back of the headrest. My body and brain are feeling absolutely drained.

Dad passes me his half-empty bottle of water as if he is trying to bring a dead plant back to life.

‘How do you feel?’ Mum interjects, reminding us she’s still on the line.

I shrug, which she obviously can’t see. ‘Sad. Tired. Angry, Relieved. Pretty much every range of emotion under the sun.’ I roll my head back and forth, trying to relieve the dense feeling in my skull.

Both remain quiet for a few moments, giving me the opportunity to continue.

‘I feel…’ I hesitate, trying to find the right words. Cohesiveness isn’t coming to me. ‘When I asked him how it all went so wrong, there were so many juvenile, ridiculous, frustrating excuses.’ I crunch the plastic beneath my hand, getting mad again.

‘Idiot,’ Dad spits.

I throw the bottle on the floor, imagining Lincoln’s head.

‘It’s just none of his excuses were or are inconsequential. The downfall was when I moved to Sydney, but if his feelings for me were as deep as he says they were, a move like that wouldn’t have destroyed our relationship…or at the very least, our friendship.’

I pause, trying to unscramble my thoughts.

‘I know he didn’t cheat on me per se…but it felt like he did when he chose Billie. Then he just watched from the sidelines as the constant rumours, taunts and bullying over my weight ravished me. My entire life, he’s watched me silently battle these intrinsic issues…and he did nothing. I’m disappointed in myself because I thought we were formidable,’ I confess, downcast. ‘My mistake was—’

‘Thinking he was a god,’ Dad finishes for me. Yes. That’s exactly it. I put him on a pedestal my whole life, and he fell from grace.

‘He’s always only ever been human, honey. You let him be your sun, not realising that even the sun can’t shine 24/7,’ Mum says.

Dad pats my leg, stoic in thought.

‘Princess. Love is a finicky thing. It’s not a romance novel or a rom-com. It’s real and gritty. It’s real and raw and human. A relationship will be tested by weaknesses, temptations and sometimes even by mistakes. It’s how you navigate through those choppy times apart and together that determines if it’s meant to be,’ he says.

I nod, eyes watery from how we not only lost our young, passionate, all-consuming love, but also our friendship.

‘For what it’s worth, I think he could be a man deserving of you.’

‘Even though he’s still fucking Billie on and off, even though he swears there’s no feelings?’ I snort, forgetting for a moment that I’m talking to my parents.

They both sigh simultaneously.

‘Princess, can I be harsh for a second?’ It’s so direct. I don’t expect it from Dad.

‘Mark, honey, be careful,’ Mum warns.

‘I will. I will.’

‘And don’t be crass,’ she adds.

‘How Lincoln treated you was shit. He was thinking with his dick.’

‘Mark!’ Mum gasps.

He ignores her and gives me an apologetic shrug.

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