Page 33 of The Perfect Marriage

“None other than Scott Summers.”

22

Adam Morgan

The guard opens the door, and I step into the small room. Immediately my body is wrapped in Mother’s arms. She smells of her usual perfume and she’s wearing all black as if she’s dressed for my funeral. The guard informs us that visiting hours are over in ten minutes and then closes the door behind him.

“Sweetheart,” she says kissing my cheeks. “What did they do to you?” She examines my face—poking and prodding to ensure it’s healing properly. She’s not a doctor, but she’s seen enough of them to think she knows what she’s doing.

“It’s nothing, Mom.” I pull her back in for a hug, so she’ll stop staring and trying to put my face back together. I guide her back into her seat and I take the one across from her. She reaches for my hands, holding them, just gazing at me. Her mouth opens, then closes, then opens again, searching for the words to say.

“What, Mom?”

She says nothing. Continues staring.

“You’re trying to decide if I did it?”

“No.” Her response is resolute.

“No?” I cock my head.

“You’re my son. I know you didn’t do this and I’m going to get you out of here.” She squeezes my hands.

“Mom, I was sleeping with Kelly. They found her body in my bed. My DNA was all over her.” I shake my head. Saying it out loud makes me realize how truly fucked I am.

“Having an affair isn’t a crime,” my mother snaps back.

“Mom! Fuck the affair, look at the evidence they have!”

“It doesn’t matter. I’m going to get you the best defense attorney.” She nods as she speaks.

“I already have one.”

“Who?”

“Sarah!” Mother has never treated her fairly. No matter what Sarah did she could never live up to my mother’s expectations of success because their visions of success never aligned.

“Sarah? She’s the one that got you into this mess.”

I pull my hands away. “What? How?”

“Well, if she would have been more focused on loving you than her career, you wouldn’t have been diddle-dipping elsewhere in the first place. Plus, she deprived you of fatherhood and stopped me from being a grandmother.” Mom crosses her arms in front of her chest.

“None of that is true, Mom.” I let out a huff and roll my eyes. “She just wasn’t ready yet. You know why and you know what she went through.” I narrow my eyes.How can she say things like that about my wife? Sarah has been through enough, and she doesn’t need this from my mother.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah. Everyone has a pity story, Adam.”

“Enough, Mom!” My voice raises more than I’ve ever raised it to my mother. She doesn’t flinch. She doesn’t even bat an eye. I could literally throw this table across the room and punch her right in the mouth, and she’d still look at me like I was the reason the sun rose every morning.

“Oh, sweetheart. Jail is already making you temperamental.” She reaches across the table and caresses my cheek. “I’m going to bring you some of that peppermint tea you like. That used to help calm you down as a child.” She smiles at me.

I take a deep breath. The door opens and, in the doorway, stands Sarah. My mom turns her neck to look.

“Eleanor. Adam,” Sarah greets.

“Hello, Sarah.” My mother’s greeting is cold as usual.

“Adam isn’t supposed to have visitors until after his arraignment. How did you get in here?” Sarah questions.

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