Page 18 of Homewrecker

“I got to hang out with Uncle Kellar. That’s always fun.”

“How’s he doing?” Ashley’s mom straightened up a little, though she kept her gaze on the strawberries, which was for the best considering the knife in her hand.

“Good. He took good care of me.” Him and Mr. Black, but she didn’t mention that part to her mom.

“He’s a good man,” her mom said softly. She tilted her head. “Do you think this is enough strawberries, or do you want more?”

“That looks good. I still have to fit the Nutella in it, too.” Ashley’s favorite breakfast had always been crepes, one savory and one sweet. She’d recognized her mom’s offer for the apology that it was. It had been way too long since she’d been over to her mom’s for brunch and crepes.

The doorbell rang and both of them tensed. They weren’t expecting anyone else. Ashley’s mom gave her a confused look and set down the knife, turning to hurry to the door.

It had better not be her dad or Rebecca… but Ashley wouldn’t put anything past them. With that thought in mind, she got up and followed her mom to the door.

Well, well, speak of the devil. Uncle Kellar.

“Kellar! What are you doing here?” Her mom sounded surprised, though it wasn’t a total shock. Even when Ashley’s dad had announced the divorce, Uncle Kellar had been insistent that he stay in touch with Ashley’s mom, even if they weren’t going to be in-laws anymore. Ashley knew her mom had gotten in the habit of calling him when there was something around the house that needed doing that she couldn’t do herself and that her dad used to take care of.

“Sara, I just wanted to check in on you, and I brought some bagels.” Uncle Kellar lifted the box, which had the logo for Ashley’s mom’s favorite bagel place.

“Oh, that’s so sweet of you. Do you want to come in? I’m just making crepes for Ashley and myself. You’re welcome to join us.”

Uncle Kellar’s gaze lifted, and he saw Ashley standing at the entryway to the kitchen, halfway down the hall from the front door, and he grinned.

“Hey, there. You were my next stop. I was going to see if you needed a ride to pick up your car.”

Ashley drew her hand across her neck in a quick cutting motion, trying to tell him to shut up, but it was too late. Her mom turned around, frowning, holding the bagel box in front of her.

“Why do you need to pick up your car?”

“I wasn’t really in a good position to be driving home last night,” Ashley admitted, sighing inwardly and shooting Uncle Kellar a dirty look over her mom’s shoulder.

He shrugged, not appearing particularly sorry as he stepped inside, closing the door behind him. Guess he was going to be joining them for breakfast.

Her mom’s lips thinned, but she didn’t say anything.

Sorry, Mom, I was so drunk, I seduced Rebecca’s dad and had his cum dripping into my underwear… I was definitely not in a place to be driving. I had to drink that much to get through the damn wedding you made me go to, but I don’t want you feeling guilty about that. It was my choice to go, just like it was my choice to fuck Mr. Black. I just want to pretend like yesterday never happened.

Even though she couldn’t really regret fucking Mr. Black. It had been filthy hot, satisfying some dark need inside her that had made her want to do terrible, destructive things. It had definitely been the best part of her day. Which… sleeping with a married man being the best part of her day really said something about the day.

“Oooh, crepes,” Uncle Kellar said, following them into the kitchen. “They smell amazing, Sara.”

“Thank you.”

Oddly, having her father’s brother there for breakfast made things easier. Her mom didn’t try to bring up the wedding again, thank God, and Uncle Kellar kept them easily entertained with stories from work, as well as asking her mom about what she was doing. Ashley’s dad wasn’t mentioned once.

It also let Ashley relax. She’d been worried her mom would ask more about the wedding or, worse, the honeymoon her dad and Rebecca were leaving for today. Not with Uncle Kellar there as a buffer, though, even though he’d also been at the wedding.

If she just forgot about her dad leaving her mom, it was easy to pretend it was a normal weekend morning when she and Uncle Kellar were over for brunch while her dad was out somewhere. Maybe on a business trip, as had happened often enough. Ashley didn’t like to think too hard about what her dad might have been up to on those business trips. That was Slut-becca’s problem now.

After brunch, she got in the car with Uncle Kellar.

“Thanks for driving me. Saves me some money.”

Uncle Kellar chuckled.

“No problem.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes, then Uncle Kellar cleared his throat. Like her mom earlier, he didn’t look at her, keeping his eyes trained firmly on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel at exactly ten and two o’clock.

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