Page 15 of Matrimonial Merger

“Because you are both wonderful.”

“And that’s sweet. You’re supposed to say that. You’re our mother. But, mom, I’m forty-eight, unmarried, and have a job that demands my attention night and day. I am sometimes emotionally unavailable and exhausted. A normal woman—someone you’d probably prefer—wouldn’t put up with me. Daphne? She is made of similar stuff, okay? Leave her be. Or, so help me, you will havenoaccess to our child. Because for thelife of me, I cannot imagine why anyone who cannot love their mother for all she is needs to be in their life.”

Tears welled in my mother’s eyes. “Cal, don’t say?—”

“Mother, you have a choice. Back off of Daphne or deal with my silence,” I said.

“But Danna?—”

“Ignore Danna! You don’t have to ever say a god damn word to Danna. I know things aren’t roses between you. I am not asking you to be best friends with Danna—even Daphne. But Daphne? She’s going to be my wife. She’s the mother of my child. So, you’re going to play nice and be nice to her or so help me, you won’t be in the picture at all.”

“That isn’t fair?—”

“It is. It’s not fair to Tim, perhaps because Tim hasn’t done anything but welcome Daphne.”

“I will… try. But we have little in common.”

I groaned. “Mother, what do you mean? Other than a massive brand deal with her company? Yeah, you’re lucky that Daphne’s business acumen outweighs her revenge complex.”

Daphne

“Daph, are you feeling any better?”

“I just want to rest,” I groaned, looking up at Cal.

I lay on the couch in my late father’s study—the room no one dared touch. Cal stood over me, face sympathetic. He sat a mug down on the coffee table. “Hot cocoa—with extra marshmallows, per Dora.”

“Thanks,” I said, sitting. A warm beverage and chocolate sounded good. And—unlike the coffee I craved deep in my bones—this was technically safe to drink.

Cal sat next to me, unfurling his arm across the back of the couch.

“I don’t know what to say,” he said. “Other than I am profusely sorry that my mother acted like a monster. I feel so shitty, Daph.”

I rested my head on his shoulder. “I don’t blame you. She’s fucking mad, but… maybe I don’t quite understand it yet? Maybe motherhood makes you lose your fucking mind for no reason?”

He wrapped his arm around me. “I think that is probably what set your mother off, but it’s no excuse.”

“An explanation?”

“Maybe. I’m sorry. It’s be a hard day.”

“Oh, it’s all my fault.”

“How?” Cal asked. “Baby, you didn’t do anything other than exist. It’s not like anyone let you get a word in.”

“No, they didn’t. And that’s why I just left,” I said. “But… if I wasn’t pregnant, everything wouldn’t be melting down around me. I’m so tired. I have no fight left. I just want to take a nap for two months and wake up when the nausea is gone.”

“It will improve. And things won’t always feel this heavy.”

I met his gaze. “Really, Cal? Because all I hear is that I am going to be forced to be the knocked up bride who is embarrassingly big on her wedding day—like a walking embarrassment. If all of this—if having to go on record about the fact that yes, that was me naked in that video—wasn’t bad enough, let alone being the shameful unwed pregnant woman.”

“Daph, you’re going to be beautiful?—”

“I don’t want that, Cal. I ran away from my first wedding and was brought back kicking and screaming. Now? Now I have to do it seven months pregnant! It’s mortifying!”

“You don’t need to be embarrassed. This isn’t the sixteen hundreds, baby.”

“Well, it’s not just that. I also…” I couldn’t say the words.

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