Page 32 of XOXO, Daddy
“Well, can we pause that for a bit and talk about whatever bug crawled up your ass and died?” she snarked right back. I looked at her, jaw gaped open in shock. She hadnotjust said that!
“Alyssa—”
“Seriously, Willow. It’s obvious you’ve been seeing someone. I mean, you had that whole walk of shame thing the other day, and all. But with the way you’ve been acting, something tells me that this wasn’t a one night stand.”
“The wayI’vebeen acting? Are you kidding me?!” I struggled to keep my voice down as her audacity astounded me.
“No, I’m not kidding. And you should be honest for once. What’s been going on with you?”
“What’s been going on with me?” I scoffed sarcastically. “I’ll tell you what’s been going on with me. I have been trying,desperately,to settle into a new job, in a new town, with a new life. It’s called an adjustment, Alyssa. You’ve done nothing but make that harder with your complete lack of professionalism and your refusal to respect me as your superior,” I nearly hissed through clenched teeth.
“Whatever, I’m not even talking about work—”
“That’s the fucking problem, Alyssa. You don’t pay attention to the fact that we’re at work. This is not the time or place, and while I’ve tried to be patient with you, you can’t seem to get it through your thick skull. Wewerefriends, Alyssa. Wewerebest friends. Maybe we could have been friends now. But I’m not sixteen years old, back in high school, needing a cool friend to feel more popular. I am the youngest person — and only woman — to become the Director of Marketingat Medicrest Pharmaceuticals. I have worked my ass off to get here. We’re not teenagers anymore. I am twenty-seven, and I’m a goddamn adult. Grow up. I have work to do. Maybe you should do yourwork before you get in trouble.” Eyes narrowed, I glared at my former friend, anger surging within me.
“Willow—”
“No, Alyssa. You need to mind your own business for once in your life. I may have spilled my guts to you when we were kids, but that waswhen we were kids!I am not required to tell you about my love life oranythingabout my personal life. Because it’spersonal.Now please leave my office, before I am forced to take official disciplinary action. I have work to do. I highly suggest you do the same.” Turning back to my computer, I ignored her.
She stood there for a moment before rushing from my office, the door slamming closed behind her.
What had I done?
My stomach turned, and I barely had time to grab the wastepaper basket under my desk before I vomited.
I was a horrible person. I had yelled at Alyssa, because I was too afraid to admit the truth.
Shakily, I called the one person I knew could help me.
“Mama?” I asked, wiping my mouth with a tissue. “Would it be okay if I came by after work?”
“Okay,honey. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” my mother asked, setting a mug of tea in front of me. Tears welled in my eyes; the desire to spill every ounce of the truth to her was almost impossible to ignore. But telling your mother you’ve been doing kinky shit with your former best friend’s father wasn’t likely to go over well. I had a sneaking suspicion my mother knew I was into some… different things in the bedroom,but there were limits to what I was comfortable telling her. Ignorance was bliss sometimes.
“I don’t even know where to begin,” I admitted, taking a sip of my tea. It burned my tongue.
“The beginning tends to be the best choice in situations like these,” she said with a little wink.
“You always know best, Mama.”
“Is it a work problem, a friend problem, a boy problem, or a you problem?” How was she able to get straight to the point with things like this? Secret mom power, I tell you.
“Is all of the above an option?”
“That bad, huh?” A look of sympathy graced her face as she sipped her tea.
“Let’s just say my life is a mess right now. Or might be, that is.”
“I have a hard time believing that, Willow. You have always been very resourceful.”
“This is different, Mama. It’s a big problem.”
“Big problems are just a group of small problems you haven’t broken down into achievable tasks yet, dear.” My mother’s wisdom was heavy and incredibly true.
“But how do you know where to start when everything feels…” I trailed off, struggling to find the words.
“When everything feels upside down?” she asked with a knowing grin.
“Yes, exactly.”
