Page 14 of Revelry
“Gertie!” she screamed when she saw me and I laughed despite myself. She ran at me, flinging her arms around me and I buried my face in her neck. I might be in my thirties, but I still needed my mom. She squeezed extra tight then pulled back, smoothing my hair from my face before she saw the remnants of my bruise. Her thumb stroked the edge of it and her mouth pulled into a line.
“Well shit,” she huffed, her eyes filling with tears. “Someone hurt my baby girl?”
I burst into tears.
She hugged me again and then Cathy was hugging me too. We stood there for a few minutes crying and hugging. “I’m so sorry, Mom.”
“Hey, hush it now,” she growled. “You have nothing to apologize for, you hear?” She cupped my face, brushing away my tears and I nodded. She tucked me into the side of her body. “Come inside, baby girl.”
The house was the same: wooden floors and white walls except now they had prints all over them. The Teton’s, Yellowstone, local Reverence hotspots, some of the local ranches. I assumed they were Cathy’s work, and they were stunning. The prints of Redemption Ranch backlit by the sunset through the trees captured my attention. I’d recognize that place anywhere, and was that abisonhiding in the treeline?
“They’re gorgeous,” I said to Cathy, and she flushed under the praise.
“Thank you. I’ll go make some tea,” she said, before leaving me and Mom alone. Mom walked us over to the light blue couch and squeezed us down on it, not leaving my side.
“How’s things going with Cathy?” I asked to break the awkward silence.
“Great, she’s a dream. It’s been eight years now and I love her even more every day, isn’t it sickening?” she gushed.
“Not at all, Mom. I’m so glad you found her,” I replied. Mom had been lonely for a long time after Dad left. Then on our calls she started talking about her friend Cathy that she met at pottery class. Soon after, she would tell me about dinners they went on or movies they went to see and she gushed about her so much it was clear what was happening.
When I’d suggested she ask Cathy to move in, Mom had paused before asking, “Is that something you would be okay with?”
I’d laughed. “If she makes you happy then I’m happy.” Cathy had moved in fiveyears ago. I didn’t come home much because of Gary, and I hated that I’d missed so much of their relationship blossoming.
Cathy came back with tea and some cookies, placing them on the coffee table in front of us, then settled on the other side of me. We might all be short but we were all also curvy so it was a tight squeeze but I kinda loved being smushed by them on each side, it felt comforting.
“So, tell me what Shithead Gary did.”
I took a deep breath and told my story, not leaving anything out. There were times Mom clenched her hands around mine. Cathy put her arm around us both comforting the two of us together.When I finished, Mom asked, “Are you home now?”
“Yep, for good,” I said cheerfully, glad to be back and spending more time with them both. Mom and Cathy shared a look. “What? What was that?”
“What was what?” Cathy pretended.
I arched a brow. “That look.”
Mom tapped her teaspoon on the side of her cup, sighing. “I was going to tell you but just hadn’t made the phone call yet.”
I looked between them, my stomach churning with fear. “What is it?”
“We’re moving to San Francisco!” Cathy cheered. “Yay.”
“Oh, wow. I mean, yay that’s so great!” I tried to sound happy, but I wasn’t doing a very good job.
“I’m sorry, baby,” Mom said, patting my knee. “But there isn’t much for us here anymore, especially with you gone. Cathy’s struggling with the business and we can do so much more in San Francisco than we can here.”
“I get that but it’s just…so far away.”
“I know, but I didn’t think you would ever come home again,” Mom said, tucking hair behind my ear.
Guilt ate at me. I’d been a shit daughter; I hadn’t called enough and sure as hell hadn’t visited enough. I couldn’t now be sad that they were leaving me.
I forced a grin onto my face. “No, it’ll be great. Retirement somewhere nice and by the ocean? Oh my God, you’ll love it!”
“I’ve already rented an art studio and have a couple of jobs lined up. More than I’ve had in six months here. Our apartment is almost ready for us,” Cathy said, smiling at my mom.
“Wow, so soon?”
