Page 36 of Merry with a Brewmaster
“No, I saw what situations like this do to a kid all the time when I was teaching. Some had better situations than others—parents who at least didn’t spew their toxic relationship onto their child. But that woman doesn’t give a shit about anything but herself.”
“Don’t you think I know that? She’s her fucking mother, Vienna—nothing about this is easy. It breaks my heart everytime she bails on Haven and every time she shows up because I don’t know what my daughter is going to need when she gets home.”
“But—”
“But nothing, Vienna. You’ve been here for one pickup withmy daughter.You don’t get to throw shade at me because you think you know better.”
Vienna presses her lips into a thin line as she stares at me before snatching her keys and purse off the counter and heading for the door.
“Where are you going?”
“Out.”
“Vienna.”
“WhatIdo, Wells,”—her expression is blank but her tone is firm—“is none of your business.” The door slams behind her, the sound echoing in the empty house long after she’s gone.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I’m hurting but she is too. Her anger and the harshness of her words weren’t directed at me, but at the situation, at the unfairness of it all.
But I hadn’t been listening, and now she is God knows where and I can’t even chase her down because I have to go in to work for the next several hours.
Fuck.
VIENNA
“Doyou want to talk about it?” Reece says as she sets a cup of hot chocolate on the table in front of me.
“She’s awful,”—my eyes well with tears as I look at her—“and it broke my heart that Haven didn’t want to go, but Wells is right—it’s her mom.”
“But her mom’s an asshole,” Reece supplies before taking a sip from her own mug.
“Exactly.”
“So what do you want to do? We can do shots here until Isaac has to pick us up off the floor, or we can go out and I can tell people it’s your birthday so you get free drinks all night.”
“You’re so good to me.” I sigh as I rest my head on her shoulder and look around at Isaac’s house—their house now. Little pieces of Reece can be seen all over the room, from the colorful throw blanket on the couch to the stone coasters with the starfish printed in the bottom right-hand corner.
They’re making a life together, butwhat am I doing?
My phone buzzes but before I can reach for it, Reece grabs it and punches in the password.
“Huh,” she says without elaborating.
“And?”
“He’s sorry.”
Taking it from her, I read the messages on the screen.
WELLS: I shouldn’t have let you leave and I’m sorry
WELLS: It’s so fucking hard trying to do the right thing with Haven and it feels like no matter what I do, I’m failing her
WELLS: I’m working at the bar but I’m begging you—please be home when I get there—I’m tired of pretending I’m not fucking consumed by you.
Reece letsout a low whistle as she reads the last message over my shoulder. “He’s got it bad for you.”
