Page 21 of Four Dates and A Forever
Elsie stopped dead in her tracks, like she’d been unknowingly entered into the ice bucket challenge. “You never told me that he wanted out. You said he wasn’t happy.”
Faye tilted her head. “Huh, I’m sure I did.”
“No, Mom. You didn’t. I had to find out from a mutual friend that he was cheating. And how could you keep something like that from me?” Even as she said the words, she already knew the answer. “Let me guess, intervening would stunt my personal growth?”
She was met with silence. Elsie put her palm to her eyes and pressed hard against the continuous pounding. She was too hungover for this.
“Nope. I can’t do this.” Elsie walked straight past her mom and into the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Grandma, I can’t stay.”
Harriet looked devastated and Elsie hated that, but she couldn’t be around her mom for another second.
Like the middle child, always trying to make peace, Harriet took her hands. “There’s no reason to let him get between you. Your mom is right about one thing, you landed where you were supposed to. You deserve better and you need to get yourself back out there.”
Another man in her life was the last thing she needed. “Sorry, Huey, I’m not really dating right now.”
Huey didn’t seem to give two shits about Elsie leaving, he was mesmerized by Faye puckering her lips in a pout that could bring men to their knees.
“Don’t leave, honey,” Faye said. “Not on my account.”
“I can’t do this right now,” she whispered.
“Before you go, can I at least tell you about my secret,” Faye said, and Elsie practically groaned because Faye’s most recent secret ended with her and Axel on a couples’ retreat in Florida, which happened to be at a nudist colony.
Then there was the secret that broke Elsie’s heart.
“Your last secret didn’t work out so well for me.”
“This one will, I promise. Just hear me out.”
“I would have heard you out if you’d come to me about Axel as soon as you knew.” She’d had no idea how miserable he was in the marriage. That things were wrong. That there were things he didn’t love anymore—including Elsie. And her mom never said a word.
Elsie had found them a marriage counselor, was even going to counseling solo because Axel had convinced her that she was the problem. All the while he was having affairs with women he’d meet on the road. Then he’d come home and complain about every little thing Elsie did. That she was being clingy or needy, or that she was emotionally absent. Even worse, it seemed all her quirks and parts that he’d fallen in love with now irritated him.
No matter how hard she tried, she could never get it right. Her mom’s secret gave Axel more time to crush Elsie’s self-confidence and self-worth. Axel was already checked out of the marriage long before divorce was even mentioned.
“I don’t think I can handle another one of your big reveals, Mom.”
She knew her words hurt her mom, but that was okay because her mom’s one decision had broken Elsie’s heart.
“I got you your first decorating gig. A person I mentor is throwing a big party and needs an event planner.”
“I’m an interior architect, which means I don’t do event planning. I do space planning and aesthetic designs,” she said for the hundredth time.
Well, she would as soon as she landed her big first client, which would be a little more challenging without a diverse portfolio or showcase house. She already had the house, but someone had bought it right out from under her.
“Look at you putting that book to good use. Really owning what you do,” her mom said, but then in the next breath, “And I’m sure Claire would be willing to call you an interior architect if that makes you happy.”
“It doesn’t make me happy, it’s my job title.” Or at least it was her new title. Back in LA Elsie had spent so much time joining Axel on the road or making their time at home really count, she passed on bigger jobs. She dabbled with interior decorating, landed a few one-offs for friends, including her biggest project, a home studio for one of Axel’s friends. They’d seen what she’d done with the Greenhill house and hired her on the spot. Axel always made it seem like she got the job because the guy wanted an in with Axel, and for a time she’d believed him. Then, toward the end of their marriage, she’d began to believe in her own talent and wanted to challenge herself, which was why she’d come back to Portland.
The Greenhill house was her grand opus. From the light fixtures to every bolt, that house was her proudest accomplishment. She’d eventually have to say goodbye; she just wasn’t ready. Not yet. And she wasn’t ready to give up the dream that she’d be able to finish Greenhill.
“Mom, I don’t do parties.”
“This is more than a party, it’s an experience,” her mom said. “It’s aWalking Deadgender reveal party. Isn’t that exciting.”
“Fandom reveals are the latest craze,” Huey said, and all eyes went to him. “My sister had one. Harry Potter. I dressed as Dobby.”
“If anyone could pull off a Dobby costume it would be you,” Harriet said, looking hopefully from Huey to Elsie, then mouthing,What a catch.
