Page 68 of Puck with Karma
“No, none of that anymore,” she snaps at me. “I’ve let you do your thing. You did it. I even agreed with the Master’s program after you graduated college. Now you need to come home. I made this mistake once, never again.”
I roll my eyes toward the ceiling.
“Are you talking about Brandon?”
A long moment of silence ensues. Me bringing up my brother never bodes well. She just refuses to talk about him or acknowledge that he even exists.
“That is not a subject I am willing to discuss.” Her voice drips with anger, and, quite possibly, regret. Not that she would ever admit it. I swear I hear a small sigh coming over the line, and I almost feel sorry for her.
“Maybe you should. It might help you get closure.”
“I don’t need closure.”
She sounds so cold and unforgiving now, I regret saying anything because it’ll get her going more on me.
“I just need my daughter to come home as promised,” she continues, proving me right.
“Mom, I am not coming home until I am done with my internship.” I run a hand through my hair before checking what time it is. Xander should be here soon.
“I wasn’t asking, Abigail. Besides, Wesley needs you.”
Again with Wesley. I don’t know why she keeps on bringing him up. I just want to tell her that we are not together anymore. I have no idea what’s preventing me from doing so.
A knock at the door distracts me from that thought. I rush to open it, grinning like a lunatic when I see Xander on the other side.
“Babe,” he smiles right back. He bends down from his impressive height and takes my mouth into a kiss. His hands are on my waist, and I just want him to grab me and throw me on the closest flat surface, not stop until…
“Abigail, what’s going on there?”
Hearing my mother’s voice in my ear while Xander is kissing me like this is a total turn off. I immediately press a hand to his chest, and even though it is obvious that he doesn’t want to stop, he does pull back, his eyes finding mine.
“Nothing, mom,” I speak into the phone. “But I do have to let you go.”
“That better not be a man in your apartment right now.” She talks to me like I’m sixteen. “We have raised you better than this. I can’t believe you’d cheat on…”
“Mom,” I stop her. “I am not cheating on anyone. Just leave me alone!”
“I just cannot believe this.” She doesn’t skip a beat. “No wonder you’re acting all crazy, bringing up Brandon for no reason.”
“I did not bring up Brandon,” I yell into the phone without meaning to. “You did! With all your passive aggressive comments, and not wanting me to have a life of my own without your input!”
I hang up the phone before she has a chance to say more. I march to the small table in the even smaller kitchen and put it face down. The ringer is off, and I don’t want to see any calls coming through.
“What was that all about?” Xander asks from behind me. He doesn’t sound like he’s happy to be here anymore.
“Ugh, just… family drama.”
I try to brush him off, but his eyes squint in my direction, suspicion obvious.
“Which Brandon were you and your mother talking about?”
My mouth goes dry. “What?”
“Abby,” he sounds disappointed in me. “I thought we were friends by now.”
“We are,” I rush to say.
“Then why are you playing games with me?”
