Page 75 of The Sting of Love
“I do, I actually do. I’m going to come and see you and be your mom. You shouldn’t have to go to Lurlene when you need somebody, that’s my job. I heard all that William’s done and I’m so sorry for everything that’s happened.”
“You don’t think it’s my fault?” I have to ask since everything else seemed to be in her book.
“No… how can it be. I’m aware now that he was cheating on you before the wedding. That is completely unacceptable. I just wish that we’d been a little more insistent on you getting the correct paperwork when it came to business. That was the worst mistake made. I guess I just thought he was giving you the gallery as a gift.” She sighs.
It’s good to hear her talk like this. I needed it. I really needed to have her support.
“I know. I think we all did.”
“Don’t worry about him anymore. I’m in agreement with your father for you to stay in Italy for as long as you want. It’s good to get away sometimes and have a break. We’ll come see you as often as we can, when you do come home we’ll help you get back on your feet and start over. We’ll pay for whatever you need.”
“Oh no, I can’t ask you to do that.”
“Willow don’t be ridiculous. I’m serious we’ll help you. You’ve had a very rough time and if we can make life a little bit easier then allow us to do it,” she says with insistence.
I sigh and feel some relief. “Thanks Mom. I appreciate it.”
“Good. Tell me what’s been happening with you. It’s been weeks.”
I pull in a sharp breath and start talking. I tell her everything that happened except what happened with Donny.
We talk for longer than we have in years and I feel a burden lift from my shoulders after the call ends. I never realized just how much I wanted us to be okay. I hated the angst between us. It was awful living that way. Talking to her and feeling less tension about our relationship certainly helped me get through the night.
Lurlene didn’t come back until the next evening. She’d had a really good time away and I was happy for her.
She spent over an hour telling me all that happened and that it was serious enough between her and Lorenzo for her to want to introduce me to him. I happily agreed.
All the time she talked and I smiled pretending I was fine when inside I was crying. In my mind Donny was never far.
By the third night it became clear something was up with me and I could no longer keep up the pretense.
I went into the living room after dinner and read through some fashion magazines. Lurlene came in a few minutes later with a bowl of ice cream, the first sign that she knew I wasn’t okay.
“Alright sugar, spill it. What is wrong with you?” she asks.
“Nothing,” I lie.
“Bull shit. I don’t know who you think you’re talking to.” She shakes her head at me and sits opposite in the love seat. “Come on. Talk to me. I’m here for you. You haven’t mentioned Donny in days and I’m pretty sure if all was okay with you, you wouldn’t be here. What’s going on?”
“We… um… aren’t seeing each other anymore.” I answer.
“Aww sweetie,” she muses with sympathy. “I thought that you guys sorted it out.”
“No…not so much. But it’s okay.” I give her a smile I don’t feel.
“How must it be okay? Look at you, you really felt for him. I could tell.”
“I did. I do. But it just didn’t work out.”
“Why? Tell me why. I really want to know. You look like you’re eager to talk about it but holding back.”
I hold back because there’s very little I can tell her. She won’t understand that. I know I have to tell her something though. Lurlene won’t just accept me trying to find a way out of the conversation.
“There was just some stuff he was worried about in regard to his job.” There that’s a start. “It can be dangerous and he didn’t … want me to get hurt.”
That’s the essence of his reasoning in a nutshell and since I got a front seat ticket to what his world can be like I should agree that he’s right.
“What kind of job does he do?” she asks.
