"Can we do something today? Get my mind off going home?"
I nod instantly, "Yes, Mom wants to have a chat first." I roll my eyes dreading whatever it is she wants to talk about. "As soon as we're finished, we'll go out. Anywhere you want to go?"
She shrugs, her skin paler than I've ever seen it before.
"Okay, maybe we'll go to the movies or something. Let me get this chat out of the way first, then we can drive until we decide. How does that sound?" I feel useless just sitting here unable to help the pain that is no doubt about to hit her, I wish I could wrap her up in cotton wool but I can't.
"That sounds good, thanks, Mia."
I wink at her as I stand from the bed, "Anytime. I'll see you in a bit." I tell her, as I walk out of her room.
"Mom?" I call out as I descend the stairs, this house is huge, it's a wonder I've not got lost in it already.
"In here, Mia." She yells, and I follow the sound of her voice to the sitting room.
"Is everyone gone?" I ask as I enter the room, to find her sitting alone, the TV not even on.
"Yeah, it's just us girls here at the moment." She pats the sofa beside her for me to sit down.
Taking a seat, I tell her about Lacey. "Lacey's going home tomorrow. Her grandmother's taken a bad turn."
"Oh no, does Lacey need anything? Does she need us to book her flights? Or does she have them booked? Are her parents on their way back?" She fires off question after question.
"Whoa, Mom." I say, "I don't really know much about what's going on. Lacey has just told me what's happened and that she'll be going home."
Mom reaches for her phone and fires off a text, "Okay, I'll have Harrison sort everything out. He'll find out if she's booked on a flight or not."
"Do I even want to know how he would know that?" I watch her expression shutter. "I'll take that as a no." So much for an honest conversation. "So what did you want to talk about?"
"I'm worried about you, Mia, you've been distant." She reaches for my hand and places both hands over it. "Ever since you found out that I was married, you haven't really been yourself."
Shit, I didn't think she noticed. "I'm hurt Mom. You didn't tell me that you were seriously dating anyone, the next thing I know is you’re married. I thought that you didn't want me there." I'm proud that I managed to keep my voice even and keep calm. I don't want us to argue. She's the only family that I have.
"Oh, Mia." She cries, "I never wanted you to feel that way."
"Mom, if it were the other way around, how would you feel?"
A sigh escapes her, "I'm sorry baby, I never meant to hurt you."
"You're happy that's the main thing. I like Harrison, Mom. He's good for you." From what I've seen, he worships the ground she walks on.
"He is, I don't think I've ever been this happy."
Pain hits me, "What about Dad?"
"Mia, your father and I were happy. But we both knew that we weren't meant to be together."
I swallow harshly a few times trying to find the right words to say. "What do you mean you weren't meant to be together? Mom, you and Dad were married for fifteen years."
She nods, "I know baby, we fell in love when we were young. By the time we graduated high school, we were planning on going our separate ways, he wanted to go into the army, and I wanted to travel the world."
I frown, "So what happened?"
"You happened!" She says simply, "I found out I was pregnant and your dad and I decided that we'd raise you together."
"You didn't love Dad?" I'm trying to wrap my head around this, but it feels as though everything I believed has been a lie.
"Yes and no. I loved your father, I really did. But not in the way a woman should love her husband."