“Well, I’ve had it for two months and you just now found it,” I say with a shrug.
“And where have you been the past two days? You texted me you were on a shopping trip with Addie. But when I ran into Addie’s mother at the grocery store, I got a very different story. You and Addie never went shopping, did you? You were with him.”
“We’ve been in New York.”
My dad begins pacing. My mother rubs her temples. “I suppose that was his car dropping you off. So this is some kind of trophy girlfriend relationship? Are you his kept woman?”
“Don’t talk about him like that. This is a real relationship!” OK, so that last part is a bit of an embellishment, but they don’t need to know Rushmore and I had a falling out and we’re working on things.
“Anyone who is courting you ought to at least meet your parents before buying you cars and whisking you off to New York,” Mom says, like it’s breaking news.
“Yes,” I say. “And unlike my parents, he came to summer theater, he was there for the winter musical…”
“You didn’t even perform in the winter musical!” Mom says.
I gesture wildly in exasperation. “I was co-director and it was really good!”
Dad is still pacing, unable to speak. Mom is doing her best to be rational. “Well I suppose we need to get you on the pill.”
I snark. “Really, Dr. Rydell? I’m eighteen and you're just now thinking about that? Here’s a clue. He is a good man and even though he’s had a vasectomy, he took me to Planned Parenthood for birth control.” I stand up and get ready to storm out. “But honestly, Mom, I wish we’d had the birth control conversation about three, four years ago. It should have been you. Maybe if the two of you didn’t leave me alone all the time, this might not have happened.”
A little over the top? Probably. Did he have a vasectomy? I have no idea. Acting!
Up in my room, I begin to text Addie when I get an unexpected call from Ms. Fairhope.
“You are not going to believe this but you know Mr. Rushmore?”
Grief and terror flood me. What has he done? Has he pulled the plug on the theater department somehow in revenge for me wanting space?
“Yeah, why?” I ask warily.
“Wait, let me start over,” she says. She’s a little spacey but I adore Ms. Fairhope. “Vince and I are getting married!”
I squeal, so relieved to hear some good news. “Oh my god, yay!” I’m so thrilled for her, my angry tears switch over to happy ones. Ms. Fairhope and that Vince guy are the weirdest couple yet they make perfect sense. They make each other laugh, and he does basically whatever she says even though he looks like a surly bear of a man. The news grips my heart with a tinge of jealousy.
“But what does that have to do with Mr. Rushmore?” I ask.
“Well,” she explains, “apparently he heard about Vince and Max’s story and was so moved he offered his estate for our wedding.”
“Wait, I don’t understand. How did he find out you were getting married?”
“Because I applied to rent out the school, and the request goes through the school board of trustees. Him being the board president, he saw it and reached out to me and Vince. It was…kind of hard to say no to him. But hell, I’m not going to argue with his offer to pay all the expenses. He’s even offering his attorney to handle Max’s adoption, as well as office space for Vince’s business, rent free. It’s insane! Who does all that, like a freaking superhero with a trust fund?”
“Mr. Rushmore does,” I sigh. “Just call him Bruce Wayne.”
She chirps. “I’d love it if you came to the wedding.”
I smile sadly. “Of course I’ll be there.”
24
Rushmore
I can’t do this anymore.
I need her.
She needs me.