Stefan warned me repeatedly not to get involved in our parents’ relationship woes, but I found myself unable to resist trying. I felt that I owed her at least that much.
I just didn’t know if I was going to be able to get her listen to me, or only succeed in pissing her off.
“Yes, Bella?” my mother’s voice was scratchy.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
She peered at me while wiping at her cheek with the back of her hand, causing the right strap of her gown to fall off her shoulder. “What do you mean?”
“Are you going to leave Terry?”
My mom stared at me for a long moment and then tugged the strap of her gown back onto her shoulder. “I don’t know yet.”
“Maybe after you calm down, you guys should just attend marriage counseling like Terry said. It might do some good.”
Mother scowled at me. “Well, that’s nice of you to suggest such a thing, as if it’s just so easy to do when you weren't the one hurt by what he did, Bella,” she said acidly.
Oh boy, I thought. She’s got the acid tongue out. Careful, Bella.
“I’m sure that it meant nothing to him. Besides, it was only an online thing. It wasn’t really cheating . . . was it?”
I knew I was really pressing the issue, but I had to get my mother to see a little reason. I didn’t know exactly how far Terry had gone with Veronica, but it couldn’t have been that far.
“It isn’t? It's a different form, but it's still cheating, and that's taking his word for it that it never progressed further. I'm having a hard time believing that. And God knows what your stepfather did every time he saw all that stuff.” She stared at me, rage burning in her eyes. “Did you see the girl?”
Of course I had seen the bitch. She was one of the reasons Stefan and I were in so much of a mess.
“My God, Bella,” my mother continued. “She is so young, she's your age, for crying out loud.” There was a bitterness in my mother’s words that left a sour taste in my mouth.
“Yeah, I saw her,” I said in a casual way that would not reveal that I knew Veronica. “She looked like a slut with no class. She’s nothing compared to you.” I walked over beside my mom and gently stroked her hair, trying to console her as she'd done for me so many times before.
My mom looked up at me, and I saw a flash of gratitude in her eyes. “Thank you, Bella, for coming to talk to me.”
After a few moments of silence, I spoke up and said, “I think you should remind him of what he’s missing. I know what he did has hurt you and made you angry, but you shouldn’t let all those years of happiness go to waste.”
A scowl twisted my mother’s features. “Whose side are you on, anyway? Mine or Terry’s?”
"Yours, Mom. You know that. I just want to see you happy again."
I sucked in a deep breath. I knew she wasn’t going to like what I had to say next. “I also wanted to say that Stefan and I will be moving out.”
My mom reared back with surprise. “What? Moving out? Are you two going back to school?” she asked, sounding hopeful.
“No, we’re moving into an apartment.”
If Mom looked surprised before, she was absolutely floored now. “What?” she exclaimed.
My hands began to feel clammy as my pulse began to race. “Didn’t Terry tell you? Stefan talked with him the other day about moving out.”
My mother scowled darkly. “Please, I haven’t listened to a word that man has said since he revealed what a rat bastard he is.” She shook her head. “Just make me understand here. Why the hell are you and Stefan moving into your own place together? You should be concerned about going back to school.”
I licked my lips. I didn't have adequate answers to her question. I could only avoid them. “You and Terry need your space.”
“If I divorced your stepfather, this house will most likely be mine. I’ve already spoken with my divorce lawyer. Terry will want to retain his business, and I don't care about taking that from him, but the house and a generous percentage of other assets would be mine. Terry would no longer be here. You don't need to go anywhere, Bella.”
And where would Stefan be? I wanted to ask. For some reason, I knew that Stefan would no longer be allowed here if she went through with it, at least not until she had time to get over her anger.
“And with the money from the settlement, I can send you to whatever school you want.”
I froze, my mouth going dry. “I can’t go to another school, Mom.”
She stared at me. “Why the hell not?”
I couldn’t answer. How could I? The truth would end me . . . and maybe even end her. So I kept my lips closed.