Total pages in book: 25
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 22685 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 113(@200wpm)___ 91(@250wpm)___ 76(@300wpm)
I’ve let a lot go with her because she’s really the last connection I have to that side of the family. Both of my grandparents have relocated to Florida, and my father fluctuates in and out of my life. He will ghost me for a few months if I say anything that he disagrees with. We’re in the middle of a ghost moment now.
I was thinking he’d show up for Christmas dinner at my aunt's house and pretend all was well between us. Then start texting me again as though we didn’t have a fight and he ignored me for months.
I know the Anderson men can be shitty partners, but the women in the family tend to be drawn to the same kind of man. I had always found it weirdly interesting and promised myself I’d never be that way. I wouldn’t allow myself to put up with a man’s bullshit. I guess more so when it comes to my own relationship with a partner because I still have to deal with it from the men in my family.
Aunt Mary mutters under her breath as she follows me down the sidewalk. I really don’t want Devin to hear my messy family business because he doesn't like drama. He has made that more than clear. I’ve worked for Devin for all of two days, and each of them he’s had a run-in with drama from my family.
“My mom isn’t a whore” are the first words out of my mouth.
I used to be so damn pissed at my mom for the shit she put up with from my father. He repeatedly broke her heart, and I never understood why she stayed. I had to come to terms with the fact that he married her when she was barely eighteen, and that was all she had ever known. Now I’m damn proud of her for not only leaving him but taking her life back too.
“You have no clue.” Aunt Mary shakes her head at me as if I'm a stupid girl who knows nothing. At least I know not to put up with a man's bullshit.
“You know what, I kind of wish she was a whore.” I wouldn’t be upset if my mom was hooking up with a new man each night on her holiday cruise. It might be good for her. If my father found out, I'm sure he would lose his mind. The dumbass loves her in his own weird way. Not enough to keep his dick to himself, though. Only goes to show that he loves himself more than anyone else.
Aunt Mary’s mouth falls open at my response. I'm not usually so crude with them, and I try not to make too many waves. That might be part of the problem.
It takes her a second to pull it back together before she finally talks again. “What the hell is wrong with you?”
“With me!” I blink at her like she’s lost her mind. “What the hell is wrong with you? You’re in the center of town, calling my mother a whore.”
“Your mother tried to sleep with my husband. Did you know that!?” Aunt Mary shouts. There aren't many people walking around right now, but I'm sure someone heard her.
“Oh, give me a break. We both know that your husband tried to sleep with my mother, and she shot him down!” I shout right back.
If I don’t want to let gossip spread about my mother while she’s gone, I have no choice but to let whoever is listening have the whole story. My mom already had to deal with the gossip years ago when she was still married to my father.
I guess this is what my mother gets for telling Mary what happened. Right now, I’m determined not to allow her to receive any more abuse from the Andersons. She told Mary because she feared Rick would lie and say she'd come on to him. That's why my mom showed her all the text messages, but I guess that doesn't matter.
“You liar!” she screeches.
I freeze in shock when I see her lift her hand like she’s going to smack me. Before she can land the blow to my cheek, Devin’s in between us and snatches her wrist to stop her.
“Oh my god.” I step back. “You were going to hit me.” Mary really has gone and lost her mind.
“Let me go,” Aunt Mary hisses at Devin. Now she’s getting hysterical and starts to scream. “Get your hands off me!”
“You need to watch yourself,” he says and releases her wrist with a slight shove. It causes her to stumble back a few feet and put some distance between us.
I can't help the overwhelming hurt I feel knowing this will likely cut off any relationship I had with that side of the family. I'm sure it's for the best, but that doesn't make it any less painful.