were jealous and came up with this lie about Gary, and then he was gone—”
Kacey was shaking with anger, but Jordie…he was calm. His eyes were on Stacey’s as he asked, “If it was a lie, then why did he admit to it? Why is he still in jail?”
“Because of you! You caused him to do it!”
Kacey couldn’t control herself. She really tried, she did, but the words left her mouth before Jordie could stop her. “You are a disgusting piece of shit. You really need to reevaluate your life if you think a four-year-old boy would be jealous enough of husband number one billion to ask to be raped, molested. You have some serious problems, and I suggest you go to therapy.”
She laughed. “Don’t need it. I’m not fucked up like him.”
Kacey closed her eyes, her hands squeezing his as Jordie asked, “Why do you care, Mom? Why are you making this big scene when you obviously don’t love me? Listen to the way you are speaking to me. The things you are accusing me of. A mother doesn’t act like this.”
“You’re right, and I never wanted you,” she seethed and Kacey’s eyes squeezed tighter.
“Jordie, please, let’s go,” she begged, but still he didn’t move.
“Well, you’re in luck because I’m gone,” he said before turning to wrap his arms around Kacey and leading her to the car.
“I’m not done talking to you,” Stacey yelled just as Kacey’s foot stepped into the car and she looked up at him.
“I can still Spartan kick her,” she offered, but Jordie shook his head, no smile curving his lips as he pushed her other leg in.
“I just want to go,” he said quickly before shutting the door. She could hear Stacey yelling something, but when Jordie opened his door, she heard him as he said, “Don’t contact me again.”
Sitting in the driver’s seat, he slammed the door and gripped the wheel. Sliding her hand on his thigh, she waited as he took three deep breaths in and let them out, slow and steady. For once, she couldn’t read his body language. On one hand, she thought he looked relieved. But on the other, she was worried he was two seconds from sobbing like a two-year-old. Still no words left his mouth as he put the car in drive and took off.
As Stacey disappeared in the side mirror, Kacey was glad to see her go, but she was pretty sure that she wouldn’t disappear as quickly out of Jordie’s heart.
Nothing was said the whole way home or even when they entered the house. Jordie could do nothing but replay his mother’s words over and over again. There was a lot for him to relive, but the most hurtful thing was that she was embarrassed by him instead of proud. He blamed his sad need for her approval for that being what bothered him the most. She wasn’t nice to him, but then, he hadn’t expected her to be.
He also hadn’t expected the whole night to come crashing down like that though.
He could feel Kacey’s gaze on him the whole ride home, yet she didn’t say anything to him. As he walked through the house, he went to the fridge for a Gatorade before opening it and downing the whole bottle. He could feel her watching him as he reached for another and downed that bottle too. When she looked away, he knew that she knew what he wanted.
A big bottle of Jack. With a side of Jack. And some more Jack to chase it all down.
But the Gatorade was there to quench his thirst for things he didn’t need or even truly want. He wanted an out, an easy fix, but he knew that there was no fucking easy fix for his mother. He couldn’t understand why someone would treat her child like that, but Stacey Thomas was a whole other level of being. A different species that he didn’t understand, nor want in his life. He was done, and he would make damn sure she never came near him again. Not only for him but for his unborn child.
Biting the inside of his cheek, he watched as Kacey took off his jacket and hung it on the back of the barstool before setting her clutch on the seat. When he reached for another Gatorade, he saw her face twist in worry before she looked away, he knew, to fight her tears. She didn’t know what to do, what to say, and he was