Kiss To Forget (Blairwood University #2) - Anna B. Doe Page 0,121
that.”
“Dad is somebody who’s there when you need him. It's a title that’s earned, not given freely. In the best case scenario he can be my sperm donor, although personally I think even that’s too generous.”
“Yasmin…”
“What?” I ask defensively. “It’s true.”
Mom shakes her head. “You always had a hard time forgiving.”
“I think it’s in my blood.”
“Fair enough.” Mom grabs my hands and gives them a tight squeeze. “We talked.”
“About what?”
They talked for hours. Grace and I stopped by Cup It Up twice, but when we realized they were still at it, we let them be. Well, Grace forced me to let them be. If you believe her words, twenty years and a child make for some pretty lengthy discussion.
“Everything. It takes two to fall in love, two to make a child…”
“Mom…” I groan. I so don’t need to see that picture in my head.
She rolls her eyes. “But it also takes two for things to fall apart. Was it Jeremy’s fault for taking the easy way out? Sure, but it was also my fault.”
“It’s not…”
“It is,” she interrupts. “I should have been more insistent, I should have asked him to come around more, to do something. Maybe it would have been better if you’d had a part-time dad instead of no dad at all. But I was young and foolish, believing that I knew what was best. That best ended up hurting you more than I realized, and I’m sorry for that.”
“No, Mom.” I shake my head. “You don’t have anything to be sorry about. You did the best you could, gave me everything I could ask for and more.”
“I could have done more. I could have made sure you had your father. I could have made sure he knew he was welcome if he wanted to be a part of our world, your world. And I didn’t. But all that is in the past, we can’t go back, but we can make a change moving forward, so we’ve come to an agreement.”
I frown, unsure of where this is going. “What kind of an agreement?”
“You’ll keep going to Blairwood in the fall…”
“Mom, no, I—”
She presses a finger to my lips to stop me from talking. “Escúchame. You’ll keep going to Blairwood in the fall. No discussion. Jeremy insisted he’ll pay your tuition one way or the other, so you might as well go.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “He can’t correct twenty years of not being there by throwing money at me.”
“No, he can’t, but you can’t deny that he’s trying.”
“I’m not having dinners with him, I—” I shake my head. “I can’t.”
“And you don’t have to.”
This gets my attention. I never doubted that he could pay my tuition and then some, but to give up our dinners? That I couldn’t believe. Not after forcing me to attend them for the better part of this year.
“I don’t?”
“No, but he will still be there, every Tuesday. Same time, same place. If and when you’re ready.”
I don’t have to go.
The relief at the knowledge is overwhelming, but it’s soon replaced by doubt. Is this his way to soothe his conscience? I’ll pay for the girl’s education, and all will be well in the world?
“Don’t think about it like that.”
“Reading my thoughts again, seriously Mom?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.
“I don’t have to read your thoughts, they’re written all over your face,” she says, her face softening. Her hand reaches up, caressing my cheek. “It’ll be okay, mi niña, you’ll see. But please, think about it? Think about giving him a chance? Jeremy wants to get to know you. And knowing you, you were probably giving him a really hard time.”
I look away, guilty. Mom knows me too well for my own good.
“I might have been less than accommodating.”
“Or in the language of us mortals, she was being a cold-hearted bitch,” Grace sing-songs. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to eavesdrop.”
I turn around and glare at my friend. “Thanks so much,” I mutter, grabbing one of the drinks from the holder.
“You’re welcome. I got you your favorite.”
I take a small sip, enjoying the familiar flavor. “The least you could do after insulting me.”
“I love you too.” Grace pulls me in for a hug. “I’m going to miss you.”
I lean into her embrace. “Just a few short months and then you’ll be here.”
“We’ll be here,” she corrects. “You and me, we had a deal, and I’m not letting you bail on me.”