at each other that they’re in love. I’m not sure if the ‘L’ word has been mentioned, but I will be sure to find out later.
“You two are just so damn cute together. How long has it been now?” Jessie asks.
“About six months,” Cindy replies.
“Well, make sure you invite me to your wedding when it happens.” I look at Jessie in shock. “What?” she answers my baffled face. “It’s going to happen, I can tell.”
Matthew’s eyes bulge, but Cindy just smiles. Interesting. “I think it’s a little too soon to be talking about that, Jessie. They’re only seventeen and haven’t even finished school yet.”
Our meals arrive, and we quickly dive in as we’re all super hungry.
“You see, you’re wrong there,” Jessie continues. “My mom and dad met in high school and have been together ever since.”
I feel a little pang for Jessie as I know how much she misses her parents. They live in Kansas, but she thought it would be better if she pursued her career in Virginia, so that’s why she left. She loves it here, but I know she misses her family a lot.
“Yeah, but that’s a once in a lifetime thing. Very rarely happens.”
She smiles cheekily, and my stomach churns. I know she’s just itching to go for the kill. “You mean like you and Jake?”
And there it is.
Matthew stops chewing his food and peers at me expectantly. This is not the sort of conversation to be having in front of his son.
“Jessie, please drop it. This isn’t the time or the place.” She shrugs her shoulders and carries on eating like she hasn’t just dropped a small hand grenade in front of us. However, Matthew is still staring at me, his eyes pleading. I didn’t want this to happen, and I certainly didn’t want it happening in the middle of the restaurant.
After all the food is cleared, Cindy gets up to use the restroom and Jessie follows. I think now is as good an opportunity as any to bring up Jake’s heartache.
I wait until I have Matthew’s full attention before speaking. “I spoke to your dad the other day. He’s hurting. I think you need to be a little easier on him. He loves you so much, and he’s really trying hard.”
He wipes his mouth and puts his napkin down. “You see that’s the thing, Ana, he’s trying so hard with me, but what about you? He hurt you badly, got your mom pregnant without even knowing, and now you’re sitting here defending him.”
Oh, boy, I certainly didn’t want an argument about this. I grab his hand, urging him to look me in the eyes. “Matthew, I love you, you know that right?” He nods his head. “Well, believe it or not, your father has been fighting for me. He’s been a pain in the ass about it, to be honest.” I chuckle and Matthew smiles at me. “Despite what has happened, I also love your father, too, and I don’t like to see him in pain. Could you try to be gentler with him in the future? Can you do that for me?”
He nods his head again and squeezes my hand. I notice his eyes watering, and it quickly sets me off. “I just miss you so much. I always wanted a sister—well a little sister, to be honest—and you and I have always been so close. When you left it was like I lost my right arm or something, and I’ve been hating dad for making me feel this way. I admit, I have been hard on him. I do feel guilty about it, but I just get so angry when I think about what happened. Now it turns out your mom’s not really your mom, and now she’s carrying his baby. I hate her for that. She ruined everything, and Dad just went along with it. I just get so mad, but I will ease off him a bit. I’ll do it … especially for you.”
Taking in a deep, needed breath, I say, “Your dad’s going along with it because he has no other choice. If he’s this baby’s father, then he has a responsibility to take care of things. You can understand that, can’t you?”
Closing his eyes, Matthew inhales deeply through his nostrils. It’s like the weight of the world is on his shoulders. “I wish it weren’t so, but yes. I completely understand.”
I smile, but my stomach twists at the thought of Stella. It hurts to think she is in