Page 82 of Fake it For Good
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Fuck your parents. Fuck them right off.”
I burst into laughter. “I think I should say thank you.”
“Six. You were six. You lived with that for six years.”
“I honestly don’t remember most of it,” I said. “I had to go through a lot of counseling. They told me I had repressed the memories. I have bits and pieces of images, but I honestly don’t know what’s real and what isn’t. I don’t think I care enough to try and remember.”
“That makes sense,” he said. “And I understand why you don’t like talking about it. I also understand why you work your ass off for those kids. I admire that. You had it bad, but you pushed on. I am so impressed by you.”
“You don’t need to be impressed,” I said. “I’m nothing special.”
“The hell you aren’t,” he barked.
“I mean, you saw those kids. Do you know how many kids are in the system? How many other kids had it so much worse than I did? I don’t think I was ever abused. Neglected, for sure, but I didn’t have it half as bad as some of these other kids.”
“If I wasn’t driving right now, I wouldsohug you,” he said.
“When we get to your place, you can do a lot more than hug me,” I joked.
“And I plan on it. Thank you for telling me. I don’t pity you. I can’t pity you. You told me before how you took the bad and turned it into the good. You’re a kickass girl.”
“Thanks.”
We made it back to his place with our takeout. We sat at the kitchen island and ate rice and noodles. It had been a good day. A really, really good day. “So, next week I don the Mrs. Claus outfit, right?”
“Yep,” he said. “I think I’d like to change our agreement.”
“Oh?” I asked with just a little concern.
“You said you didn’t want to wear the sexy costume. Can we revisit that idea?”
I started laughing like a fool. “No. We definitely cannot revisit that idea. At least not for the event. I would be up for negotiations for a private party.”
“You opened the door,” he said, laughing.
I realized we were talking about the end of the contract. Would the private party be before or after the big party? Would there be an after? Just the idea of all this coming to an end made me a little sick.
“There is something we need to talk about,” he said.
I nearly puked. This was it. This was when he told me it was over and done. He was going to tell me it was fun but after the party it was over. “What is it?”
“I just got word Kelly is going to be there,” he said like he was announcing the death of my dog.
“Oh joy,” I groaned.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “You don’t have to go.”
“The hell I don’t,” I said. “That’s what this whole thing is about.”
“Kelly was rude and obnoxious,” he said. “You did not deserve to deal with her. I don’t want to put you in that position again. It was fucked up.”
“I can handle Kelly,” I said. “I’m not about to let her run me off. She can be snarky and bitchy and whatever else, but I’m not about to let her control what I do or don’t do. I’ve been dealing with women like her all my life. She took me by surprise the first time, but it won’t happen again. She played her hand. She showed me her weakness.”
“What is that?” he asked.
“You,” I said, grinning.
