Chapter 4
On the day I divorced Harrison, Jimmy wasn’t there–he was still in detention.
The whole divorce process went smoothly. After we got the divorce certificate, Harrison hurried off without even a single sarcastic remark
But none of that mattered to me anymore.
Back in town, I signed us up for a tour group and took my mom traveling with me for half a month.
When we finally came back, I found our front door standing open.
It was Jimmy inside.
He stood up nervously, rubbing his hands together. “Mom, Grandma, you’re back.”
Mom, always the soft–hearted one,
a real handsome young man now
said excitedly, “You’re here! It’s been so many years since we last saw you. Look at you, all grown up-
Jimmy gave an awkward smile. “Sorry, Grandma.”
She waved him off. “Water under the bridge, sweetheart. What matters is you’re here now.”
I told my mom to go back to her room and tidy up, but she told me to be nice and not lose my temper. “No. I’m going to make something for my good boy.”
My throat tightened as I turned to look at Jimmy.
Even after all these years, even though Jimmy hadn’t so much as visited her since grade school, she’d forgiven him in a heartbeat.
I just felt even more like a terrible daughter.
Jimmy mistook my glassy eyes for forgiveness. “Mom… thanks. For letting me stay
I wiped my face and shook my head. “Breaking into my house is a crime. Leave now, and I won’t call the cops.”
Jummy looked completely freaked out, panic written all over his face. “No, please, don’t call the police.”
“Alright, I won’t call the cops. But you need to leave. Now,” I said.
“Mom, please, don’t make me leave. Please don’t,” Jimmy begged.
I grabbed his bag and suitcase and started tossing them out the door. Jimmy burst into tears, trying to block me. “I won’t go… Dad doesn’t want me anymore, and now you don’t want me either?”
“No,” I said.
“Mom, why! Why can’t you forgive me?” Jimmy sobbed, his voice breaking.
He still didn’t understand why.
The next second, he collapsed to the floor in front of me, thrashing and wailing like a child throwing a tantrum.
My mom rushed out of the kitchen, horrified, and tried to pull him up. I snapped. “Mom, don’t!”
She hesitated and then backed away.
Jimmy kept rolling around, a pathetic, sobbing mess. “Mom, please… please!”
I
hot him a furious glare. “Jimmy, even if you dropped dead right here, I still wouldn’t forgive you.”
He froze. “Why?”
1 yelled, “You seriously still have to ask why?
“The moment you locked me in that car, the moment you used that video of me in the car to humiliate me, I decided I’d never forgive
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Chapter
you. Not ever.
He broke down completely, slapping himself hard across the face. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
I steadied myself, waved my hand, and said, “Get up. At least leave with a little dignity.”
“You don’t have to regret locking me in that car, because humiliating me is something you’ve done over and over, ever since you were a
kid”
Back in elementary school Jimmy would toss the meals I cooked straight onto the floor.
Whenever his classmates came over, he’d tell them I was just the maid who worked for the family.
He’d even lock me in the bathroom and refuse to let me out,
He’d say I didn’t deserve to be his mom, that his real mother should be someone successful.
He’d help Harrison lie to me, covering things up and playing me for a fool.
He’d even egg Harrison on to divorce me.
Jimmy was cryi
crying so hard that he could barely catch his breath. Just this once, Mom. I can’t live without you, I love you, Mom.”
“Your love? It means nothing to me,” I said.
Jimmy left
My mom watched his back as he walked away, let out a sigh, but in the end, she didn’t call out to him.
I knew–in her heart, her daughter would always come first.
Jimmy’s figure faded into the distance.
Did Harrison really kick him out? Doubtful.
They had always been thick as thieves, ganging up on me at every turn.
I was really curious, but I got my answer soon enough
Jennifer sent me a link to an article on a public account–MiranDazzle. Miranda, obviously,
The piece was nearly 10,000 words of pure, unfiltered Harrison–bashing
Turned out, after our divorce, Miranda had been so sure he’d marry her. She was already picking out wedding venues, giddy with the promise that she’d finally be Mrs. Chappell.
But then Jummy changed everything.
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