there was a high hedge enclosing it all.
What a backyard , I thought.
Back at home, there would be horses and cows on that land. There wouldn’t just be a fountain in the center.
“That sounds great!” Lauren smiled at me, just before grabbing my hand to lead me through the large living room towards the French doors. She opened up the doors and gestured for me to go ahead; and Derek and the older gentleman followed closely behind.
I did wonder, as I exited the home, how much thought he had put into everything. I wondered if he was going to tell them the truth, if he was going to tell them the bad news. Part of me hoped he wouldn’t because I honestly wasn’t sure how I would react. I wasn’t sure how awkward it would be for me to be there during such an emotionally impactful moment.
And the entire walk towards the small little dining area he had set up in the courtyard was filled with stomach pitting nerves. The dinner was lovely though. It looked like a beautiful cherry-glazed rack of lamb, with several vegetables on the side, and I almost dug in as soon as we had a seat, but I knew better.
These people weren’t like my family.
They were much more dignified.
They were much more poised.
If I just reached in like I was at a buffet, I knew that I’d look silly…but man, I wanted to.
I was starving.
Doctor’s appointments with Derek were draining on me as well. I hadn’t the opportunity to actually eat anything or take a rest even.
“I don’t think I introduced myself to you earlier, Zoe.” The man’s voice was soft and pleasant, as he leaned over the table and grabbed a helping of vegetables “But I’m Joseph, Derek’s father.”
“I just assumed that you were his stepfather,” I blurted, without really meaning to, more so caught off guard because I was so excited that he had dug in before my stomach’s growl got the better of me.
I felt bad blurting something like that out though. I also felt bad for assuming. However, the only reason I did was because he didn’t look like any of the photos of his father, nor was it usual to come across parents that got along as well as his. Especially for divorced people. They seemed to have remained close. To me that was strange, but it definitely wasn’t unwelcome. It was just an oddity…at least where I came from.
I came from a world where divorce meant “my ex is a scumbag”.
“Oh, no—no, no.” His mother was direct in her response, shaking her head from side to side. “I never remarried.
“I did,” his father sighed. “My wife couldn’t make it today.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, shoveling a fork-full of vegetables in my mouth. “Where is she?” I didn’t even bother to swallow before blurting out the question. I couldn’t believe I had found the guts—or perhaps stupidity—to even begin to ask a question such as that one.
I sat there, looking wide-eyed from person to person, not only in disbelief on what I had just asked but recounting it over and over again.
“She’s working.” His response was direct, almost bitter in nature, but it seemed sincere enough. The only reason I questioned it was because of Lauren’s facial expression. It seemed to tell the entire story.
“She’s always working,” she scoffed. “Anything so that she doesn’t have to actually spend time with you.”
I couldn’t tell if she was just a bitter ex-wife, or if it was true… until I watched him stiffen and cringe.
It wasn’t a cringing-because-you’re-crazy type of cringe. It was a cringing-because-I’m-uncomfortable-talking-about-this-or-admitting-it-to-myself type of cringe.
“It isn’t like that.” He was defending his absent wife.
“It is like that!” she snapped, jumping up from the table.
“Now if you’d excuse me.” She cleared her throat, as if she was hoping that it might regain some of her resolve.
We watched, as she started off through the center of the courtyard back towards the family’s home.
“Well,
What a backyard , I thought.
Back at home, there would be horses and cows on that land. There wouldn’t just be a fountain in the center.
“That sounds great!” Lauren smiled at me, just before grabbing my hand to lead me through the large living room towards the French doors. She opened up the doors and gestured for me to go ahead; and Derek and the older gentleman followed closely behind.
I did wonder, as I exited the home, how much thought he had put into everything. I wondered if he was going to tell them the truth, if he was going to tell them the bad news. Part of me hoped he wouldn’t because I honestly wasn’t sure how I would react. I wasn’t sure how awkward it would be for me to be there during such an emotionally impactful moment.
And the entire walk towards the small little dining area he had set up in the courtyard was filled with stomach pitting nerves. The dinner was lovely though. It looked like a beautiful cherry-glazed rack of lamb, with several vegetables on the side, and I almost dug in as soon as we had a seat, but I knew better.
These people weren’t like my family.
They were much more dignified.
They were much more poised.
If I just reached in like I was at a buffet, I knew that I’d look silly…but man, I wanted to.
I was starving.
Doctor’s appointments with Derek were draining on me as well. I hadn’t the opportunity to actually eat anything or take a rest even.
“I don’t think I introduced myself to you earlier, Zoe.” The man’s voice was soft and pleasant, as he leaned over the table and grabbed a helping of vegetables “But I’m Joseph, Derek’s father.”
“I just assumed that you were his stepfather,” I blurted, without really meaning to, more so caught off guard because I was so excited that he had dug in before my stomach’s growl got the better of me.
I felt bad blurting something like that out though. I also felt bad for assuming. However, the only reason I did was because he didn’t look like any of the photos of his father, nor was it usual to come across parents that got along as well as his. Especially for divorced people. They seemed to have remained close. To me that was strange, but it definitely wasn’t unwelcome. It was just an oddity…at least where I came from.
I came from a world where divorce meant “my ex is a scumbag”.
“Oh, no—no, no.” His mother was direct in her response, shaking her head from side to side. “I never remarried.
“I did,” his father sighed. “My wife couldn’t make it today.”
“Oh, yeah?” I asked, shoveling a fork-full of vegetables in my mouth. “Where is she?” I didn’t even bother to swallow before blurting out the question. I couldn’t believe I had found the guts—or perhaps stupidity—to even begin to ask a question such as that one.
I sat there, looking wide-eyed from person to person, not only in disbelief on what I had just asked but recounting it over and over again.
“She’s working.” His response was direct, almost bitter in nature, but it seemed sincere enough. The only reason I questioned it was because of Lauren’s facial expression. It seemed to tell the entire story.
“She’s always working,” she scoffed. “Anything so that she doesn’t have to actually spend time with you.”
I couldn’t tell if she was just a bitter ex-wife, or if it was true… until I watched him stiffen and cringe.
It wasn’t a cringing-because-you’re-crazy type of cringe. It was a cringing-because-I’m-uncomfortable-talking-about-this-or-admitting-it-to-myself type of cringe.
“It isn’t like that.” He was defending his absent wife.
“It is like that!” she snapped, jumping up from the table.
“Now if you’d excuse me.” She cleared her throat, as if she was hoping that it might regain some of her resolve.
We watched, as she started off through the center of the courtyard back towards the family’s home.
“Well,
Similar Books
