in his chair, his hands balled into fists, but his voice is deceitfully calm. I know the rage storming through him from the way his body looks about to strike, his increased breathing, his stiff jaw, and the way his eyes dart around the room. “First of all, only a priest can perform a Catholic marriage. Secondly, the marriage has to take place in a Catholic church, unless the bishop gives special permission. Thirdly, we’d have to take classes and do a retreat before we get married. And fourthly, it’s still technically Lent. Marriages aren’t performed during Lent and up until eight days after Easter. So, no. You can’t marry us. Thanks for the offer anyway.” Finished with his blurb and satisfied with the gaping looks on his mom and sisters, Finn picks up his fork and takes a bite of his fish. He actually knows all that about getting married? Why?
Julie frowns and then smiles. “You’re really going to get married Catholic?”
Finn looks over at her, bemused. “If we ever do, why wouldn’t we?”
She shrugs. “I guess it just surprises me a little.”
“Why? You raised me Catholic. Why would it surprise you?”
“I don’t know. It just does, I guess. I don’t really practice it anymore since splitting with your dad.”
“Well, they do frown upon divorces just a tad,” Finn retorts.
We’re all quiet. I really want a rogue asteroid to take us all out.
Julie clears her throat. “I wanted to talk to everyone about something else. I didn’t know how to approach this, yet I can’t hold it off anymore. I’ve already talked to Leighton. I didn’t want to talk about this, being a holiday, but it can’t be helped and I’m sorry.” This doesn’t sound good at all. Julie is way too serious and she’s nervously scrunching her napkin beneath her hand. My blood runs ice cold and I can feel the chill from Finn’s as well.
Julie closes her eyes and tersely inhales. “Jack and I are getting a divorce.”
CHAPTER 5
The silence in the room after her announcement can be heard for miles. The only sound I hear is the huge wall clock ticking in the living room.
“What?” Simone asks in disbelief, covering her mouth.
“Oh, my God,” Chrissie mutters, leaning her head back.
I can feel Ricky’s uneasiness along with mine. We have no idea what to say. The only person that most likely has something to say is noxiously quiet.
I reach under the table to grab his hand. It’s cold and unmoving on his leg. Carefully, I look up at him and his throat is pulsating to the tune of his heaving chest. Oh fuck .
Julie shakily says, “I’m so sorry. We tried. I know how this is hurting you guys. You love Jack. He’s been your stepdad for nearly 19 years. I don’t know what to say. I know we failed you.”
When Finn finally speaks, thick ice coats his husky tone. “You tried ? Are you telling us that all those years of marriage are in the shitter? They’re gone? You’re going to rip yet another father away from us?”
Oh. Fuck . That’s the only thing that comes to my mind…continually.
“Finn, we’re not doing this to hurt you.”
Ultimately, his hand awakens beneath mine, curling his fingers tightly as he pounds the table with his other fist. “Fuck that!”
“Finn Robert Wilder!”
He rages, “So, is that how marriage works? You vow to the person you’re supposedly in love with that you’ll adore them for the rest of your life, or until you get tired of them and give up? I forget which of those it is!”
“Finn,” Ricky attempts to reason. I try to pull Finn’s hand to me, but he yanks it out of my grasp and he whisks his head to me. “This is what I’m talking about, Becks! Is this what you want for us? You want me to marry you just so that you can fall out of love with me and then kick my ass to the curb when you’re done? That would fucking kill me! Why don’t you just stab me in the heart right now, since it’d be less painful then going through another
Julie frowns and then smiles. “You’re really going to get married Catholic?”
Finn looks over at her, bemused. “If we ever do, why wouldn’t we?”
She shrugs. “I guess it just surprises me a little.”
“Why? You raised me Catholic. Why would it surprise you?”
“I don’t know. It just does, I guess. I don’t really practice it anymore since splitting with your dad.”
“Well, they do frown upon divorces just a tad,” Finn retorts.
We’re all quiet. I really want a rogue asteroid to take us all out.
Julie clears her throat. “I wanted to talk to everyone about something else. I didn’t know how to approach this, yet I can’t hold it off anymore. I’ve already talked to Leighton. I didn’t want to talk about this, being a holiday, but it can’t be helped and I’m sorry.” This doesn’t sound good at all. Julie is way too serious and she’s nervously scrunching her napkin beneath her hand. My blood runs ice cold and I can feel the chill from Finn’s as well.
Julie closes her eyes and tersely inhales. “Jack and I are getting a divorce.”
CHAPTER 5
The silence in the room after her announcement can be heard for miles. The only sound I hear is the huge wall clock ticking in the living room.
“What?” Simone asks in disbelief, covering her mouth.
“Oh, my God,” Chrissie mutters, leaning her head back.
I can feel Ricky’s uneasiness along with mine. We have no idea what to say. The only person that most likely has something to say is noxiously quiet.
I reach under the table to grab his hand. It’s cold and unmoving on his leg. Carefully, I look up at him and his throat is pulsating to the tune of his heaving chest. Oh fuck .
Julie shakily says, “I’m so sorry. We tried. I know how this is hurting you guys. You love Jack. He’s been your stepdad for nearly 19 years. I don’t know what to say. I know we failed you.”
When Finn finally speaks, thick ice coats his husky tone. “You tried ? Are you telling us that all those years of marriage are in the shitter? They’re gone? You’re going to rip yet another father away from us?”
Oh. Fuck . That’s the only thing that comes to my mind…continually.
“Finn, we’re not doing this to hurt you.”
Ultimately, his hand awakens beneath mine, curling his fingers tightly as he pounds the table with his other fist. “Fuck that!”
“Finn Robert Wilder!”
He rages, “So, is that how marriage works? You vow to the person you’re supposedly in love with that you’ll adore them for the rest of your life, or until you get tired of them and give up? I forget which of those it is!”
“Finn,” Ricky attempts to reason. I try to pull Finn’s hand to me, but he yanks it out of my grasp and he whisks his head to me. “This is what I’m talking about, Becks! Is this what you want for us? You want me to marry you just so that you can fall out of love with me and then kick my ass to the curb when you’re done? That would fucking kill me! Why don’t you just stab me in the heart right now, since it’d be less painful then going through another
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