something bigger, because Nick secretly wanted it too. Who wouldn’t want a Victorian house with a white picket fence, a beautiful wife, and a couple of screaming kids? Shit, even going home for the holidays … a world where his mom was still alive and his parents married. It was a dream, and some dreams were simply not possible.
How could he forgive a man who ultimately walked out on his family while his mother was fighting for her life? No, Nick couldn’t let go of his anger, not yet. There was no way around it; this was his truth, his reality.
“If Mom forgave him, why can’t you?”
Nick shook his head. “Please don’t bring Mom into this.”
“He regrets what he did and wants to make things right with us.”
“Well, he’s a little too late for that now. You want him in your life, that’s your fuckin’ business, but don’t expect me to do the same.”
“Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore.” Dan was afraid of upsetting him any further. His brother tried to avoid confrontation at all costs. Nick had noticed it after he got out of the hospital.
“Yeah, let’s not.”
Nick didn’t push it because Dan was the only person he had left. They didn’t speak to each other for the rest of the night.
W hen Dario announced himself at Olivia’s front door, wanting to collect more of his belongings, Olivia scrambled for her phone. She was relieved to see things were finally moving along with their break-up, but the thought of spending the entire day at home with him in the other room repulsed her.
“I miss this,” Nina said as they sat in a crowded breakfast place, a few small blocks down from her condo.
Olivia glanced up. “What’s that?”
“Finally having you all to myself,” Nina began. “You without Dario.”
“We’ve gone out before, only us …” Olivia scanned her menu.
“Not recently.”
“Sure, the time we went shopping downtown, and you bought those tacky curtains for your living room.”
“No, the last time I was pregnant with Anthony. That was three years ago.” She paused. “Hey, those curtains are not tacky, by the way!”
“Sure, if you like Grandma’s rose garden kind of thing,” Olivia smirked, looking up from her menu, trying to recall more of the day in question. “It wasn’t that long ago?”
“I guess I’m not considered cool enough for you or your friends.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You always like to hang with around cool people.”
“I don’t think I’m cool.”
“I said your friends.”
Her sister, her rock, the one that helped her pick up the pieces, could pass judgement all at the same time. Olivia had surrounded herself with Dario’s friends and their self-indulgent significant others. They spent a substantial amount of time together, many vacations and dinner dates. Olivia wondered how she strived to belong to a group that required a Chanel bag.
She remembered one outing, in particular: the girls in the group compared their diamond rings as if they were one of the wonders of the world.
“I’ve got the biggest ring! Mine is 4.5 karats and Suzie is 2.5.” Nancy had held out her hand out to everyone to see.
At that moment something crossed her mind; she wondered if these supposed friends ever thought about more important issues, bigger problems in the world, like starving children.
No, she guessed they didn’t.
When her turn came, and Dario presented her with a wonder of her own, she couldn’t help but feel like such a hypocrite. Olivia acted the part, but the truth was she couldn’t be less comfortable in her skin.
She hadn’t intentionally left out her sister. Not for the reason Nina thought.
“I thought with the baby and all, you wouldn’t be interested in hanging around Dario’s superficial friends.” She glanced up at her sister and Olivia’s stomach twisted. Perhaps her behavior wasn’t appropriate, especially for the people she loved most.
“Honestly, if it bothered you that much,
How could he forgive a man who ultimately walked out on his family while his mother was fighting for her life? No, Nick couldn’t let go of his anger, not yet. There was no way around it; this was his truth, his reality.
“If Mom forgave him, why can’t you?”
Nick shook his head. “Please don’t bring Mom into this.”
“He regrets what he did and wants to make things right with us.”
“Well, he’s a little too late for that now. You want him in your life, that’s your fuckin’ business, but don’t expect me to do the same.”
“Alright, let’s not talk about it anymore.” Dan was afraid of upsetting him any further. His brother tried to avoid confrontation at all costs. Nick had noticed it after he got out of the hospital.
“Yeah, let’s not.”
Nick didn’t push it because Dan was the only person he had left. They didn’t speak to each other for the rest of the night.
W hen Dario announced himself at Olivia’s front door, wanting to collect more of his belongings, Olivia scrambled for her phone. She was relieved to see things were finally moving along with their break-up, but the thought of spending the entire day at home with him in the other room repulsed her.
“I miss this,” Nina said as they sat in a crowded breakfast place, a few small blocks down from her condo.
Olivia glanced up. “What’s that?”
“Finally having you all to myself,” Nina began. “You without Dario.”
“We’ve gone out before, only us …” Olivia scanned her menu.
“Not recently.”
“Sure, the time we went shopping downtown, and you bought those tacky curtains for your living room.”
“No, the last time I was pregnant with Anthony. That was three years ago.” She paused. “Hey, those curtains are not tacky, by the way!”
“Sure, if you like Grandma’s rose garden kind of thing,” Olivia smirked, looking up from her menu, trying to recall more of the day in question. “It wasn’t that long ago?”
“I guess I’m not considered cool enough for you or your friends.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You always like to hang with around cool people.”
“I don’t think I’m cool.”
“I said your friends.”
Her sister, her rock, the one that helped her pick up the pieces, could pass judgement all at the same time. Olivia had surrounded herself with Dario’s friends and their self-indulgent significant others. They spent a substantial amount of time together, many vacations and dinner dates. Olivia wondered how she strived to belong to a group that required a Chanel bag.
She remembered one outing, in particular: the girls in the group compared their diamond rings as if they were one of the wonders of the world.
“I’ve got the biggest ring! Mine is 4.5 karats and Suzie is 2.5.” Nancy had held out her hand out to everyone to see.
At that moment something crossed her mind; she wondered if these supposed friends ever thought about more important issues, bigger problems in the world, like starving children.
No, she guessed they didn’t.
When her turn came, and Dario presented her with a wonder of her own, she couldn’t help but feel like such a hypocrite. Olivia acted the part, but the truth was she couldn’t be less comfortable in her skin.
She hadn’t intentionally left out her sister. Not for the reason Nina thought.
“I thought with the baby and all, you wouldn’t be interested in hanging around Dario’s superficial friends.” She glanced up at her sister and Olivia’s stomach twisted. Perhaps her behavior wasn’t appropriate, especially for the people she loved most.
“Honestly, if it bothered you that much,
Similar Books
