pen?”
Tabitha grabbed one and Dad filled her in on the details. This meeting was basically the last step in finalizing their divorce. They would decide who would get the house and how child support would work. Dad said he'd been sending Mom checks each month since he left to help cover the cost of Tabitha's school supplies, food, and clothes. He had even sent extra money and a gift for Christmas, but Tabitha hadn't seen the gift.
“I'm sure your mother still has it somewhere,” he told her. “Just give her time.”
Suddenly, Tabitha heard a noise in the house and whispered, “I have to go, Dad. I love you.”
Quickly, she hung up the phone and turned to go back upstairs before Mom woke, but when she turned around, Tabitha was shocked to see her mother's figure standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. A frown covered her face.
“Tabitha Peterson, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Chapter 13
By the time Mom had finished yelling, Tabitha felt like she had aged ten years. In fact, she was sure she had a few gray hairs now. Unfortunately for Mom, the only thing Tabitha heard was the sound of screaming. Mom yelled so loudly that Tabitha couldn't understand most of what she said. “Sneaking” and “betrayal” were a few words tossed around, but other than that, she was at a loss.
“What are you even mad about?” Tabitha finally interrupted Mom. “You're the one who lied to me. Remember? You said Dad didn't want to see me. You told me he didn't want a relationship with me and that you hadn't talked to him. You lied to me, Mom! You've never lied to me before. Why now?”
Mom breathed out heavily, placing her hand on the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. Yelling and shouting had worn her out, and the glaring tell-tale signs of fatigue began to appear on her face. Tabitha stared at her as she began to speak. She really is looking worn out, Tabitha thought quietly. This must be harder on her than I thought. But Tabitha quickly wiped the thought from her mind, instead replacing her momentary feelings of compassion with anger. Mom had no right to lie to her about Dad. It wasn't just unfair – it was plain mean.
Finally, after a lengthy moment of silence, Mom began to speak. “Tabitha,” she said softly, lowering her body into the chair, “I only did it to protect you.”
“Protect me from what? From my own father? ”
“Yes and no...I just wanted you to be happy and move on with your life. I didn't want you to have to feel trapped, waiting for a court's decision on where you would go to school or who you would live with. There's just so much that the judge will decide next week and I wanted you to not have to worry about it. I thought that if I let you talk to your dad, you would want to see him and talk to him, and I didn't want anything he said to you to lead you astray. I want you to be with me, Tabitha. Dad is the one who left. And yes, we both are responsible for our failed relationship, but I don't want you to be constantly exposed to his poor decisions.”
“What do you mean? What poor decisions?”
“Sweetie, I didn't want to tell you this because I don't think you're old enough to understand, but the reason your father and I separated isn't just because we argued a lot. I know that was part of it, but the other reason is that your father cheated on me. He had an affair and I found out about it. He ended the relationship with the other woman but I don't really think he regretted his choice. I want you to know that kind of behavior isn't okay. It's not okay to cheat on your spouse just because you're unhappy. That's not the kind of example I want you to learn from.”
Tabitha was speechless for a moment. She had never suspected Dad of being unfaithful. He didn't seem like the type of guy who could ever do something like that. He cared about her too much. He cared about Mom too much. But now, faced with this curt reality, Tabitha wondered if
Tabitha grabbed one and Dad filled her in on the details. This meeting was basically the last step in finalizing their divorce. They would decide who would get the house and how child support would work. Dad said he'd been sending Mom checks each month since he left to help cover the cost of Tabitha's school supplies, food, and clothes. He had even sent extra money and a gift for Christmas, but Tabitha hadn't seen the gift.
“I'm sure your mother still has it somewhere,” he told her. “Just give her time.”
Suddenly, Tabitha heard a noise in the house and whispered, “I have to go, Dad. I love you.”
Quickly, she hung up the phone and turned to go back upstairs before Mom woke, but when she turned around, Tabitha was shocked to see her mother's figure standing in the doorway with her hands on her hips. A frown covered her face.
“Tabitha Peterson, you have a lot of explaining to do.”
Chapter 13
By the time Mom had finished yelling, Tabitha felt like she had aged ten years. In fact, she was sure she had a few gray hairs now. Unfortunately for Mom, the only thing Tabitha heard was the sound of screaming. Mom yelled so loudly that Tabitha couldn't understand most of what she said. “Sneaking” and “betrayal” were a few words tossed around, but other than that, she was at a loss.
“What are you even mad about?” Tabitha finally interrupted Mom. “You're the one who lied to me. Remember? You said Dad didn't want to see me. You told me he didn't want a relationship with me and that you hadn't talked to him. You lied to me, Mom! You've never lied to me before. Why now?”
Mom breathed out heavily, placing her hand on the back of a nearby chair to steady herself. Yelling and shouting had worn her out, and the glaring tell-tale signs of fatigue began to appear on her face. Tabitha stared at her as she began to speak. She really is looking worn out, Tabitha thought quietly. This must be harder on her than I thought. But Tabitha quickly wiped the thought from her mind, instead replacing her momentary feelings of compassion with anger. Mom had no right to lie to her about Dad. It wasn't just unfair – it was plain mean.
Finally, after a lengthy moment of silence, Mom began to speak. “Tabitha,” she said softly, lowering her body into the chair, “I only did it to protect you.”
“Protect me from what? From my own father? ”
“Yes and no...I just wanted you to be happy and move on with your life. I didn't want you to have to feel trapped, waiting for a court's decision on where you would go to school or who you would live with. There's just so much that the judge will decide next week and I wanted you to not have to worry about it. I thought that if I let you talk to your dad, you would want to see him and talk to him, and I didn't want anything he said to you to lead you astray. I want you to be with me, Tabitha. Dad is the one who left. And yes, we both are responsible for our failed relationship, but I don't want you to be constantly exposed to his poor decisions.”
“What do you mean? What poor decisions?”
“Sweetie, I didn't want to tell you this because I don't think you're old enough to understand, but the reason your father and I separated isn't just because we argued a lot. I know that was part of it, but the other reason is that your father cheated on me. He had an affair and I found out about it. He ended the relationship with the other woman but I don't really think he regretted his choice. I want you to know that kind of behavior isn't okay. It's not okay to cheat on your spouse just because you're unhappy. That's not the kind of example I want you to learn from.”
Tabitha was speechless for a moment. She had never suspected Dad of being unfaithful. He didn't seem like the type of guy who could ever do something like that. He cared about her too much. He cared about Mom too much. But now, faced with this curt reality, Tabitha wondered if
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