My mother keeps checking her watch. It抯 annoying, the small motion that catches my attention every time she does it. But I don抰 ask her to stop; I don抰 have a better way to distract her. The only way I can think of is blurting news that shouldn抰 be delivered in a somber, impersonal waiting room while she抯 waiting to learn if she抯 a widow.
I wish Crew was still here. He went to take Teddy and our luggage back to the penthouse.
A man wearing a set of scrubs appears in the open doorway and heads our way. We both stand in tandem as he approaches. 揗rs. Ellsworth??
揧es,?my mother replies. Her voice is tight and tense, pulled taut.
The surgeon looks to me. 揂re you a relative??
揑抦 his daughter.?
He nods. 揥ell, I抦 pleased to report Hanson pulled through the surgery. He抯 got a long road of recovery ahead, but there抯 no reason to think he won抰 make a complete one. He抯 lucky the ambulance arrived so quickly and we were able to get him in the OR immediately. He抯 being transferred to recovery right now. I抣l have a nurse let you know when you can see him. All right??
My mother抯 sigh of relief is audible. 揟hank you so much, doctor.?
The man smiles before he leaves. My mother sinks back down into her seat. She was cagey on the phone梐nd when I arrived梠n details about what exactly happened. The surgeon抯 comments梐bout details my mother didn抰 already know梒larifies things some. She wasn抰 there when he had the heart attack.
揌e was with another woman, wasn抰 he? She抯 the one who made sure the ambulance arrived so quickly??
My mother holds my gaze. Doesn抰 look away or fiddle with anything or make excuses. 揧es.?
I sigh. Shake my head. 揥hy do you stay with him, Mom? Why do you put up with it??
揑t抯 how things are, Scarlett. You know that.?
揃ut it抯 not how they have to be. Dad isn抰 worth it. Let him go.?
揂nd do what??
Get a life sounds too harsh. 揑 don抰 know?Be happy??I hear a younger Scarlett in the suggestion. One less jaded. One who believed in happy endings.
She laughs. 揙h, sweetheart. This life is what makes me happy. Being
Josephine Ellsworth is who I want to be. Your father is far from perfect, but he抯 a good man. I knew exactly what we抎 be when I met him for the first time. Everything that we would never be. I made my peace with it before we got married.?
揥hat do you mean??
揥e wanted the same things. He needed a wife. I wanted a husband. Our fathers agreed, and that was that.?
揑抦 aware how an arranged marriage works,?I say, tone dry. She used to tell me their marriage hadn抰 been arranged, that they were in love, and it was just another lie. Part of the perfect family fa鏰de to try on when it suited. I pretend I don抰 care. 揑抦 in one, remember??
My mother smiles. It抯 the same one she always gives me when she thinks I抦 being ridiculous. 揘o, you抮e not.?
I give her a look thick with disbelief. 揧ou planned the wedding.?
揧es, I did. I saw it then and I see it now. That boy is in love with you, Scarlett.?
I抦 so shocked by her words, I can barely blink. I know Crew cares. Things between us have evolved into a friendship and a comfort I never imagined our marriage might contain. But love? My mother is in shock. Her husband had a heart attack and was found with his mistress. But still?揧ou抮e delusional.?
揘o, honey. That抯 you.?My mother has perfected the art of spewing condescension in a sweet tone. It layers every syllable. 揥hy do you think he came all this way??
I swallow, and admit, 揑抦 pregnant.?
My mother抯 face lights up. 揜eally??
I nod. 揑t抯卌onfused things between us. I抦 hormonal, and it抯 just?He抯 a good guy.?
It抯 not the full truth. Lines blurred between me and Crew long before two of them appeared on the pregnancy test. But it抯 the story I抦 sticking with when it comes to my mother. I wish we had the sort of relationship where I could confess everything that抯 happened between us. The way Crew makes me feel.
But we don抰， and it抯 never bothered me more than it does right now. I抳e always prided my independence. I抦 not the spoiled rich girl who has her every whim catered to. My default appearance is poised and prepared. But right now, I want to fall apart.
Crew walks into the waiting room, and my heart does a silly little skip.
揂ny news??he asks, taking the seat beside me.
揌e抯 out of surgery. Should make a full recovery.?I share the update like it抯 a weather report. But I don抰 feel obligated to play the loving daughter in front of Crew. I know he won抰 judge me.
揋ood.?
My mother leans forward. 揅ongratulations, Crew. Scarlett shared the happy news about the baby.?
He doesn抰 look surprised I told my mother. 揟hank you. We抮e excited.?His hand squeezes my thigh.