Page 61 of Strictly Business
“What’s going on, Sweetie?”
I swallow the nausea clawing at my throat. I can do this, I have to do this. I can’t pretend anymore, once they know the truth, there’s no going back. I take a deep breath and look between them, before the words tumble out, “David and I are getting divorced.”
“Oh, thank Heavens,” my mother sighs a breath of relief.
I’m sorry, what?
“I’m sorry, honey, but we’ve been hoping you’d wake up and leave him since you told us you were engaged.” Mom touches Dad’s hand and he envelops it with his own.
“Why didn’t you say anything?”
“You wouldn’t have listened. You were dead set on marryin’ that boy,” Dad says. “Thought you were gonna live your happily ever after.”
“Then why did you give your blessing?”
“I didn’t, he never asked.”
But, he said… David promised me that he would ask my dad for his permission to marry me. What else did he lie about?
“Well, I for one,” Mom takes a sip of her wine, “am glad we won’t have to deal with him anymore.”
“Mama!”
“What? He was a spoiled brat. You can tell he was raised to believe he walked on water.”
“I’d like to buy him for what he’s worth and sell him for what he thinks he’s worth,” Dad adds, and it makes me giggle.
“I’m so glad you finally came to your senses, MJ. Now, you need to find a good lawyer—”
“We’ve been separated since May,” I say, interrupting Mom, and both of their eyes grow ten sizes. “I wanted to tell you, I did, but I just… I was scared. I didn’t want you to think less of me because I couldn’t make my marriage work.”
Mom reaches over the table to take my hand in hers. “We’d never think less of you, MJ. Sometimes, what we think we want isn’t what’s best for us. But, you won’t know that until you try.”
“You guys have been married for so long, I didn’t want—”
“You are not us, Michaela Jane,” Dad stops me. “Your relationship is not ours, not your brother’s or Nina’s or anyone else for that matter.”
Way to call me out, Dad.
“You gotta make your own choices, own mistakes. All we can do is be here to support you.”
“We’re sorry we couldn’t be there for you during this,” Mom smiles sadly.
"You’ve been separated since May,” Dad confirms and I nod. “This thing is moving slower than molasses running uphill in the winter, what’s taking so long?”
“It’s my fault,” I sigh. “David wants me to sell the condo and give him the ring. I’ve been fighting him on it. I know it’s dumb, but I paid for that condo on my own and what does he need the ring for? I told him I’d give back the middle diamond since it was from his grandmother’s ring, but… I don’t know.”
“What are you going to do with it?” Mom asks, and I shrug. “You have no reason to hold on to it, so give it back. Sell the condo, you can get a new one! The sooner you wash your hands of him, the sooner you get to move on with your life.”
“What else?” Dad says after a moment of silence.
What does he mean?
“That’s not everything you wanted to tell us, is it?” Dad holds my gaze, a knowing look in his eye.
I sigh and bite down on my bottom lip. Do I tell them that I have moved on and it’s with my brother’s best friend? That was the whole point of this weekend, wasn’t it? To come clean about everything. I can barely hear my thoughts over the heartbeat in my ears, but I finally say, “I like Finn.”
It’s quiet for a moment before a wide smile breaks out on my dad’s face. He laughs, “Well, that took longer than any of us expected.”