“Everything,” she said.
“Bullshit. You don’t want to hear everything, Mom.”
“I do,” she said with a shrug. “But you can tell me whatever you want.”
I paused. Tara was a dangerous subject. My mother’s husband hated the idea of me being with his daughter. Darren would stop at nothing to keep us apart, and I couldn’t help but think my mom would feel the same way.
“I know you’re sleeping together,” Mom said, reading my mind.
“Did Tara tell you?” I asked, surprised.
“God no,” Mom laughed. “She’d never talk to me about that.”
“Then, how?”
“It’s obvious,” she said. “You two can’t be in the same room without staring at each other with sex eyes.”
“Mom.” I shuddered at her words.
“Well, it’s true,” she said. “So just tell me what’s going on.”
“I wish I could,” I said. I took another sip of coffee and shook my head. “I have no fucking idea what’s going on.”
“Language,” Mom said automatically, a warning in her voice.
“Sorry.” I sighed and continued. “One second, things are great. We’re totally connected, and everything feels like it used to. Then, she pulls away and won’t tell me why. I’ve asked her what’s going on, but she says it’s stress. I tried to believe her, but it’s bullshit. I know there’s more.”
“Do you think it’s Darren?” Mom asked. “I know he’s talked to her about you.”
“Darren says a lot of shit,” I said. “I ignore it, but I’m not sure it’s that easy for Tara. He is her father, and she cares what he thinks.”
“And you don’t?”
“No,” I said with a shrug. “Why should I? The man sent me to military school just to keep me away from Tara.”
“That wasn’t just Darren’s decision,” Mom reminded me. “You weren’t exactly headed down a great path back then, Caleb. We had to do something.”
“And if I hadn’t been seeing Tara?” I asked. “Would you still have chosen military school?”
Mom hesitated. Her eyes slid down to the table and then slowly moved back up to meet my gaze. I knew the answer before she gave it.
“No,” she said. “Honestly, no. I wouldn’t have.”
“Exactly.”
“That was ten years ago,” Mom said quickly. “Darren and I were scared for you and for Tara. We wanted to do what was best for everyone. Was it a mistake? Maybe. But it helped you straighten out. I mean, look at you now! You’re an entirely different person than you were back then.”
She was right. As much as I hated to admit it, military school worked. I straightened up. I fixed my life. Despite all that, the memory still stung.
“I think Tara’s afraid Darren will try something just as drastic this time,” I said. “She mentioned him before. She said she wasn’t sure she could be with me because of him.”
Mom sighed. “I’ve tried to make him see sense.”
“And?” I asked.
“Darren’s very set in his ways,” she said. “There’s not much I can say to change his mind.”
“What about you?” I asked. “What do you think about Tara and me?”