“I do,” he says. “Let’s head over, okay?”
She’s beautiful, the years have served her well, and I make a mental note to get the name of her moisturizer at a later date, that’s if she doesn’t murder me on my front lawn.
Troy steps up to her in an attempt to usher her away as she looks back to Dante. She shoves the casserole into Troy’s stomach as Troy whimpers out a “Mom, don’t.”
“How old are you?”
“You’re funny,” Dante says, staring at her gaping mouth. “I’m six.”
“Six,” she says breathlessly before she looks directly at me. “And you’re his mother?” I nod, fear racing through me. I knew this day would come. I just didn’t think it would be today. “I’m Clarissa. Nice to meet you, Mrs. Jenner.”
“To meet me?” She looks over at her son. “I’m not sure we were supposed to meet.”
“Mom,” Troy pleads. “I need you to go next door, and I’ll meet you there.”
She lifts her chin, reading the guilt on both our faces. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“Dante, go play,” I order as my stomach starts to churn.
“What’s wrong?” Dante looks between the three of us. “Troy, you in trouble with your Mommy?”
“It’s okay, bud. Just go inside.”
“Nothing’s wrong, Peanut,” I push gently at his shoulder. “Just go in, and we’ll be in in a minute.”
“I’m always sent to my room,” he grumbles. “Will you be here when I come back?” Dante askes Pamela.
“I don’t know.” She’s utterly devastated, and the guilt I feel at that moment is crippling.
I close the front door as Pamela faces off with her son.
“I would know that face anywhere,” she says as tears finally surface. “He’s the spitting image of you,” she whispers hoarsely. “He’s yours.”
Troy nods slowly, the look in his eyes a mix of fear and devastation.
“Tell me, son, tell me you didn’t keep this from me for six years.”
“Mom, I made a huge mistake.” Pamela cuts his explanation and glares over at me.
“Tell me you didn’t know I existed.”
“I’m so sorry,” I say as Troy grips his mother’s shoulders in an attempt to reel her back toward him.
“Mom, I lied to Clarissa. This is my fault. Put this on me. All of this is my fault.”
“I have a six-year-old grandchild, and no one told me?!”
“Mom, please, keep your voice down. He doesn’t know. We haven’t told him yet.”
Her eyes bulge. “You haven’t told him in six years!”
“Damn it, Mom! Stop it!” Troy snaps. “I’m going to need you to get it together, or you need to leave. Either hear me out or go.”
She looks over to Troy, furious. “You don’t talk to me like that!”
“I will when it’s serious. And I take this as seriously as you did. Now listen to me. I screwed up. I’m trying to be a better father. I’m trying at a relationship with him, and I can’t have you bulldozing in and—”
“Bulldozing? I didn’t even know he existed,” she says just before tears spill down her cheeks. Troy’s eyes close, and I can feel the crack inside him. I’m witnessing first-hand the damage I caused with my grudge. I want so much to blame Troy’s lie, but this heartbreak right here, it’s on me.