“What are you trying to get at, Gina?” I sighed.
“I don’t know. I am just wondering… are you in love this Aria girl?”
“I haven’t the slightest idea,” I said without thinking and walked away. It was true, love was not something I had ever experienced in my life before, so even if I felt it somehow, I would never recognize it. Nor was there any reason to recognize it. Love was probably just a word invented for the weak in order to justify extremely stupid things they did. I was neither stupid nor weak.
---
Next order of business was dealing with my mother, and if all went as planned, that was bound to be a piece of cake. I still couldn’t get over the fact that this idea hadn’t occurred to me sooner. It was so simple and brilliant. I should have thought of it the day Gina had made me that offer; she only needed money, after all.
Unsurprisingly, my mom came into my room at about eight that night looking completely horrorstruck.
“I just,” she said almost hyperventilating. “I just got a call from Gina. Oh Zayden, I am so sorry.”
She was obviously on the verge of tears and for a split second I almost felt guilty for pulling this off.
“What’s wrong?” I asked innocently looking up from my laptop. “Is she okay?”
“She is fine… I think,” my mom said in a shaking voice. “But – but – Zayden I am sorry for all of this.”
“What do you mean? What are you apologizing for? Is everything okay, mom?” I was trying hard to sound genuinely curious and concerned, but my insides were jumping in joy; the plan had obviously worked fantastically.
“No, no, no, no!” she exclaimed dramatically. “Nothing is okay, and it’s all my fault. I did this to you. I am so, so sorry son.”
“For what?” I eyed her quizzically.
She waited a few minutes before speaking, as though her next words held a lot of weight and she wanted to make sure she delivered them in the best possible way.
“Gina, she is,” she halted for a few more seconds. “She is gone, Zay. I am so so sorry. I should have never pushed you towards her like that. This is all my fault!”
“What is your fault? What do you mean she’s gone?” I stood up from my chair, just to make the whole act seem more genuine. “Did she go back home for a bit?”
“No,” she said sounding upset. “She’s gone. Forever. I am so sorry, Zay. She said that she is in love with someone else and she was only staying with you for my sake and it wasn’t fair to anybody. I thought she was joking at first.” She was breathing heavily. “But then… but then…”
“Mom, sit down,” I said, holding her by the shoulders. “Take a deep breath and tell me everything. What did Gina say to you?”
“That she is,” she covered her face in her hands and started crying hysterically. “She is in love with someone else and she thought she could do this for me but she really couldn’t and to tell you she’s sorry.”
“She didn’t even have the decency to tell me so herself?” I asked, pretending to look disappointed. “And that’s the girl you thought was perfect for me?”
The crying grew louder, and a sinister part of me felt good about the fact that I had managed to manipulate the master manipulator. I was, after all, her son. All that stress she gave me from trying to kill herself; this was but a small payback. And she could never threaten to pull that shit again; as far as she knew, she had caused me great grief by bringing Gina back into my life.
“I am so, so sorry, Zayden. I really thought – I thought she loved you and she would be good for you. I never would have suggested she come back into your life if I knew she would bail on you like this.”
“Just when I was beginning to accept her back into my life too,” I said dolefully. “What have I done to deserve this shit?”
“Nothing,” she said looking up finally. “Nothing at all. This is all my fault, Zay. From now on I will never try to interfere in your life again. I want to be there for you and I have realized that the best way to do so is to leave you be. I am leaving to go back West over the weekend. Unless,” she looked at me hopefully. “Unless I can be there for you in some way by staying? Help you get through the heartbreak.”
“I think you have done enough,” I said. “You meant well and I really appreciate it. But I am hurt right now and need some time alone to recuperate. Is that okay with you?” I added the last bit trying to seem as earnest as possible.
“Of course, but if you need anything at all, I am just a phone call away,” she exclaimed and hugged me tight.
“I know that, mom.” I grinned behind her back.
For the first time in my entire life, I had managed to outsmart my mother. And in some ways I had Aria to thank for it. I was now the ultimate manipulator.
---
Now that most of the issue was taken care of, I began to fully appreciate the situation I was in; it was, in fact, perfect! There were only two days until the next payment needed to be made on Aria’s mother’s hospital bill, and she still did not know whether I was going to make it or not. In other words, I had complete and utter control over how our dynamic proceeded once again. And man, had I missed being in this position.