Forget Me Not

“I came to pick up some more of his clothes. He didn’t think you’d want to see him.”

“He would be correct.”

She sighs and takes a seat next to me on the couch. I’m instantly on alert and move slightly away, briefly wondering if she plans to hurt me. “Olivia.”

“Caroline.”

“My son misses you.”

“Try to contain your excitement.”

“Don’t be childish, Olivia. You think I want to see him hurting?”

“I know you don’t want to see him with me.”

“I want him happy.”

“And what makes you think I didn’t make him happy?”

“I know you did, Olivia.”

“Then why did you hate me so much? Why were you friends with his mistress? Why wasn’t I good enough for your son?” The words fly out of my mouth before I can stop them. I have so many questions for his mother, so many why’s and how’s that I want answered.

“No one was. My relationship with Amanda was superficial. You broke my son’s heart and I was angry at you for it. He wanted you back and he was trying so hard to hold onto you.”

“He broke my heart first,” I snap.

“It was a mistake. People make mistakes, Olivia. You aren’t perfect either.”

“He slept with another woman. I’m well within my rights to not just look past that like it’s nothing.”

“And he was wrong for that. We all know that.”

“Take Amanda out of the equation for a second. You hated me on sight.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“Really?”

“It’s hard letting your only child go, Olivia.”

“So you hated me because you wanted him to stay a mama’s boy forever? Please.” I snort. “I hope you have something better than that because that is weak.”

She sighs. “You weren’t like the other girls he brought home.”

“What? Black?” I raise an eyebrow at her, not in the mood to hear about the parade of Barbie dolls he’d brought home before me.

“No, Olivia. You speak your mind. You are smart and well-spoken and outgoing, but you have a mouth on you and a fiery streak. You have gumption that so many of his past girlfriends lacked and a part of me resented you for being a woman who spoke her mind so freely when I’d been taught to be seen and not heard. My son came alive when he met you. I saw it from the moment he first mentioned you. And then he just…stopped coming around because you became his entire world.” She gives me a smile that most would consider warm and genuine, but nine years of interactions have me skeptical.

“So you didn’t like me because you felt like I was taking your son away from you?” I roll my eyes. “I never did understand these unhealthy co-dependent relationships between mother and sons. It’s strange.” I snort as I take a long sip of my vodka water.

She chuckles. “See and that,” she points at me, “that’s what I’m talking about. You’ve given as good as you’ve gotten it over the years, Olivia.”

“Hardly. I was taught to respect my elders, and while I might have given you my sarcasm, I’ve always erred on the side of respect. You however, have not.”

“I’m not proud of how I’ve treated you.”

“You shouldn’t be.”