“I was not ready to have children,” she said, at last. “That doesn’t mean I didn’t want to be your mother.”
I sighed deeply and just like that, all the fight went right out of me. “I’m so tired of fighting you, Mom,” I said. “I’m tired of the arguments and the tension and the stress of being around you—”
“Which was exactly why you ran after perfect Isabelle and her perfect daughter, isn’t it?” she said, taking me off guard with her tone.
“What?”
“I was never good enough for you,” Mom continued. “And when you found out about Isabelle, you just had to be a part of their family. And then you decided to have a relationship with that girl and talk about how wonderful she was and what a saint her mother was.”
“You’re jealous?” I realized with shock.
“They’re not your family, Kristen,” she said, refusing to answer my question. “I’m your family.”
“Family is who you choose, Mom,” I said firmly.
“And you don’t choose me, is that it?”
I sighed. “You will always be my mother,” I said, at last. “But we have to face the fact that we’re two very different people and we may never see eye to eye. I’m never going to be the most important thing in your world, and I’m never going to approve of all your choices. That’s just…the way it is.”
“Are you ever going to accept my relationship with your father?” she asked. “At least now that there’s no other woman in the picture?”
I frowned. “How do you know?”
“What?”
“How do you know you’re the only woman in the picture, Mom?” I asked. “I’m not trying to be cruel; I’m honestly curious. If Ted could cheat on his wife for years, then what makes you think he’s not going to do the same to you?”
“Because Ted and I… We’re soul mates, Kristen.”
I sighed. “If that were true, he would have left Isabelle for you a long time ago. Isabelle divorced him years ago, and he still hasn’t married you.”
“Neither one of us want to get married.”
“I’m glad,” I said. “I honestly think that’s the smartest decision you’ve made so far…not that you’ll agree with my reasoning, but still.”
“I wish you’d give your father a chance.”
“He’s my father in name only,” I said harshly. “And he always will be. I’m never going to want to have a relationship with him.”
“Kristen—”
“I have to go now,” I said, cutting her off.
“Wait—”
“Mom,” I said firmly. “Please, just leave things as they are, okay? I’m not coming home. And, I’m also done letting you control my life. I’m happy here, and I’m staying.”
“Are you going to stop talking to me now?”
“No,” I said, after a small pause. “I may not pick up every time, but I will still keep in touch with you.”
“You promise?”
“I promise,” I agreed.
“I suppose that’s something.”
“Goodbye.”