I stepped out of the tent.Mitchell could help him—they were friends, after all.Having a teammate that close was helpful.It might be lonelier than I thought without Jess this season, so having Fitch nearby was good.Otherwise I would go back to hermit mode.
Mia
I drove aimlessly for a few minutes.What was I supposed to do?We’d need a place to stay.Erik was shooting tomorrow and the production had put him up in a hotel, so that was a last-chance possibility.I didn’t want to tell anyone at work.What would they do if they knew I was homeless?
Temporarily, anyway.Should we move to a hotel for now?Could I afford it?Paying to fix the car had decimated my bank balance.I really needed to find an apartment, but that would take time to arrange.We were barely into July, so maybe there wouldn’t be anything till August.It was Saturday, so I could check some places out—but I’d have Arne back by dinnertime and I needed somewhere safe for him to stay while I went looking at rentals.
I pulled over and messaged Tonya, asking if we could talk.If she’d take Arne tonight, I could spend a few hours looking.It was warm enough that maybe I could sleep in the car?
Come anytime.
Bless the woman.She’d keep Arne, I was sure, so that was the first problem dealt with.
I drove to her house with shaking hands.Anger was still driving me, and I refused to let fear change my mind.
Tonya opened the door.“Come on in.You look like you could use a drink.”
I sighed.“Nothing alcoholic.I still have to drive.”
She pursed her lips.“What about some full-sugar soft drinks?”
I did my best to smile.“Sounds good.”
Tonya sat me down at the table and brought the glasses with ice and a bottle of pop.She cut up cheese and fruit, putting them in front of me.“You need to eat something as well.”
How had I lucked into a friend like her?It was a one-way relationship, with me getting all the benefits.“I appreciate you, you know that?”
She waved a hand and sat across from me.“Now tell me what the problem is.”
I did my best to recap the talk that had blown up my life, revealing more about my family and upbringing than I’d intended.“I’m livid that they’ve just assumed that I’m going to support them while Mom thinks Arne can take over as her helper.He’s only six!”
Tonya reached across and gripped my hands.“That will only happen if you allow it to, you know that, don’t you?”
My throat was thick.“You’re right.You’re absolutely right.I really needed to hear that now.”
“Was it the Arne thing that upset you the most?”
I threw out my hands.“It’s not fair to him!To take away his dreams, and the chances he should have…” I couldn’t finish, tears filling my eyes.
Tonya waited till I was calmer, then squeezed my hand again.“Then my question is why was it okay to do that to you?”
I pulled my hand free, feeling like she’d punched me in the stomach.“She’s my mom.”
She nodded.“You’re Arne’s mom.”
“It wasn’t like… It just kind of happened.I mean…” I never really chose that, did I?But the breakup with Justin, and later Erik— I guess I did.Shit.I had.
Tonya’s eyes were kind.“Was it like boiling water?It gradually got hotter and hotter and you didn’t notice?”
I covered my face with my hands.Memories I’d carefully boxed away were being pulled up by the conversation with Bruce and Mom.“When Mom first married Bruce— He didn’t really like me.I think…I think I was afraid Bruce would send me away and Mom would let him.So I tried to help as much as I could so that they’d keep me.”
I’d never stopped.I’d taken on being another parent to Cora and Dorian.I’d refused to leave my Mom to be taken care of by her new family, because if I did…maybe I wouldn’t be able to come back.
“They took advantage of that,” Tonya said flatly.
“Not Mom.Not deliberately…” It was Bruce, right?But Mom always agreed with him.Always told him what I told her.Never stood up to him for me.Never protected me.Maybe she hadn’t intended to, maybe it seemed normal to her, but yeah.She did take advantage.
When I’d broken up with Justin, she’d been relieved and even happy.And again, when I’d let Erik leave.I’d given up Justin, my marriage, my dream career…but I wouldn’t give up my son.I finally loved someone more than myself, someone I couldn’t rationalize into sacrificing.