12. Guy With Drama

12

GUY WITH DRAMA

“ W hat’s for dinner today, Mom?” Kelly asked her mother on Sunday.

She got the text this morning asking if she wanted to come visit, as they hadn’t seen her in a few months.

She hadn’t realized that since she talked to her mother at least once a week but texted daily.

“You said you wanted something light,” her mother said. “I’m making roasted chicken, green beans and mashed potatoes.”

“Yum,” she said. “I went to the fair yesterday.”

“Which means you stuffed yourself full of bad food,” her father said.

“Always,” she said. “You know how it is. It’s like I save it up for that one day. I worked out before I went and then again this morning.”

“Did you go alone?” her mother asked. “Or with friends?”

She could lie and say it was with a friend. Michael would fit into that category, but she didn’t like lying to her parents.

They’d supported her through everything in life. At a time when many other parents wouldn’t have.

“I went on a date,” she said.

“And you ate like a pig on a date?” her father asked. “Must be you don’t like the guy.”

She started to laugh at the appalled look on her father’s face. “I like him a lot. I’m very comfortable around him.”

“What’s his name and how did you meet?” her mother asked. “Please don’t tell me one of those apps. Between them and the reality show, I was hoping you got it all out of your system.”

“I know him through work,” she said.

Her parents looked at each other. “Is this one of those matchmaking things with Jolene?”

“I wish,” she said. “Then I’d know it’d work out. Everyone Jolene matches together works. But no, I’ve known him for years. It’s Michael Marshall. Alex’s cousin. He pretty much runs the whole business now from an operations point.”

“So he has an important busy job,” her father said.

“He does,” she said. “He’s also a single father whose son lives with him.”

Might as well put it all out there now.

“Another guy with drama,” her mother said. “You can’t seem to get away from it. I wonder if you seek it out to offset what you went through.”

“Or so you don’t think what you went through was that bad,” her father added.

Kelly didn’t expect them to react this way. Or that they’d think those things about her.

“First off, you know I hate drama and taking on other people’s drama.”

“We do know that,” her mother said. “Yet it always ends up with you. Starting years ago with Brian.”

That was low. “I loved him,” she argued.

“We know you did,” her father said gently. “Your mother didn’t mean anything about it that way. He was a great kid. But we all know why you married him. Or you told us why. Had he survived, do you think your marriage would have lasted?”

“It doesn’t matter,” she said. She never talked like that with her parents. That she felt in her mind it wasn’t going to happen because Brian had given up.

She hadn’t wanted to tarnish his memory in anyone’s eyes, least of all her own. There were things she didn’t want to think about.

“No,” her mother said. “It doesn’t. But you had drama during that time and for months and years after with Brian’s parents. They didn’t need to treat you the way they had.”

“They didn’t,” she said. “But they were grieving and they wanted someone to blame.”

“You had no idea about the money,” her father said. “You said that.”

“I didn’t,” she said. “I offered to give it to them. I didn’t want it. I don’t even know how Brian could have made me the beneficiary of the policy. He hadn’t been at his job long either.”

“You did the right thing,” her mother said. “They had no right to say what they did to you or end things the way it was either.”

She didn’t want to get upset over this again. “No,” she said. “And we don’t need to talk about Brian. I’ve been on a few dates with Michael. I like him. No one knows at work yet. I think the next time we talk on a date, and not just via text, we’ll address that.”

“Why don’t you want anyone at work to know?” her mother asked.

“Because they are nosy and they might think Jolene set us up. She didn’t. I made the first move with Michael.”

“You said he’s a single father,” her mother said. “What is that situation? It’s odd that the father has custody.”

She had to figure out a way to explain this without her parents thinking poorly of Michael. Or how he ended up with Ty.

“He was in a short term relationship with a woman. She ended up pregnant and never told him. He found out through someone else and confronted her and she’d said she’d lost his number.”

“Do you lose the number or a way to contact someone you’ve dated?” her father asked lifting his eyebrow. “I’m not sure I’m buying that.”

“I might not have either, but she’s an airhead and very irresponsible. That is part of why he has custody. After a few weeks, his ex said she couldn’t do it. They didn’t get back together, but he’s a stand-up guy and was there for the birth. He pays for everything. I mean everything. Even buying food for his ex because she didn’t have a lot in the house a few weeks ago.”

“He’s still supporting her even though their child lives with him?” her father asked.

She knew that tone of voice. “There is nothing there between them. Nothing more than frustration on Michael’s part. Electra works, but she acts or lives her life like a teen.” She went on to tell her parents about the few weeks she’d been dating Michael and everything that had happened. Even last night.

“Are you sure you want to get involved with someone who has so much going on?” her mother asked. “I know you’ve never been one to demand that much attention from a guy, but this is way over the top.”

“He’s a great father,” she said. “I’d expect Dad to be the same way to me if he was alone.”

“I’m not sure,” her father said, laughing. “Maybe.”

“My point is, that he is a single father and he goes by the theory that his son should have his mother in his life. Even if it’s only a few times a month. He’s done everything that I’d want the father of my kids to do.”

“But you’re not going to be first in his life,” her mother said.

“And that is fine with me right now,” she said. “When I was born, was Dad first in your life or were we both equal?”

She watched her parents look at each other again. “Good point,” her mother said.

“That is how I’m thinking of it. We’ve talked about it. It’s why he’s single. He’s trying and he appreciates that I don’t get mad or upset over things like what happened last night. Next weekend his parents are going to take Ty and there won’t be a problem.”

“So his parents know you’re dating?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It’s been a few dates and we haven’t gotten to that conversation yet, but we’ve talked about so many other things. He’s just so easy to talk to.”

“That is nice to know. Do you have a lot in common?” his father asked.

“I think so. We had a great time at the fair. We talked the whole time and I couldn’t even remember what half of it was about or how we went from one topic to the other. There was nothing awkward.”

“That’s positive,” her mother said. “How old is he?”

“Thirty-four. Just a few years older than me. I told him about the reality show and Brian.”

Her father was stunned. “You never tell anyone about Brian. Why did you?”

“Because he was opening up about his ex and son. As I said, we’ve worked together for years. We aren’t strangers. It’s Cade’s wife’s cousin. Not just the guy who is running her business. There was that kind of connection there and he figured I knew some things about him anyway.”

“Did you?” her mother asked.

“I knew he had custody of his son but didn’t know the whole story behind it. I do now. We’ve had no talks at all about me meeting Ty. I’m not rushing it and he’s not either. Right now, we just want to go on some dates, have fun, and see what comes about it.”

“I’m glad if that is all you’re doing, but you also want to settle down,” her mother said. “Why else would you have been willing to marry some stranger sight unseen after a month? I can’t tell you how happy I was that didn’t work out.”

She laughed. “It wasn’t meant. Yes, I want to settle down. I told Michael about that so he knew going in too. This isn’t about fun and games for me either. At least not long term. I don’t want to rush, but I’m not going to sit back and let something go on for five years while we wait.”

Kelly felt she’d gotten her point across well enough on that topic and Michael seemed to be on the same page with it.

“It sounds as if you’ve got a good foundation,” her father said. “Now we’ll just see what happens. Don’t get ahead of yourself and don’t open your heart up too quickly either.”

“I won’t do either of those things,” she said.

But it was too late because she already had.