Total pages in book: 83
Estimated words: 75553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75553 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 378(@200wpm)___ 302(@250wpm)___ 252(@300wpm)
I huffed and turned my head away from her. I really didn’t want to be getting this lecture from my mother of all people.
“Listen, Griffin, I know you don’t want to hear this, but I’ve never once regretted having a child,” she told me. “In fact, having you has brought me nothing but joy in my life.”
I scoffed. She seemed to have a very selective memory. After all, I might be a good child, but my father wasn’t a good husband. “Yeah, well, your marriage wasn’t exactly a fountain of joy now, was it, Mom?” I retorted bitterly.
My mom frowned and looked down at her hands. For a moment, I regretted my words. After all, my childhood was a sore spot for the two of us and we both avoided the subject as carefully as we could. I might have crossed a line by bringing it up. My mom treated the truth of what her marriage was like before the divorce like some kind of a nightmare that never really existed. We never talked about it.
Tonight, however, we both ventured toward that nightmare.
My mom let out a long, slow breath and then met my gaze. “You’re right, Griffin,” she began, “marriage didn’t turn out like I’d hoped, that much we know is true. But that doesn’t mean it was all doom and gloom.”
I had my doubts about that, but this was the closest my mom had gotten to accepting and talking about what happened, so I didn’t interrupt her.
“I don’t regret my marriage, not at all, even if it ended badly,” she confessed with a small smile.
“You’ve got to be kidding me, Mom,” I told her with a shake of my head. “I don’t believe you at all. Don’t you remember what it was like in our house, Mom? Don’t you remember how Dad used to yell and talk down to you every single day? Don’t you remember how he hit you and didn’t care how hurt you were? What about--?”
“That’s enough of that,” she interrupted with a hand raised in the air. “I’m very well aware of what happened in my past, Griffin. I don’t need the reminder, thank you.” With a sigh, she lowered her hand and continued, “I’m not trying to justify your father’s behavior, but Maxwell wasn’t always the person that you came to know, Griffin. He wasn’t always a terrible villain like you think. Before he started drinking, he was kind, generous, and he could even be really fun.”
Hearing my mom talk so highly of the man I despised made me feel nauseous. “Well, I sure as hell didn’t get to see all that,” I grumbled angrily as I crossed my arms over my chest.
“You don’t remember how your father behaved when you were a child, Griffin.”
I rolled my eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I remember him how he was for most of my life: a monster.”
“Griffin, monsters don’t always start that way or stay that way,” she reminded him.
“I can’t believe you’re defending him after everything--”
“I had a call from him earlier today actually,” she said, interrupting him.
My mouth dropped open in shock. I couldn’t believe it. It didn’t make any sense. Dad hadn’t contacted Mom since they divorced. It had been so long that I thought they’d never speak again, to be honest. What was he thinking calling her? Had he gotten his claws back in her? The thought made me heat up all over and my hands bunched into fists at my sides.
“What was he calling about? Why now?” I asked, feeling confused.
My mom looked at me with sad, wide eyes then. “He’s been diagnosed with cancer, Griffin. He’s dying.”
4
Remy
Around me, everybody was running from cubicle to cubicle and whispering heatedly to one another. Since I’d arrived early in the morning, I’d overheard people gossiping about the company and reporting that something big was happening today. It had been a week since Griff had confessed to me about the company’s sale and I’d kept his promise not to tell anyone so far, I was determined not to let that change. Yet, it was clear that other members of staff already deduced what was happening, especially once Griff asked the whole team to assemble in the common area together.
“What do you think is going on?” a guy whispered to his colleague next to me.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know, but it doesn’t sound good. If the company goes under, I’ll probably have to move back home.”
“Oh, shit, do you think it’s that?”
“I have no idea, Kyle.”
I tried to block the whispers out as I joined Shelley’s side and kept my eyes peeled for Griff. He’d gone back inside his office with a few different people who I assumed were here to help break the news to everyone. I clutched my mug of sweetened coffee to my chest and my eyes flitted from side to side as we finally grouped together in the common area. There weren’t enough seats, so Shelley and I leaned against the wall away from the majority of everybody else.