I needed to go deal with my mother.
The Mercedes CLS63 my dad had given my mother as an anniversary present four months ago was still sitting in the garage. This was a good thing. She hadn't taken flight yet. I headed inside the three story beach front stucco home I'd lived in my entire life. "Mom," I called out as I headed for the stairs leading to her room.
"Marcus," she called back followed by a loud wail. The little boy in me took off running up the stairs scared of what I might find. She was my Mom. I didn't want her hurt. As my foot hit the top stair she flung herself out of her bedroom and threw herself into my arms.
"You're here," she sobbed out.
I stroked her blond hair gently hoping to calm her down.
How many times had she held me while I cried in her arms?
I couldn't even begin to count. Now, here I stood holding her.
"He didn't come home last night," she sobbed, "he didn't even call."
I hated him. At this moment with my mother sobbing pitifully in my arms I knew I hated him. I didn't just hate what he was doing. I truly hated my father.
"I know. Manda told me. Come with me. Let's get you a wet wash cloth for your face and clean you up a little." She nodded against my chest and relaxed the death like grip she'd had on me.
"Go sit down on the sofa Mama. I'll get you a cool wash cloth then we can talk about this and what we need to do.
Okay," she let out another sob.
"I'm here Mama. I won't leave you. I'm going to fix everything. You just trust me okay."
A small smile of relief mixed with misery tugged on her lips.
The pain in her eyes however didn't lessen.
I was going to kill him. With my bare hands. I was going to kill my father. And God help me if that slut that works for him ever comes near me. I can still remember that flirtatious smile she shot me when I'd gone into his office that day.
She was a gold digger. And my dad was a sucker. A selfish sucker.
"I called his cell phone this morning and he answered. Said he was at work and would deal with me later," she let out a choked laugh, "Deal with me Marcus. Like I'm a problem.
I'm his wife. His Wife."
I sat down beside her and used the wash cloth to clean her tear streaked face.
"Just don't call him anymore. I'm going to go talk to him. I want him out of this house Mama."
She sniffed sitting still while I washed her face as if she were the child.
"You think I should divorce him?"
"Yes Mama, I do. He's sleeping with someone else. He doesn't deserve you. You're better than that." She nodded and reached up to grab my wrist and pulled my hand to her mouth and kissed it. "I love you Marcus Hardy. You're my good boy. Always taking care of me and your sister. You're nothing like your daddy. You know that don't you?"
There was my Mom. Even if it was for a brief moment I needed that little bit of motherly affection. Knowing she was still in there under all this hurt and pain eased my fear still in there under all this hurt and pain eased my fear some.
"I know that," I assured her allowing her to take the wash cloth from my hand so she could wipe her nose.
"God Marcus how did this happen? Where did it all go wrong?" she asked in a defeated tone dropping her hands into her lap.
"The minute Dad lost his mind I guess. I'm going to go talk to him. Don't wait up for him tonight Mama. I'm going to tell him I'll bring him his clothes but I don't want him back on the property."
"Oh honey is that the best idea? What if he realizes this was a mistake? Do I really just end twenty five years of marriage over this?"
"Yes Mama you do! The bastard cheated on you. He is cheating on you. You're so much better than that Mama.
Don't you let him win. Don't do it."
I hated seeing her this way. She really thought Dad would change his mind and come back to her. Maybe he would when his little girlfriend left him or began to get on his nerves. But then there would be another one just like her somewhere waiting to take her place.
"Mama, listen," I pleaded taking her cold soft hands in mine,
"You need to divorce him. Take everything you possibly can by law. Clean him dry. Do you hear me? He is using his money on that slut. Get what he owes you and he owes you everything Mama."
She straightened up and nodded her head in agreement.
Thank God I'd gotten through to her.
"You're right honey. I need to make him pay." Good. I could see the revenge flashing in her eyes. At least it wasn't pain. Let her be mad as hell. Let her suck him dry.
That's the tough as nails woman who raised me. I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek, "I love you Mama. We're going to get through this. You're not alone. Don't push Manda away either. She needs you right now. The two of you need to eat a gallon of Rocky Road ice cream and watch movies together. Bond over this Mama. Don't let him win."
Standing up Mama reached out and squeezed my hand.
"You're right. I'm stronger than this. My baby girl needs her Mama. As long as I have you to lean on I can do this Marcus."
"Well you've got me. Now, why don't you get out of your pajamas and come make me some breakfast because I'm starving."
Hearing her laughter was music to my ears.
Willow
It was Spring Break season so the tourist had begun flooding Sea Breeze. Which was a good thing because tips were double their norm. I'd already made two hundred dollars and that was mostly from the lunch crowd. The evening crowd was just beginning to pick up. On nights when the bar side of Live Bay has a relatively known band the restaurant suffers some. Families looking for a nice seafood restaurant are put off by the packed out parking lot. They don't realize it's for the bar side. Tonight however crowds were low at the bar so the restaurant was hopping with tourists.