“Maybe you should ask your mother.”
I’m sobbing hysterically now, wondering what part my mum has to play in all of this. Sarah stands up, puts on her coat and reaches into her pocket.
“Look, I’m staying home with Madison tomorrow, so I have a spare couple of ring side seats for the fight. I know he’d really appreciate it if you were there.” She puts an envelope down on the coffee table and turns to leave. “There are two VIP tickets there, he loves you, now it’s up to you to decide whether he’s worth fighting for.”
As she walks away, I slump down on the sofa feeling the weight of her words.
“Hey, I just passed Sarah on the way in. Is everything okay?” Lexi saunters in and rushes over to console me once she surveys the wreckage. “For fuck sake Mia, what did she say to you?”
I point to the envelope on the table, unable to find the strength to speak. She reaches over and pulls out the tickets, her eyes widening as she spots the VIP passes that are included. They certainly are a big gesture but I’m not sure I can stomach the thought of sitting through an evening of fighting.
“Please tell me you’re going, and that you’re taking me as your plus one?” she pleads.
I wipe my tears on my sleeve and sniffle through the conversation I just had with Sarah as she listens intently.
“So, what are you going to do?” She finally replies after taking it all in. “Look, when I went to pick your stuff up, I saw him, and he was a wreck.” As if sensing my confusion, Lexi continues. “I mean, sitting in the dark, stinking of booze, not washed for a week bad, and if I think he was bad, he’s got to be a mess, right? I even had to force him to get a shower.” She sighs. “He said he went to see you at the hospital, but mum told him you didn’t want to see him and he thinks you’re better off without him.”
Her eyes are welling up and I don’t really know what to say. How can he think I’m better without him? I love him.
“He blames himself for what happened.” She hesitates for a second “And to be honest, I got the impression that mum has a big role to play in him thinking that way.”
“But she doesn’t even know Ethan, what could she possibly say to him that would make him stay away.” My heart feels as though someone has plucked it out of my body and trampled all over it. “No, if he really cared for me, he’d be here.”
“Just think about it Mia. In his mind, he’s staying away because he cares.”
After the realisation of my mum possibly being behind my recent heartbreak, Lexi lifted my spirits by telling me all about her audition. She’s been cast as the lead in a new pilot being shot next summer and they are so confident that the launch will go well they want to contract her for at least three seasons. It’s by far the biggest role she’s ever landed but when most of her jobs have been TV commercials and walk-on roles, there’s not much competition.
I’ve never seen her so excited and I’m thrilled for her. It’s about time those casting directors realised how talented she is. She’s got to go through her script and prepare for a table reading next week with her new cast members, so she leaves just after eight, and I anxiously wait for mum to come home from work.
It seems kind of weird being back in the room I had as a teenager surrounded by all my old things. Kind of like a little noughties paradise, especially with the enormous N’Sync poster pinned to the back of my bedroom door, my wiggly edged mirror and floral bedspread. I flop back on my bed, staring at the faded glow in the dark stars stuck to my ceiling and try to resist the urge to call Ethan. I need to see what mum has to say for herself before I confront him.
About ten minutes later, the front door bangs shut, and I race down the stairs hoping to intercept before Ricardo distracts her. Managing to get halfway down the stairs before she notices, she glares at me, confusion etched all over her face.
“We need to talk.” I say through gritted teeth and her expression quickly changes to worry.
“Can I at least get a glass of wine first, darling? Today has been the most impossible day at work and I could really use a drink.” She walks towards the kitchen, picks up the half empty bottle of red standing on the windowsill and pours herself a glass before setting it down and turning to me. “So, what do you want to talk about?”
“What did you do?” I cross my arms, pacing the kitchen, staring at her waiting for a response.
“Can we please dispense with the childish drama Amelia, why don’t you just tell me what you think I’ve done.” Struggling to look at me, she takes a sip of her wine and runs her fingers through her hair.
“I had a visit from Ethan’s sister today and she seems to think that you had something to do with what happened between me and Ethan.”
“That’s absolutely absurd. Why would I be messing around in your love life?”
“Don’t lie to me mother. If you don’t tell me what you did, I’ll walk out of this house and you’ll never see me again.” My body stiffens as I try to contain my anger, “No wonder dad moved halfway across the world to get away from you and Lexi want nothing to do with you!”
I’ve never spoken to my mum like this before, usually I’m the one defending her. I can see the hurt in her eyes, but she’s brought this on herself.
“Okay fine.” She sighs, “Sit down and I’ll
