It was her mother.
“Shit.” Nicole had been avoiding her calls. She’d only called back once, at a time when she knew her mom wouldn’t be around, and left a brief message acting like she’d been disappointed to have missed her.
But now she was starting to feel guilty. So despite her qualms, she finally picked up. “Hey, Mom.”
“Oh! I was so used to getting voicemail, I’m a little startled to hear my daughter’s real voice.”
Nicole smiled—actually it was more of a grimace. “Sorry about that, Mom. Things have been really busy around here.”
I’ve been busy moping, not showering, and occasionally vomiting for no apparent reason. That’s why I haven’t picked up lately.
“Busy doing what?” her mother asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. Of course she suspected that Nicole was seeing Red again—nothing else explained the lack of communication.
“Work’s pretty crazy right now.”
“I read in the newspaper that Red was let go,” she said.
Nicole sighed. Shit. She forgot that her ex-fiancé’s entire life was chronicled in the media, so of course her parents knew about the events at her company. “Yeah, the board of directors met and decided that a change was necessary in order to facilitate a new direction.”
Christ, I sound like I’m the interim CEO right now, she thought.
“How do you feel about that?” her mother asked.
Nicole hesitated. “A little sad,” she admitted.
“Hmmmm.” Her mom clearly didn’t like to hear that. “Well, it’s always sad when someone loses a job. But sometimes it’s necessary. Sometimes change is a good thing.” Nicole could translate her mother’s words better than anyone after all these years.
What she really meant was, I hope you’re not still upset about splitting with Red Jameson, because he’s obviously a loser. First he lost you and now he’s even lost his own company. I hope you’re not pining away for him.
But with her mother, things were rarely spelled out like that unless she knew she could get away with it. And after so long without talking, her mother wouldn’t want to upset Nicole and then not speak again for weeks.
“Yes, change is necessary,” Nicole replied, after a long pause.
“So, what else is new?”
Well, you’d probably be interested to know that a very wealthy man is trying to bribe me to spend a few nights with him in the Cayman Islands. I might not even have to fuck him—we’re still working out the details.
She smiled, imagining how her mother would react to such a description.
Instead, Nicole talked a little about all the work she was doing for Edward and about how she and Danielle were spending a lot of time together. She tried to keep her tone upbeat and light.
But of course, her mother knew. Mothers always know, Nicole thought.
“I’m glad you’re keeping busy, honey.”
Translation: I’m glad you’re finding it possible to stay away from Red Jameson.
“Thanks Mom. How’s everything there? How’s Dad?”
“Things here are fine. The same. Although your father’s prostate is acting up again.” She launched into a long story about how dad had gone to the doctor last year after being uncomfortable for months on end and then been told he had an enlarged prostate. Not cancer or anything, just an enlarged prostate. Only, the discomfort had continued and continued and he’d resisted going to the doctor for so long. Finally, Mom had forced him to go and it turned out he had an infection.
“But he’s feeling better?” Nicole said. Now she really felt guilty for not calling back. Her dad had been sick and she hadn’t even known.
“Yes, he’s doing much better. That man just hates going to the doctor. I swear, he drives me crazy sometimes.”
“Yeah, men can be difficult, can’t they?”
“Some men more than others.”
Nicole knew exactly what that meant too. Sure, her father might be stubborn and wear his jeans until the knees were ripped and threadbare and mom had to practically fight him to let her throw them away—but he was still a good, dependable man. Red Jameson on the other hand, he was of a different breed. He was undependable, unstable, and totally unsuitable husband material.
Red Jameson might replace his jeans when they needed replacing, and he might go to the doctor if he needed to, but it didn’t make up for everything else that was wrong with him.
“I should go,” Nicole said. “I’m still really swamped at work. With all the changes and everything, it’s incredibly hectic.”
“You’re okay, though? You’d tell me if something was wrong?”