Page 54 of Finding Hayes
I swiped at the tear running down my cheek. Hayes had punched Kory Langers in the face for making some vulgar comment about me spreading my legs just like my mother does. So he’d knocked him out and had been sent home from school. His football coach was not happy with him, and I felt like everything was crumbling around me.
My mother sobbed, and I leaned against the wall in the hallway and squeezed my eyes closed. My father had cancer? My mother was in love with another man?
“I’m sorry,” she said over her cries.
“You’re sorry? I wanted to tell Savvy about the cancer months ago, and you convinced me not to. You said you’d stand by me,and we’d get through it together. I begged you to move to the city so I could start more aggressive treatment. And you insisted we stay here. Was that all so you could be with your lover?” he shouted, and my eyes sprung open at the sound of the anger in his voice.
“I didn’t want to uproot Savvy’s life!” She’d stopped sobbing now, and her voice was crystal clear. My mom had always had a gift for theatrics.
“Really? Well, how’s that going, Delila? She’s being tortured at school. She has to sit in a classroom with your lover’s wife and bear all the anger from irrational teenagers who don’t have a fucking clue that she’s an innocent victim.”
“You know what, Billy? You and Savannah are not the only two people going through it. I’ve also been judged by everyone in this town,” Mom said.
“Do you hear yourself? You are the one who did the crime. You are supposed to have consequences. Our daughter is not. I am not,” he hissed.
“Billy,” she sobbed. “I have said that I’m sorry every day for the last two weeks. What do you want from me?”
“What do I want? I don’t know, Delila. Maybe a wife who’s faithful. A wife who doesn’t make me and our daughter the laughingstock of the town we live in. A wife who makes my survival and recovery her priority. A wife who will fight for our family!” he shouted.
“I can’t fight for our family, Billy!”
“Of course, you can’t. You’ve never made me or Savvy a priority,” my father said, and I used my hand to cover my mouth to muffle the sob that threatened to escape.
“I would if I could,” she cried.
“You would if you could? That’s such bullshit. You really think he’s going to leave his wife for you? You’re going to risk itall for a fling?” My father’s voice cracked on the last word.
“He’s leaving her.” Her voice was eerily calm now. “I’m pregnant with his child.”
Pregnant.
My legs went weak, and I slid down the wall, falling until my ass hit the floor.
This nightmare would never end.
The sound of glass shattering against a wall startled me, but I just stayed where I was. I couldn’t move.
I couldn’t think.
My father shouted for my mother to get out and said he’d be gone in the morning.
I tried to tune them out until I heard the front door slamming shut.
“Savvy, I’m sorry you had to hear that.” My father’s voice pulled me from my daze as he stood at the end of the hallway, looking at me. “We shouldn’t be putting this affair on you. And you should have been told about the pregnancy privately. I’m sorry.”
“Dad,” I said, as a sob tore through me, and I pushed to my feet. “I don’t care about any of that. You have cancer?”
He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. “I do. It’s progressing, and I need to get my health under control.”
“I heard you say that you’d be gone in the morning. Where are you going?”
“I wanted to talk to you about that, and I wish it could have happened differently. But I found an apartment in the city. I was hoping it would be the three of us getting a fresh start there, but after tonight, that’s not going to happen, Savvy. I can’t be here and fight this disease and deal with the fallout from the affair. I want the best for you, and I just don’t think it’s here anymore.”
I pulled back and nodded. “I want to go with you. I wantyou to be okay.”
I didn’t know what would happen to my mother, but I knew I needed to leave with my father.
“Me, too. So, pack your things, and we’ll leave in the morning. I’ll hire movers to come get the rest of our things next week. I can’t be here anymore.” His eyes were so tired, but he didn’t look sick.
