“About what?”
I never went to my parents with my problems. Not since before college. I used to share everything with my mom. But now it felt like something separated us. I knew it was in my head, but it was there, a line I could no longer seem to cross.
“Just… issues we’ve been having. It was bad.”
“But everything is okay now?”
I looked toward the front door. It wasn’t really okay. James thought he was addicted to me. And he was out in the hallway fighting with his parents the night before our wedding. Isabella was out there somewhere, and the cops didn’t seem to care. I had lost one of my best friends. And that cop’s words kept nagging me in the back of my head. James had a record and I had no idea what he had done. But it was going to be okay. Our love was enough for everything to be okay. Right? “Yeah, everything is okay now. I just don’t know what to do about his parents.”
“Did he ask you to fix it?”
“No, but…”
“That’s your answer, sweetie. Marriage is a partnership. You have to be a team. If he’s distant with his parents, you shouldn’t force it. You have to have his back.”
“You’re right.” God, I had been such an idiot. Maybe if I hadn’t pushed him inviting his parents we never would have fought last night. I had caused this whole mess. It was about time I fixed it. “I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t you think you should give them a minute?” my dad asked, but I was already walking toward the door.
“Robert Hunter if you say one more…” Mrs. Hunter’s voice died away as I stepped out into the hallway.
I expected to see James yelling when I came out. Instead, Rob was standing in front of him and his face was bright red like he had just exploded.
“Why are you protecting her?” yelled Rob. “Isabella’s trying to ruin his life. What the hell is wrong with you? All of this is on you. Both of you. Jesus Christ, when will you let this go? Why can’t you just let him be happy for once in his life?”
I was wrong. He was still exploding. I put my hand on his shoulder. Rob jumped at my touch. He hadn’t heard me come into the hall. He shook his head when he saw me and ran his hand through his hair. It was the same gesture that James did so often. Even if he hadn’t been yelling, I would have known he was upset just by that one action. Everyone was completely silent now.
“Rob and Jen, do you mind if we have a minute?” I asked.
“Yeah,” Rob said. “But don’t listen to them, Penny. They know where she is. They’re full of shit.”
“Robert!” his mother said in a stern voice.
Rob shook his head and pushed through the door. And that’s what I loved so much about Rob. He always had James’ back no matter what. And mine. I had learned that last night. His loyalty was almost tangible.
“Sorry,” Jen whispered silently to me and followed Rob.
“We do not know where Isabella is,” Mrs. Hunter said. “She hasn’t been returning our calls. You’re not honestly scared of her, are you? She’s just upset because you ruined her reputation. She has a right to be.”
“I ruined it?” James said.
“This is not the time or place for this conversation, James.”
“It’s never the time or place! You know what happened between us was not my fault. And in case you don’t remember, let me just clear the record. She slept around behind my back! She ruined her own damn reputation. But am I happy that it’s over? Yes. Marrying her was the worst fucking decision I ever made in my life. Letting you two pressure me into something that was never in my best interest, just in yours. Screw both of you. What the fuck are you even doing here?”
“Both my sons seem to lose their vocabulary when they’re angry,” Mrs. Hunter said and shook her head. “Honestly, James, do you really think it’s appropriate to curse at your mother? Especially when we went out of our way to come to this… celebration.”
“We really don’t know where Isabella is, James,” his father said, cutting off his mother. “And either way, I don’t think she’s a physical threat. You have nothing to worry about.”
“And 24 hours ago you never would have guessed that she would steal from me either.”
“That is not proven yet. It’s her word against Isabella’s,” his mother said and pointed at me.
“Then it’s proven.” James slipped his hand into mine. “Penny would never lie to me.”
“James, don’t be simple. How can you…”
“Stop.” James’ voice was more stern than I had ever heard it before. And his grip on my hand had tightened so that it almost hurt. “What the hell did we just talk about? If you say one more bad thing about Penny, you cannot come into our home. Ever. I won’t remind you again.”
“Susan,” his dad said. “Stop trying to fight this. It’s done. You can’t always get what you want.” He sounded spiteful. For the first time, I wondered how good their relationship was.
Mrs. Hunter frowned and folded her arms across her chest. “I still think it’s a mistake.”
“No one asked you for your opinion,” James said. “I tried it the way you wanted. It didn’t work. Neither one of us was happy. It wasn’t just on me. You know that.”
Mrs. Hunter made a weird noise with her throat and shook her head.
“Mr. and Mrs. Hunter,” I said. It was time for me to say what I had come out here to say. I didn’t want to hear them fighting about Isabella. I didn’t want to think about James’ past. Not tonight. Tonight was about our future. “I pressured James to reach out to you because I wanted us to be a family. I realize now that that wasn’t really my place. Because it’s not James that has the issues here. It’s you. You’re the ones that need to grow.”
“Excuse me?” his mother said.
“I don’t want to get into that right now. All I mean is that your son has done nothing wrong. And as his parents, that should always be your first assumption. Not taking the side of his ex-wife. That aside, everyone in our apartment is here because they love and support us. I wish I didn’t have to question your motivations for coming. But…” I glanced at James, “you’re invited to our wedding festivities only if that applies to you. We want this weekend to be memorable in a good way. No fighting. No wishing I was someone else. No making James feel bad. And absolutely no talking about Isabella. Put whatever problems you have on the backburner for this weekend. Your son is getting married. I don’t think I should have to say anything else. If you agree to that, I’d love for you to come in.”