“Our relationship has all of my attention right now.”
He stared at me.
“Leave.”
He did.
Kate followed.
Before she stepped through the door, she looked back.
For one second, I thought I might see regret.
Instead she said, “I never wanted to hurt you.”
I shut the door.
My parents called that evening.
Not me.
Kate called them first.
By the time Mom reached me, the story had already been arranged.
“Nathan says you two were having problems.”
“Apparently.”
“Kate feels terrible.”
“That must be difficult.”
“Diana.”
“What?”
“Don’t be sarcastic.”
I closed my eyes.
“She is dating the man I was with for five years.”
“Nobody said they’re dating.”
“They left my apartment together.”
Mom lowered her voice.
“These things happen.”
I will never forget that sentence.
These things happen.
Not to Kate.
To me.
I ended the call.
Two weeks later, Mom invited me to “a family discussion.”
I should have refused.
Instead, some old reflex made me go.
Maybe I still thought families had meetings to repair things.
When I arrived, Kate was already there.
She sat in the armchair with her phone in one hand.
Dad was on the couch.
Mom sat beside him.
Nobody offered coffee.
That sounds trivial.
Our family offered coffee for everything.
Bad news.
Good news.
Neighbors dropping by unexpectedly.
Insurance agents.
The fact that there was no coffee told me this was not a conversation.
It was an announcement.
Dad began.
“We’ve been thinking about what’s best for everybody.”
I sat across from him.
“Everybody.”
“Yes.”
Mom leaned forward.
“The situation has become very uncomfortable.”
“For me?”
She looked surprised by the question.
“For everyone.”
Kate’s eyes stayed on her phone.
Dad continued.
“We think some distance would be healthy.”
I frowned.
“Distance from who?”
Mom answered.
“From Kate and Nathan.”
I looked at Kate.
She did not look up.
Dad said, “They’re serious.”
I almost smiled.
“Two weeks.”
“What?”
“They’ve been serious for two weeks?”
Kate finally raised her eyes.
“You don’t know everything.”
“No. Apparently that’s a family tradition.”
Mom sighed.
“Diana, please.”
“What are you asking me?”
Dad clasped his hands.
“We think it would be best if you left the city for a while.”
I stared at him.
I was sure I had misunderstood.
“Sorry?”
Mom spoke gently, which somehow made it worse.
“Your aunt Caroline said you could stay with her.”
My aunt lived several states away.
I had not seen her in years.
“You called Aunt Caroline?”
“We arranged it.”
“You arranged where I’m going to live.”
“Temporarily.”
I laughed once.
“You cannot be serious.”
“Your work can be done anywhere,” Mom said.
“No, it can’t.”
“You sit at a computer.”
I stared at her.
“That is not how employment works.”
“You’ve always said you can work remotely sometimes.”
“Sometimes.”
Dad raised one hand.
“Nobody is putting you on the street.”
“Why should I leave?”
Mom glanced toward Kate.
Then back at me.
“Because having you here makes things harder for her.”
There it was.
I leaned back.
“For Kate.”
“She sees you.”
“In the same city.”
“It reminds her.”
“Of what?”
Mom became uncomfortable.
“That you and Nathan were together first.”