Crystal Lies - Melody Carlson [42]
And naturally, my emotions were like a moment-by-moment roller-coaster ride. When Jacob was around, I tried to appear upbeat, acting like I was perfectly fine and at peace with my situation. But when he went off to his job at Mama Mia’s, I plummeted to the depths, vacillating between feeling enraged and completely crushed. At times I actually thought I had simply dreamed the whole thing up. I’d flash back to happier times, and for brief moments I’d honestly think the recent unhappy events were my own hallucinations. To be honest, I think I even questioned the state of my own sanity. And so I suppose it was somewhat fortuitous that Sherry had gone ahead and made that appointment with Dr. Abrams for me.
“So you’re really going to go then?” asked Sherry as we had lunch at the mall on Saturday.
I nodded. “Yes. I think I probably need to.”
“Did you mention marriage counseling to Geoffrey yet?”
“No.” I stirred my iced tea. “It hardly seemed appropriate when I felt like screaming and kicking and scratching his eyes out.”
“No, I suppose not.” I sighed. Suddenly I felt very, very tired. “How’s Jacob doing?”
“Okay,” I told her. “He’s been going to work every day, coming home afterward.”
“So you think he’s straightening up?”
I nodded. “Yes, I really do. He had his court date for the MIP—minor in possession—last week, and since it was his first offense, they gave him a break.”
“Oh, that’s great. It probably didn’t hurt anything that his dad’s the city attorney.”
I frowned. “Don’t be so sure. Anyway, all he has to do is forty hours of community service, and he has eight months to get it done.”
“That’s not too bad.”
“Jacob was really relieved. He said it will help him to get on with his life.”
Sherry smiled. “Well, that’s wonderful.”
I forced a weak smile to my lips. “Yes, it really is. I don’t even know what I’d be doing right now if Jacob’s life was still off track. Sometimes it seems like that’s all I really have.”
“What about Sarah? Have you talked to her lately?”
“A couple of days ago. I told her about Jacob’s coming to live with me, and she told me I was a fool.”
“She’s young.”
“And idealistic. She thinks that her father and I should stay together no matter what.”
“It’s pretty natural for kids to want their parents to stay together.”
“Jacob doesn’t seem to care.”
“Well, he and Geoffrey hadn’t exactly been seeing things eye to eye lately.”
“That’s true. I just wish that Sarah could try to understand. Do you know what she said to me before she hung up?” Sherry shook her head.
“She asked me what I thought she was supposed to do when it was time for her to get married. Was she supposed to invite both of us to her wedding?”
Sherry looked surprised. “I didn’t even know she was engaged.”
“She’s not,” I told her. “She doesn’t even have a boyfriend.” Sherry laughed. “Well, that sounds like Sarah, doesn’t it? Always planning ahead.”
I frowned. “And thinking of herself. Sometimes I can’t believe I raised such a self-centered daughter.”
“She’s Geoffrey’s daughter too.” I nodded. “You hit that nail on the head.”
Then we went shopping, and Sherry insisted that I get a new outfit. And even though I protested, she continued dragging me along until she finally found some things that she liked, piling me high with jacket and skirt and blouse and practically shoving me into the dressing room.
“Why?” I demanded as I stood with arms outstretched to show her the DKNY outfit she had picked out for me. “Where on earth am