Crystal Lies - Melody Carlson [60]
“No, Mom, you’re not right. I’ll admit that Jacob’s problem hasn’t helped matters. But, trust me, our marriage was already in trouble. In fact it was in a lot more trouble than I realized.”
“Oh dear. Does this mean you’re not trying to work things out?”
I took a deep breath. “Mom, I think that Geoffrey is having an affair.”
Long pause.
“Did you hear me, Mom?”
“Yes, dear, I heard you. I was just thinking about what you said. You know, honey, it’s not the end of the world when your husband strays—”
“Mom? What do you mean?”
“I mean this sort of thing happens to a lot of people.”
“You mean like you and Daddy?”
“Yes, and many others, too.”
“But you guys ended up getting divorced.”
“It wasn’t my choice, Glennis. I told your father that I could forgive him, but he had to have things his way.” She made a tsk-tsk sound. “And look where that got him.”
“Are you saying that’s what killed him?”
“God only knows, Glennis. God only knows.”
“Right.” I shook my head. “So you’re saying the fact that Geoffrey may be having an affair is no big deal. Not grounds for leaving him?”
“I’m saying it’s been happening since the beginning of time. Goodness, don’t you remember the story of King David and Bathsheba?”
“Mom.” I could hear the impatience in my voice growing. I suddenly felt like I was fourteen again.
“Hear me out, Glennis. It’s true, men do stray sometimes. But its the godly woman’s role to forgive and forget.”
“Oh, please.” That was not what I needed to hear.
“Well, it’s the truth, dear. These things happen in the best of marriages. And God expects us to forgive one another and move on.”
“Right.” I stared out the window and wished I’d never called.
“I know it’s hard to hear the truth sometimes, Glennis. But I’m your mother, and I love you, and I can only tell you what I think the good Lord would tell you.”
“That I should go back to Geoffrey?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, I was almost ready to go back to him,” I told her. “I even drove over there, ready to apologize, to tell him I was wrong and wanted to come home…and you know what?”
“No, dear, what?”
“He was having a candlelight dinner with his new love interest.”
“Oh my. That must’ve been hard.”
“I’ll say. But that’s when I knew it was really over between us.”
“No, no…it’s not over, honey. Don’t say that. Where there is life, there is hope. Now, I’ll be praying for you and Geoffrey and our poor Jacob. But I have no doubts whatsoever that God is taking you through the fire so you can all be purified and strengthened for his glory.”
“Right.”
“Will I be seeing you for Christmas?”
“Christmas?” I felt the meekness in my voice. How could this woman talk about Christmas when my life was completely falling apart?
“I thought maybe you’d all like to come out here for the holidays, dear. Get a little sunshine, play some golf. Our church is putting on a wonderful musical this year.”
“Right.” I bit my lip. “I’ll get back to you on that, Mom.”
“Okay But Sarah already said she’d like to come down here.”
“Yes, that’s not surprising.”
“Do you mind if I invite my Bible study ladies to pray for you, dear?”
“Not at all, Mom. Why should I mind?” I took in a sharp breath. Remain in control, I was telling myself. “But I need to go now, Mom. Good talking to you.”
“And you, too, dear. And don’t worry, honey. It’s always the darkest before the dawn.”
“Right.” And then I hung up the phone and went into the living room where I pushed a chenille pillow into my face and suppressed a primal scream that was coming up from a deep, dark place within me. Why on earth had I called my mother?
I never finished turning Jacob’s mattress that day, or even cleaning his room for that matter. In fact, I pretty much let everything go after the conversation with my mother. Why bother, I wondered. What difference did it make anyway? And so I did nothing more than fret and worry all day long, waiting for Jacob to come home so I could confront him. I was almost as angry at him for lying to me about the first needle I’d found as I was about finding his entire collection.