Rot & Romance (Rewriting)

Chapter 25

(A/N: I've added a song to this chapter. I'll let you know when to play it.)

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"What do you mean Dad had an affair?" Lainey yelled without realizing, drawing immediate attention to their table.

"Quiet," Mom whispered.

"No!" Lainey yelled even louder. She didn't care one bit that people were staring. Her mother had just told her that the most influential man in her life was a liar and a cheater. That he wasn't at all the man she believed him to be. Lainey shook her head. "I don't believe it. Dad wasn't that person."

"I understand that it's going to take a little time for you to digest --"

"There's nothing to digest, Mom!" Lainey said, banging her fist on their table, the impact causing their plates and silverware to rattle. "Screw this," she continued as she stood and quickly made her way out of the restaurant.

Almost ten minutes later, Mom found her way out of the Abalone Tavern. Lainey was leaning against the car, trembling and with dried tears down her face.

Mom sighed when she reached Lainey.

"I didn't expect this to be easy," she said. "And I don't blame you for being upset, honey. I know --"

"Mom . . ." Lainey breathed.

"Yes?"

"Can we just go home? I feel like I'm going to throw up."

Mom, looking like she severely regretted what she'd just told Lainey, quietly got inside the car.

Lainey did so as well.

***

Fawn was making coffee in the kitchen when the doorbell rang.

"Fawn, could you get that, please?" Mama called from the bathroom. "It's probably our pizza."

"Yeah, sure," Fawn said, making her way to the front door. She opened it and gasped.

"Eliezer?"

His eyes widened.

"Fawn?"

They stared at each other in silence for several seconds.

"Umm . . ."

"Right!" said Eliezer, offering her the pizza. "That would be eighteen seventy-five."

Fawn handed him a twenty.

"You can keep the change."

"Yeah . . . thanks."

As Fawn motioned to close the door, Eliezer called her name.

She stopped, leaving the door ajar.

"Yes?"

"I'm . . . really sorry about the other day."

"I-It's fine, Eliezer. Thanks for the apology."

"No, it's not fine. That wasn't me, Fawn. It's not . . . who I am."

Fawn nodded.

"Alright!"

"Is it really?"