Julie Gordon lives in New York with her mother and father. On a daily basis, she works at a bakery together with her best friend Dylan.
One day, she comes home from work to see her mother crying her eyes out. It turns out Julie's father has cheated...
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When it was nine in the evening, we were still in my room. Only that we were now lying in the same positions we did that day when we had gone to the cinema. That meant I was lying with my head on my pillow while he was lying on his stomach beside me with his hands on his cheeks to support his head.
"So, did you find out why your dad cheated on your mom?" He suddenly wondered, catching me off guard.
I looked at him with furrowed eyebrows, and when I didn't answer him immediately, he started shaking his head frantically. "You don't have to answer if it's too personal. I was just curious," he reassured me.
"No," I said. "It's okay. I was just shocked by the question."
He nodded his head slowly, waiting for me to start talking. I took a deep breath before I started explaining. "I took your advice and told him to be completely honest with me, that I didn't want to hear some lame excuse but the real reason he decided to do it." I paused to run a hand through my hair.
"He said that he was aware of what he was doing - obviously, but that he didn't know why since he loves mom more than anyone else. I found it hard to believe him, but he sounded so honest when he said it. He looked so broken, too, like his entire life had been torn apart. I don't think he meant to sleep with that woman. I think he did it because he was too out of his mind to think rationally."
Timmy's eyebrows were knitted together during my entire speech. He was also pulling at his bottom lip with his index finger and thumb while thinking of what I had just explained to him. "So, you're saying that you understand his situation, and that makes it okay for him to sleep with another woman?"
I shook my head vigorously. "No, of course not. I would never think what he did was okay. It's just that I'm quite sure he didn't do it on purpose. I don't think he intended to hurt anyone, and I don't think he thought of the consequences that would come with it at the time."
He pursed his lips. "I guess I understand what you mean, but I still don't think it's an excuse to sleep with another woman. If I'm being honest, there is no excuse good enough to do such a thing," he said truthfully.
Even though I knew he was right, I couldn't help but feel for my dad. He had done something that he would never be able to take back. Was I supposed to hate him and blame him my entire life just because of that?
"I guess I understand what you're getting at, but do you mean I should blame him my entire life for something that he can't have undone? At least he was honest with me, and that was all I could have asked for."
Timmy hummed quietly. "I guess if it was my dad, I would have forgiven him eventually, too. It is your flesh and blood after all."
I flashed him a smile, appreciating that he understood my situation. I hadn't forgiven dad yet, but I knew I would in time because I knew I couldn't blame him my entire life for what he did. I loved him too much for that.
