“Yeah, I knew about her list of affairs long before my dad found out, long before she had confessed. I knew about it. She wasn’t fooling me,” she scoffed, tears welling in her eyes that she tried to hide.
“But what makes you think he’s seeing her again, Mist?”
“Because,” she began, “last night right before Aaron dropped me off home as I’m sitting in his car, I saw her sneaking out the back door, my dad kissing her, fixing his tie. She didn’t see me; I told Aaron we needed to duck so we did in his car. I’m upset ‘cause I know she’s just going to tear my dad apart once more. She’s going to ruin him and then I’ll be left to pick up his broken pieces while she’s off God knows where. She didn’t have to see the devastation on his face last time. She didn’t have to help him get through the heartache. I did. I know she’s going to do it to him again. I can’t see my dad going through it once more.”
The tears finally fell onto her cheeks as she spoke of the way her mom had broken down her father.
“Misty, I’m so sorry.” I didn’t know what else to say. Situations like this were never an easy thing, especially when children were involved. Although Misty was not a child, it still hurt her more than she knew. She claimed that it was all because her dad was going through it, but I knew it devastated her to know that her mom walked out on their family.
Two weeks later, I found myself sitting with Misty in her kitchen helping her bake a birthday cake for her father.
It was his forty-third birthday and Misty had planned a huge dinner celebration for just the two of them. I had stopped by after lunch to help her bake the birthday cake and catch up with her.
“Good thing we finished just in time,” I stated, adding the last finishing touches of icing on the red velvet birthday cake. She was expecting him any minute now.
She wiped her hands on her blue t-shirt, and with her wrist, rubbed her eye.
“Yeah. Quick, place the cake in the fridge. I think I hear his car outside.”
She was right. His Buick pulled into their driveway, so we ran to turn the lights off and duck behind the kitchen chairs. She had planned on surprising him for a while now.
The door creaked open, and as the lights were switched back on, we jumped up and shouted, “Surprise!”
Our joyous expressions immediately changed to shocks of horror. There, standing right before us stood Colleen in front of Misty’s father.
“Misty! My baby! I’m so happy to see you,” her mother shouted. She began walking toward her and instantly Misty took a few steps back.
A frown laced Colleen’s face. “Baby? Are you okay? I’ve missed you so much!”
Misty’s father came into view. “Misty, I didn’t know you were planning a surprise for me. I was actually coming to surprise you and let you know that your mom is back. She wants to apologize and have us be a family once again. Isn’t that wonderful?”
Her father’s eyes were full of hope as Colleen looked back at him smiling. Even I could tell it was so fake.
I think Misty was speechless for a good five minutes. No one said a word, and I was itching to get out of there. I didn’t know what was going through my friend’s brain, but I was sure it wasn’t anything good.
“Misty, sweetheart? Isn’t that wonderful?” her father repeated.
Finally speaking up, she said, “You mean to tell me, after everything she’s done, you’re willing to take her back like nothing happened? Just like that? You are going to let her back in here to give her the power to hurt us all over again? You’ve got to be fuckin’ kidding me!” Misty shouted and turned her back to them facing me. The expression on her face said it all. Her face was as red as a tomato and her eyes matched that tone. She was about to cry.
“Watch your tone, young lady,” her father reprimanded.
“Misty, baby… I’m sorry. I just…” her mother began, but was immediately cut off by her own daughter.
Misty turned around, throwing her hands up in the air. “Oh, you just what? You’re sorry! Sorry? Ha! There’s not a single ounce of remorse in you. You don’t even know what it means to be sorry. You’re just out for yourself, and will bounce back out of our lives the instant you find your next fuck… your next sugar daddy!”
“Melissa Mae Timmons! Do not make me come over there and spank your behind till it’s beet red!”
Whenever her father used her full name, Misty knew she was in trouble. But at that moment, she didn’t care. She was lashing out and stood for what she believed in.
“No, Dad. You need to wake up. What is wrong with you! Why are you going to let her walk all over you?”
Mr. Timmons walked up to Misty until he was standing just mere feet away from his daughter. “Misty, calm down. This is your last warning,” he threatened.
“No. I’m not standing for this. You can choose to let her ruin your life, and I’m sorry… I tried to help you, but you’re too stupid to see it. I refuse to let her ruin my life. I’m out of here,” Misty yelled, running out the back door. I followed closely behind her. She was too fast for me, though.
“Misty! Wait!” I shouted, trying to catch up to her.
She ran out of her house and onto the sand, continuing till she hit the shore.
When I caught up to her, I could see the tears streaming down from her eyes.
“Misty… I’m so sorry,” I began.
Shaking her head, she said, “How could he be so stupid, Brae? I just don’t understand it.”
Right at that moment, Aaron walked towards us. I hadn’t seen him before, but once Misty realized he was there, her face lit up.
“You okay, sexy?” he asked her. He made me cringe. I understood they had a certain chemistry brewing between them and were attracted to one another, but it just seemed wrong. She had just turned seventeen.
“Aaron…” she threw herself at him and he instantly wrapped his large bulky arms around her. Maybe I was wrong about him. Maybe he wasn’t such a creep.
He then whispered something in her ear, making her giggle and I couldn’t help but feel conflicted with my feelings about him once more. I didn’t know what his deal was.
Misty looked up, locked eyes with him, and then turned to face me.
“Brae, we’re going to go grab some dinner… I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?” she stated, giving me the look; it let me know it would be more than just a harmless meal.
“Mist, are you sure? I was thinking we could grab something together. I’d like to talk to you,” I tried convincing her, but in her mind, she was already wrapped up around Aaron. I prayed she wouldn’t be making any wrong decisions.
“Yeah, I’m sure. I’ll see you tomorrow, okay?”
She didn’t even wait for my response. Aaron had already whisked her off of her feet and they began making their way in the opposite direction.
At the end of August, and about a couple of weeks after the incident with Misty and her parents, she and I were sitting at brunch with Zach.
The three of us would spend time together every now and then, but usually, Zach wouldn’t stay around the whole time. I wondered why he would always leave and disappear after a while, but I promised myself not to dwell on it or overthink things.