word he’d learned so far was “no”. That was the only one he cared to use, at any rate.
Jemma took a deep breath and began. “She’s threatening not to get married. And this day and her fiancé mean more to her than anything else in the world. What you did yesterday was really out of line. Even you should know that. And I think it would help a lot if you apologized and maybe talked to her a little. Without being a bitch.”
“You come into my house, cussing at me, and ask me to do something for that worthless, stuck-up cow? Thinks she’s better than everybody ’cause she went to college and she lives in New York. She only came back here to have her stupid wedding so she could show off. Good. I hope she doesn’t get married. Michael owes me one if they don’t. On top of all that, you’re dating my ex-husband. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”
For some reason, Jemma didn’t want to correct Tara about she and Davis dating. Maybe it was wishful thinking. “Tara, you mean a lot to her even if she doesn’t want to admit it. And I think you care about her, too. You’re sisters.”
“You’re wrong. I have no family. They all forgot me a long time ago. You know they haven’t asked to see Branson for over a year?” Tara pointed to the tow-headed terror throwing CD jewel cases across the living room and laughing with glee.
Maybe they feared for their lives, Jemma thought. Aloud, she said, “I’m sure there’s a lot to the story I don’t know, but I think it hurts them as much as it hurts you. I think you need to talk to your parents, but right now Emily Rose needs you. She’d never admit it, but she does.”
“I really don’t care what you think,” Tara said, wiping mascara-caked crud from the corner of her eye. “They think I’m a druggie and a whore.”
“Have they really called you those things?”
“No, but I know it’s true. So I have a girlfriend and a few guy friends I hang out with when Thom’s out to sea. I get lonely. He’s out there a lot. People have nothing better to do than talk. And I like to have a little fun, and I don’t always like to drink. Alcohol has so many calories. I don’t see the harm in taking a few pills sometimes.”
Jemma was at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe she was actually starting to feel sorry for Tara.
Still staring at Branson, Tara continued. “I don’t touch the hard stuff anymore. That’s how I lost the first baby and how I lost Davis. I wouldn’t do that stuff anymore.”
Jemma couldn’t hide her surprise.
Tara smirked. “What? Davis hasn’t told you why we divorced?”
“I guess I never asked,” Jemma said, too stunned to think of anything more to say.
She laughed bitterly and turned her attention to the toddler. “Branson! Get out of that before you kill yourself.” She ran over to her son, who was tottering on the entertainment stand.
Tara put Branson on her hip and turned to Jemma. “So are we done here?”
She stood and studied the scene before her, trying to come up with something else to say that might convince Tara to listen. Nothing came to her.
“’Cause I have a son to try to control, and there’s nothing you can say to me that won’t be a waste of both of our times.”
“You shouldn’t try to ruin Emily Rose’s life just because you screwed up your own.” She hadn’t meant to come off like that and put Tara on the defensive because she knew that wouldn’t get her anywhere. She didn’t know where all of the emotion was coming from all of sudden, but she was feeling really angry and hurt. Suddenly, she was taking the situation very personally. As if not succeeding meant both she and Tara had failed Em Rose.
“What the hell do you know? I don’t have to listen to a word you say. I don’t care about any of them, and I’d punch her again before I apologize. Fuck my family and fuck you. Get out, get out, get out. Out of my house!” Tara shouted. And then Jemma realized Branson
Jemma took a deep breath and began. “She’s threatening not to get married. And this day and her fiancé mean more to her than anything else in the world. What you did yesterday was really out of line. Even you should know that. And I think it would help a lot if you apologized and maybe talked to her a little. Without being a bitch.”
“You come into my house, cussing at me, and ask me to do something for that worthless, stuck-up cow? Thinks she’s better than everybody ’cause she went to college and she lives in New York. She only came back here to have her stupid wedding so she could show off. Good. I hope she doesn’t get married. Michael owes me one if they don’t. On top of all that, you’re dating my ex-husband. Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”
For some reason, Jemma didn’t want to correct Tara about she and Davis dating. Maybe it was wishful thinking. “Tara, you mean a lot to her even if she doesn’t want to admit it. And I think you care about her, too. You’re sisters.”
“You’re wrong. I have no family. They all forgot me a long time ago. You know they haven’t asked to see Branson for over a year?” Tara pointed to the tow-headed terror throwing CD jewel cases across the living room and laughing with glee.
Maybe they feared for their lives, Jemma thought. Aloud, she said, “I’m sure there’s a lot to the story I don’t know, but I think it hurts them as much as it hurts you. I think you need to talk to your parents, but right now Emily Rose needs you. She’d never admit it, but she does.”
“I really don’t care what you think,” Tara said, wiping mascara-caked crud from the corner of her eye. “They think I’m a druggie and a whore.”
“Have they really called you those things?”
“No, but I know it’s true. So I have a girlfriend and a few guy friends I hang out with when Thom’s out to sea. I get lonely. He’s out there a lot. People have nothing better to do than talk. And I like to have a little fun, and I don’t always like to drink. Alcohol has so many calories. I don’t see the harm in taking a few pills sometimes.”
Jemma was at a loss for words. She couldn’t believe she was actually starting to feel sorry for Tara.
Still staring at Branson, Tara continued. “I don’t touch the hard stuff anymore. That’s how I lost the first baby and how I lost Davis. I wouldn’t do that stuff anymore.”
Jemma couldn’t hide her surprise.
Tara smirked. “What? Davis hasn’t told you why we divorced?”
“I guess I never asked,” Jemma said, too stunned to think of anything more to say.
She laughed bitterly and turned her attention to the toddler. “Branson! Get out of that before you kill yourself.” She ran over to her son, who was tottering on the entertainment stand.
Tara put Branson on her hip and turned to Jemma. “So are we done here?”
She stood and studied the scene before her, trying to come up with something else to say that might convince Tara to listen. Nothing came to her.
“’Cause I have a son to try to control, and there’s nothing you can say to me that won’t be a waste of both of our times.”
“You shouldn’t try to ruin Emily Rose’s life just because you screwed up your own.” She hadn’t meant to come off like that and put Tara on the defensive because she knew that wouldn’t get her anywhere. She didn’t know where all of the emotion was coming from all of sudden, but she was feeling really angry and hurt. Suddenly, she was taking the situation very personally. As if not succeeding meant both she and Tara had failed Em Rose.
“What the hell do you know? I don’t have to listen to a word you say. I don’t care about any of them, and I’d punch her again before I apologize. Fuck my family and fuck you. Get out, get out, get out. Out of my house!” Tara shouted. And then Jemma realized Branson
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