Wow, I've never seen mom so pissed. Her boyfriend, Jack, had just left after being in her room only about twenty minutes. She followed him out wearing her robe and, after he left, she came into the kitchen, poured a stiff drink, and sat down at the table with me. Her drinking straight bourbon was one clue. The other was how he left.
Every Thursday Jack came over to see her. Sometimes he'd get here around three and he and I would talk until mom came home from work at four. Then he'd excuse himself and they'd go into her bedroom for an hour or so. When they came out they'd be all smiles and she'd walk him to the front door arm in arm and they'd have a long goodbye kiss. Today he had just walked out and she followed him, closed the door after he left, and came straight to the kitchen.
Seeing her take a big gulp of the raw bourbon I asked, "What's wrong, mom?" I thought I probably knew what the problem was, but I felt I had to ask.
She stared off into the distance and said, "Oh, it's Jack, I think he's cheating on me."
Startled, I blurted out, "Why? What did he say?" I knew Jack and knew he wouldn't have said anything, so it had to be something that he did.
