The Impact of You

Jase

I drag the phone away from my ear at the shrill of laughter. It’s great hearing my mom so chipper, but no one needs this much information on the latest romance novel her book club is reading, least of all her son. Gah…

My dad has returned from China and we even manage to exchange a few friendly words over the phone before he hands it over to my mom. To my surprise, he thanks me for coming home to check on her while he was away. I didn’t think he’d notice or care, so it’s good to know he did.

“How’s Avery?” Mom asks next. “I told your dad how pretty and sweet she is.”

Shit. Just hearing her name is like a kick to the gut. I try to decide what to say next. “Ah…She and I aren’t seeing each other anymore.”

Owens. What did you do

for automatically

just let this drop, like I’m silently begging her to do. “That girl was sweet as pie, Jase, and I could tell how you two

nerves. “Let’s just say, she was hiding some major skeletons in her closet and she wasn’t who I thought she was.” It sounds like a bullshit excuse when I say it out loud. I don’t know if I’m hurt because Avery didn’t trust me with the truth after I’d been so open with her, or if I’m just hurt that I wasn’t the first to be with

you. But we don’t just cut people out of our lives when they make mistakes. I thank God every day that

out. I wish Avery would have trusted me enough

herself? Maybe she was going to tell you, or maybe she had a good reason why she

hate it when my

voice softens. “Just have one more conversation with her, Jase. That’s one of my biggest regrets – I wish I would have