Hopeless Hearts

“I like him,” my mom said after Frank had left. My mom and I were sitting on the couch in our living room, actually having a real conversation. “He seems like a nice boy.”

“He really is,” I said, smiling. My mom looked at my face.

“You’re so beautiful,” she said. “You look so happy when you’re around Frank.”

“I am,” I said, smiling more.

“Ok,” she said. “I don’t want Frank to hurt you in any way. And if he does, promise me you won’t go back to him or forgive him.”

“I stared at my mom. I didn’t tell her Frank had hurt me once already. I didn’t think Frank would ever hurt me again.

“I promise,” I said. “But, is that what happened with you and dad?”

“Sort of,” she said. “Your father and I used to be just like you and Frank are right now. After you were born, I started working more to make a little more money. Bill, your father, would drop you off at my parents’ house when he went to work. I soon found out, though, that he wasn’t working and didn’t have a job, but he was cheating on me. Your father said he’d stop cheating. But he made me promise I’d work less. I agreed and believed that your father wouldn’t cheat again. I later found out that your dad was still cheating on me. This time hurt the most because he had promised he wouldn’t do it again. Then he left us and I went back to working all the time.”

I looked at my mom. She looked sad and lonely. I leaned toward her and hugged her.

“I’m so sorry, Claire,” she said, hugging back.

“It’s ok,” I said.

I turned on the television afterward and my mom and I fell asleep on the couch while watching old movies together.