Strangers When We Meet

I parked the car in the lot of a shopping mall, far away from other cars and cried until my eyes were puffy and red. Then I cried some more. I felt as if a bomb had been dropped on my head. There had been no warning. I hadn't been prepared for this news.

Although, looking back, I should have put two and two together. Why else would mom had been so upset with him being there. Her secret was about to unravel. Of course she was upset. Her past had finally caught up to her.

How could she had done this to me? And how had she and Jared finally started talking again to begin with? Why now?

Was he being truthful when he said he hadn't known? Or was he just a liar like her? He was an actor after all. He gave a great performance if he wasn't telling the truth.

I rubbed at my face. My vision cleared. It was evening now, the sun was on it's way to setting. My stomach rumbled. I hadn't eaten since this morning.

Was Jared still there?

No. Andrew would be home by now. I know mom wouldn't want those two men to be in the same room together. I'm sure mom was less than happy at having to tell Andrew, if she told him at all.

I had shut my phone off at some point. I had dozens of missed calls, mostly for mom, some from June and Frankie, and Oli. Dammit. I was supposed to be meeting them. They were looking for me. I could not talk about what was going on now. I sent Frankie a text, telling her I could not make it. I'd explain everything tomorrow.

There was one call from a number I didn't recognize. Something in me said it was Jared. No. Mom would never had given him my number. Or would she? I didn't know anymore.

I needed to leave. I couldn't go home. I just couldn't face my mother. I couldn't tell my two best friends. I was still processing it all. I had nowhere to go.

Wait. I did.

I picked my phone and called the only person I really felt like seeing. “Hey.” I said into the phone. “No. I'm fine. Do you mind if I come by?”



I walked around the house to the backyard. Darkness had fallen, but it was still humid out. Sweat cling to me in layers. I need a shower like yesterday. There was a telescope sitting in the middle of the yard, a lounge chair next to it, and a small plastic table. A red cooler sat next to it on the grass and the grill was on, hot dogs were cooking. But there was no one around. I looked towards the house. The kitchen was lit up. I figured he was inside. I was right.

My grandpa came out of the sliding glass doors, a packet of hotdog buns in hand and a plastic bowl. Gran was out, presumably at my place.

“Hey.” I said so he'd know I was there.

“Georgie. Figured you were out here. You're mother's been looking for you.”

“Did you tell her I called?”

He smiled and placed the buns on the table. “Not yet. Sit. I'll get the dogs.”

We both opened a can of Coke, and munched on our hotdogs. Neither of us spoke for a while. He didn't probe, he just waited. I felt like crying again, but swallowed it down.

“What did mom tell you?”

“That the two of you got in some kind of fight. But not what it was about.”

I nodded and took another bite of my dog, chewing slowly. “So, mom didn't tell you anything really.”

“What happened, Georgie?”

My papa was my confidant. I could tell him anything. But saying all of this out loud was going to be tough. But I did. I told him everything, even the things I had said to my mom.

Once I finished he whistle low. “Damn.” he simple said and I laughed. I couldn't help it. “I had no idea, Georgie. No idea.”

“I know, I know.” I wiped my eyes. Grandpa with his pale blue eyes on my face, held my hand. Had it been anyone else I would have snatched away. But I squeezed his hand.

“It hurts, baby. I know. But your mother loves you so much. More than anything in this universe. She's always fought for you.”

“Then why did she do this to me?” I hated that my voice broke as I said it.

“I can't answer that. She must have had her reasons I'm sure.”

“Please don't tell me you're defending her.”

“Hell no. I'm just saying that maybe at the time she though she was doing right by you. And maybe she planned on telling you, but as the years went by, it got harder and harder. And Jared became famous. He's probably had plenty of woman claim her was the father of their children. She probably thought he wouldn't believer her.”

“But he would at least listen to her. They were close.” Apparently really close.

“But people change. They were very young then. And you're mother did everything she could for you.”

“But she didn't have to do it alone. She chose to do it alone.”

“Do you think he would have been the kind of father you needed?”

“I'll never know, will I?” I leaned back in my seat, my cup of coke in my hands. “Aren't you gonna use that thing?” I nodded to the telescope.

“Later. You're more important.”

I said nothing for a long minute. Then I looked through the telescopes lens at some constellation I couldn't name. I sighed and asked, “Could you not tell grams yet? I'm not sure what mom told her. I just don't want her to make a bigger deal out of it than it already is.”

He mimed zipping his lips. “No problem, Georgie. Where do you think Jared, I mean your father is?”

“Don't call him that.” I shivered in spite of the heat.. “I have no clue where Jared is. Most likely on a plane to L.A. That is if he's smart.”

“Don't say that. Perhaps he's at a hotel. Maybe you should talk to him. He wouldn't have come all this way if he didn't want to talk to you.”

“I don't have anything to say to him.”

Grandpa folded his arms over his chest. “Now, Georgie, you said you wanted to find your father. Now you have. Don't hold on to all that anger. Go get some answers. Talk to the man. If you don't like what he has to say, walk away. But don't miss out on what may be your only chance because you were too pissed off.”

“But papa, how do I even know he is my dad? Maybe mom was wrong. Maybe it's someone else.”

“I don't think she, nor he, would have reacted that way if there wasn't a chance that it was true.”

I thought about that and found that he was right.

“Okay, lets say that I'm considering it. Where do I even find him?”

“I don't know. But you'll find a way. You better get home. Try not to be too hard on your mother.”

I nodded but felt anything but civil.

I drove home, for the first time in silence. No music, no tears, nothing but the sounds of the city. I pulled up next to Andrew's car and parked. Jared's car wasn't here. It took me five minutes to reign in my anger enough to get out of the car. Another minute to open the door and go through.

Mom was waiting for me by the stairs.

She didn't utter a word, nor did I. I barely looked at her. I could hear Andrew moving around upstairs. I pocketed my keys and stood facing her more or less.

“I'm sorry.” she croaked out. He voice was raw with pain. “I'm so so sorry, Brie. I only did what I thought was best for you. You have to understand. I-”

I cut her off with a held up hand and shook my head. My grandpa's words rang in my head. I really didn't have the energy to fight.

“I'm going to bed. I have to go to work in the morning. I just want to be left alone, please.” I paused. “Did, uh. Did Jare... did he leave? I mean for good?”

She shook her head. “He left his number.” She dug in her pocket and produced a piece of folded paper. “He wants you to call him. He'll be in town until Sunday.”

I nodded, took the paper and slowly walked up the steps to my room.

Once inside I undressed, too beat to shower, and lied half naked on my bed, idly touching my tattoo, hating that I had it.

I grabbed the paper, unfolded it, it was a fucking business card, and started at the number for a long time, debating whether or not to call. I got out my phone, and punched in the ten digits, breath held.

There was a click, and a few seconds ticked by before a tired male voice came on the line. “Hello?”

“Hello? Jared? Uh, this is Brie. Can we talk?”