Our Wicked Lies Gledé Kabongo (summer reading list .txt) 📖

“Mom, I really don’t want to talk about it. I don’t know why Lily said anything. Brandon asked someone else to the prom. I was upset because I thought he liked me, thought we had a connection. I was wrong. He picked somebody else. End of story.”

Alicia knew that wasn’t the end.

The scent of the lilac blossom candle perched on the desk filled her with calm. She embraced the feeling. No matter how long it took, she would be patient and non-judgmental until the entire story came out. A small part of her felt guilty that she hadn’t picked up the clues, subtle or otherwise, that something was bothering Marston. Alicia was usually in tune with her daughters, but lately, she’d been so caught up in her own drama she’d missed that her baby needed her.

“Did Brandon explain why he asked this other girl instead of you? He owes you an explanation if you had some form of relationship.”

“Oh, there was nothing like that, and it didn’t matter, anyway. So, why would I bother to ask? It wouldn’t have changed anything.”

“If you thought there was something between you, why didn’t he have the guts to tell you if he didn’t feel the same?”

“Mom, he’s an eighteen-year-old boy. You assume a maturity on his part that he doesn’t have. You give him too much credit.”

“Maybe I do. But Marston, you’re an intelligent, thoughtful, mature girl who doesn’t do anything on a whim. Brandon must have done or said something that led you to believe he liked you. So, I can only assume he’s behaved like a big-time jerk, somehow?”

Marston stood up and folded her arms. Her eyes glistened.

Alicia looked at her daughter, knowing that all she needed was a little push, a nudge to tell her mother everything.

“He was a jerk,” Marston said. “But I don’t see what good talking about it will do. I’m done with him. We don’t speak, and I avoid him like the plague. That works for me.”

“Tell me what happened, baby,” Alicia said gently. “No judgment. I promise.”

Ever since Marston was a kid, she had a tendency to bottle things up. Even when she got angry, she didn’t react like other kids by yelling, screaming, or crying. As she got older, she got better, but she still tended to hide her true feelings, not showing any weakness.

Luckily—until now—Alicia’s girls’ upbringing had been secure, happy with little to no drama. But it wouldn’t be long until they were out in the big wide world where Alicia could no longer protect them.

Marston sat back down next to Alicia, and she took her daughter’s hand and listened as she began to speak.

“I hate him, Mom. I hate him so much. He’s a big, fat liar. I can’t believe I ever thought he was special. I thought he was different, but he’s not. He’s just a lying jerk. I never should have let him in.”

Alicia pulled her daughter into her arms as the tears began to flow. “Shh, now. It’s okay. He doesn’t deserve you. But there’s still a silver lining here. Now, you’re free to be with someone who truly cares for you, and when you find him, his words and actions will match up. That’s a sign of the real thing.”

Marston continued to sob into her mother’s chest. Alicia sensed there was still more to the story as she thought of her daughter’s words: I shouldn’t have let him in.

Alicia didn’t want to jump to conclusions, but her already anxious mind skipped to the worst-case scenarios. She and Eliot were open with the girls about sex and had promoted abstinence, no sex until marriage. So far, so good. Or was she a naïve mother who didn’t want to face reality?

“Marston, did Brandon pressure you into doing something that you weren’t ready for?”

Deep, gut-wrenching bawling followed the question. Alicia gnawed at her lip until she tasted blood.

Marston turned to pick up her favorite stuffed elephant and hugged it for dear life. Eliot had won it as a prize during a day trip to Canobie Lake Park five years ago. She’d wanted the toy so much, and the fact that her dad had won it for her made it special. Despite the fact that she considered herself too old for cuddly toys, Cocoa never left her room.

“Did he force himself on you, Marston?”

“No, Mom. We both agreed. He said he loved me. But it was awful, Mom. Awful and painful. He was so gross, like he just wanted to get it over with. Then the next day, he acted like nothing happened and treated me like I had cooties.”

Alicia’s jaw clenched again. How dare this undeserving loser of a boy use and discard her daughter like she was nothing?

She hugged Marston tight, then kissed her face and forehead. “I’m taking you to see Dr. Rawlings to make sure everything is okay.”

Marston didn’t object. Was that a good thing?

“I don’t mean to be indelicate, honey, but did he use protection?”

“I insisted.” She uttered the words with firmness.

Alicia exhaled deeply, relief washing over her.

“Mom?”

“Yes.”

“Please don’t say anything to Dad. It’s humiliating enough as it is. He’d go postal if he found out.”

Alicia had so many questions. When did this happen and where? Did the girl Brandon asked to the prom make Marston feel uncomfortable? Girls that age could be cruel. But Alicia didn’t want to overwhelm her daughter. Her self-esteem had already taken a serious beating.

“I won’t tell Dad yet.” She cautioned her daughter. Although she hated Eliot’s guts right now, he had a right to know what was going on with his child. “But listen, Marston, honey, I don’t want this awful experience to define future relationships for you. Some guys don’t know when they have a gem. Ha, pretty much all guys don’t.”

“I feel so stupid that I fell for his lies. Now, I can’t take back what we did. I wish I could.”

“Don’t beat yourself up, baby. Brandon is an immature