Finally he said, “I need you to stay away from her.”
My chest tightened.
“Daniel…”
“If you’re my friend, stay away.”
Then he left.
I called Karen.
She answered immediately.
“He knows.”
“I know. Michael told him.”
“He asked me to stay away from you.”
Silence.
Then she said, “Will you?”
It was the hardest question she had ever asked me.
“I don’t know.”
Her breath caught.
“Okay.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“What do you mean?”
“He’s my best friend.”
“And I’m his mother.”
“Yes.”
“You think I don’t know that?”
“I think we underestimated what this would do to him.”
Karen was quiet.
Then she said something I didn’t expect.
“Then stay away.”
My throat tightened.
“What?”
“He needs you.”
“And you don’t?”
A pause.
“I’m learning not to need people who don’t choose me.”
The words hurt.
