Chapter 57 Rhonda's Refusal to Reason
Case waited to call his mom until he was sure he could have a rational conversation with her. She was bound to be upset about the entire situation, and he couldn’t blame her. Once again, he would be telling her she wasn’t going to be a grandmother.
Charlie was still asleep when Case stepped out onto the balcony early the morning after his conversation with Sarah and his dinner with Andrea. It was so odd how one woman made him feel so anxious and uneasy, and the other knew just how to put him at ease. Why couldn’t his mother see what a wonderful woman Andrea was?
Deciding he may as well go ahead and get it over with, he dialed his mom’s number. She picked up almost immediately.
“Case, honey, how are you? I’m so glad you called. How are things?”
“Well, Mom, I’ve actually got something important to tell you.”
“Oh, let me guess! You’ve decided to get back together with Sarah! Oh, Case, that makes me so happy! Every baby deserves to have two parents who love each other and do their best to get along. I really do think that’s for the best.”
“No, Mom. I’m sorry. That’s not it.” She sure did know how to impose her own feelings on someone else. “Mom, are you sitting down?”
“Why would you ask that? Case, you’re scaring me. What’s the matter?”
“Mom, I hate to tell you this, but Sarah’s not pregnant.”
“My God! Not again! She lost another baby. That poor precious soul!”
“No, Mom. Listen. She never was pregnant. Not this time or last time. She’s been lying to both of us for months. I took her to the doctor yesterday, and they confirmed she’s not pregnant.”
Rhonda was quiet for a very long time, so long, in fact, that he had to ask, “Mom… are you still there?”
“I’m still here.” Her voice was weak, like she was about to pass out. “Case, I just can’t imagine that’s true.”
“It is, Mom. The doctor called and said she did a pregnancy test on the blood sample Sarah gave her, the one she was supposed to do the paternity test on. Not only is she not pregnant, she hasn’t been pregnant recently. When I confronted Sarah, she admitted she wasn’t pregnant last time either. Mom, there’s something wrong with a woman who would act that way. It isn’t right.”
“Honey, she must’ve been confused. I can’t imagine sweet Sarah would lie about something like this. I bet Andrea had something to do with it.”
“Andrea? Mom, How could she possibly….”
“I don’t know, but that Andrea Sparks is underhanded. You can’t trust her, son.”
“Mom, Andrea had nothing to do with it. This was just Sarah trying to force me to be with her. That’s what it was the first time, too.”
“And what’s wrong with that? She clearly loves you very much.”
“Not in a healthy way, Mom! And I don’t love her. I’m sorry. I know how badly you want grandbabies. It’s just not meant to be right now.”
“Well, I feel just terrible for poor Sarah. Losing another child….”
“That’s not what happened.”
“I think I’ll call her right now and let her know I’m thinking of her.”
“Mom! Are you serious?”
“Thank you for letting me know, dear, I’ll talk to you later.”
She clicked off, and Case was left staring at his phone. “What just happened?” he asked aloud. How could his own mother think the woman who’d lied to him twice about being pregnant was a poor, sweet soul?”
“You all right there, champ? You’re staring at that phone like you think it’s gonna talk to you without you pushin’ none of the buttons.”
“Hey, Charlie. Yeah. I’m okay. I’m not sure my mom is, though.”
“She didn’t take the news about the baby very well, huh?”
“I guess not. She feels terrible for Sarah.”
“For Sarah?” he repeated. “The girl who was fake pregnant twice, tryin’ to get you to make her yer woman?”
“That would be the one.”
“Huh…. You are surrounded by some strange women, boy. ‘Cept that Andrea. Now, I like her. She got a sister?”
Case laughed. “She does, but I’m afraid she’s not too much like Andrea.”
“That’s okay. If she’s anything like Andrea, I’d like to meet her.”
“Come on—let’s go see the sights. Hopefully, the craziness is all done for the day.” Case stood and clapped Charlie’s back, ready to get on with something a lot more fun than talking to his mom about Sarah.
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