I fucking knew it.

That was exactly why the second my mom brought out the photo albums, I knew it was going to be a bad idea. It was like witnessing a train wreck. It was written all over her beautiful face the second Julia’s pictures started showing up. She tried to play it off, but she couldn’t hide from me; I wanted so badly to jump over the table and stop it before it happened. I witnessed it in slow motion as Olivia came into the pictures; she looked like she had seen a ghost. I wanted nothing more than to jump over the table and rescue my damsel in distress; instead, I watched her eyes water and then she abruptly excused herself from the table.

I couldn’t blame my mom, it wasn’t her fault–she was just trying to include Ysabelle in my life. It didn’t come from a bad place. She was proud of me, she always had been. She wanted to show off her only child, like any mother would want to do.

“Honey, I’m so sorry; I completely forgot,” she sympathized.

“It’s all right. I know that.”

“I feel awful. What should I do?”

I placed my hand on her shoulder. “I got it, Mom. I’ll be right back.”

I knocked on the bathroom door.

“Just a minute,” she announced.

“Ysa, it’s me.”

“Okay…just give me a minute; there’s something in my eye.”

Bullshit.

“Let me see, I can help.”

“No, I’m fine. I’ll be out in a few,” she choked out like she was crying.

“Please let me in.”

I silently prayed she would and I waited for what felt like an eternity for the door to be unlocked and opened. She leaned on the doorframe with her head tilted on it. Her face was flushed and her eyes glossy.

She looked shattered and my heart broke a little more.

“Hi,” she murmured.

I sighed. “Tell me. Talk to me.”

She shrugged.

She was closed off again; the walls were back up. I wouldn’t get anything out of her. She wouldn’t allow it.

I leaned in, kissed her forehead, and said the only thing I knew to be true. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” she whispered.

We walked out onto the porch hand-in-hand. She downed her entire glass of wine in one gulp and poured herself another. I proceeded to talk to my parents about our plans for the future and she never let go of my hand. However, she wasn’t there anymore; she had checked out on me. My parents were extremely supportive, just as I knew they would be. They made me promise that I would visit often and I informed them that they were welcomed anytime. We didn’t discuss any of the details other than it’s where I belonged.

Ysabelle nodded and smiled when it was appropriate. From an outsider looking in, she would have appeared happy and content; it couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The neighbors began to arrive. I recognized most of them. I introduced Ysabelle to everyone and everybody doted over her. She played her part perfectly. It was then I finally understood how she could have been a VIP. She did what was expected of her; it was like she turned on an internal switch that made her seamlessly flawless. I was captivated by how effortlessly easy it was for her to hide everything she was feeling. She was stronger than anyone I had ever known, including me.

This woman was an enigma, a paradox of everything that I loved and hated all at the same time.

“Dad!” Christian shouted, taking me out of my daze.

“Buddy!” I replied, catching him in my arms.

“I’ve missed you so much, Dad.”

“Me too, bud, me too.” I held him tighter, breathing in the son that I adored.

“Hey, bud, I want to introduce you to someone,” I stated, standing up and grabbing Ysabelle around the waist.

She smiled.

“Christian, this is Ysabe–”

“I know who she is, Dad; Mom told me she’s your girlfriend,” he declared, taking both of us by surprise.

I looked over at Ysabelle whose eyes had widened and then back at Christian.

“That’s right.” She kneeled down to his level. “Hi, Christian, I’ve actually met you before. You’ve gotten so big I hardly recognized you.”

He smiled. “I know, my baseball coach says I’m going to be just as big as my dad,” he boasted.

She laughed. “I bet just as handsome, too. Got any girlfriends?”

He shrugged. “I got a few.”

We all laughed at that. That went smoother than I would have anticipated.

I caught Julia from the corner of my eye. She was dressed in a long skirt with a tank top; her hair was pulled up in a tight bun. She looked exactly as I remembered her, always impeccably put together. There was a man standing next to her that had his hand around her waist. He looked about my age, but my complete opposite with tan skin, dark hair and eyes. She quickly caught my gaze and smiled, making her way over to me while holding his hand.

“Sebby,” she greeted. “It’s so good to see you.” She pulled me into a tight hug and I returned it.

She pulled away and looked right over to Ysabelle. I could feel her apprehension and Ysabelle’s nervousness.

“Ysabelle, it’s nice to see you again,” she said, extending her right hand.

Ysabelle nodded. “It’s nice to see you, too,” she addressed, shaking her hand.

There was an awkward pause as Julia took Ysabelle in and as soon as it appeared, it was gone.

Julia, always the lawyer.

“I’d like you both to meet, Anthony, Anthony this is Christian’s father, Sebastian, and that’s his girlfriend, Ysabelle.”