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“Oh yeah?” He smirks. “And what does Jamie say?”

“Jamie hasn’t told me anything. But she never does. So don’t take it personally.” Mom crosses her arms over her chest as she studies Axel more closely. “Where are you from, Axel?”

“Mom,” I say, trying to stop the interrogation.

“Relax, Jamie. I’m just trying to get to know your new friend.”

“Boyfriend,” I state.

Her mouth falls open. “Oh. Well. You don’t waste any time, do you?”

“I’m Canadian born,” Axel interjects. “But my parents emigrated from Lebanon. My mom is Jordanian though.”

Mom nods her head slowly. “Thought you looked Middle Eastern.”

“Jamie tells me you’re Palestinian.”

Mom clears her throat. “Parents are, yeah.”

“Then that means you are as well,” he says.

“I know what I am.” There’s an edge to Mom’s voice. No, it’s more than that. She’s being straight-up rude. My pulse races, wanting to defend Axel, but for what? Being proud of where he comes from?

Axel shifts from foot to foot, like he’s a puppy who’s been berated.

“Amo told Axel to meet him here,” I say, but what I really want to do is grab Axel’s face and kiss him right in front of my mother just to spite her.

“He’s out getting drinks for the weekend.” She studies the hair dye stains on her smock, as silence lingers in the air between the three of us. “We’re having Eric, Lucy, and Jared over tomorrow,” she blurts.

“Excuse me,” I say, trying to process this latest bomb. “You’re inviting my ex-boyfriend’s parents to our house?”

“Your uncle’s house, and they’re our friends. Just because you and Ben are no longer together doesn’t mean we have to cut off our relationship with Lucy and Jared.”

“Uh, I think it does. He dumped me. For another girl. A girl he met over the summer. So he probably cheated on me. And let’s not pretend we don’t know who’s to blame for that.”

Axel clears his throat, his eyes begging me to stop, but I am so mad. At my mom. At Ben. At my mom.

“You can’t possibly think any of this is because of me,” Mom says, all big doe eyes. Like she’s played no role in the destruction of my life.

“If I’d gotten to work at the camp, like I’d wanted to, none of this would be happening.”

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Jamie, but this is not my fault. It’s not your fault. It’s not even Ben’s fault. Your relationship just ran its course. It happens.”

My mouth opens to speak but no words come out. A relationship doesn’t just “run its course” when one person leaves the other for someone else. Why can’t she understand that? There’s no point in even trying with her. She doesn’t get it. She never has. Instead, I shake my head and race up the steps to my bedroom. Axel follows and I slam the door once he’s inside.

“Do you believe her? She never takes responsibility for anything. She got knocked up and it was my dad’s fault. Her crappy relationship with her parents, their fault. Dad leaving us, my fault.”

“She doesn’t think that.” Axel approaches so we’re nearly nose to nose. His close proximity stops me from pacing.

“Really? You’re taking her side?”

“I’m not taking sides. Relationships are complicated, but divorces are almost never about the kids. Your mom doesn’t blame you for your dad leaving.”

“And what about the way she treated you?” I ask. “Rude!”

“It’s fine. She has her own baggage. You don’t have to let it be yours. Do I need to remind you that we’re pretending to be together? Bringing up how much Ben hurt you isn’t going to sell her on our relationship. And,” he says, before exhaling, “it’s a good thing that the lines of communication are still open between your mom and Ben’s parents.”

“How is that a good thing?”