Total Control Read Online Free PDF Page A

that’s all right.”
    “Absolutely! We can’t wait ,” Mom said. “But Gia, keep in mind while you’re gone, you need this treatment for you, not for anyone else.”
    “I know , Mom. It was my decision to go.” I looked down at my hands. “I ran into Lex and his ‘daughter’ this morning. He told me that he and his wife are expecting. I felt so many different emotions, I thought I might have a total breakdown. I knew right then that I had to take this trip no matter how extreme it sounded to me earlier. How could he just tell me that like it was the happiest day of his life? How could he be so oblivious to the way it would make me feel?” I started crying. “How does he make me feel so worthless?” The tears were flowing fast and I was suddenly in the arms of my parents.
    “We hope and pray that you get answers to all of those questions in California ,” Dad said. “We all know how Lex has made you feel about yourself, and believe me, your mom has stopped me countless times from hunting him down like a wild animal and putting a bull—”
    “Ron!” Mom nudged him and gave him ‘the look .’
    “Sorry, well , we all know what kind of person you really are. People like Lex, they don’t think of anyone except themselves, Gia. You weren’t brought up that way, so it’s inconceivable to you, and to us, that one human being could treat another in such a manner. And the fact that this was a husband treating his wife like this, well, it was the hardest thing for us to witness as your parents.” He had tears in his eyes and I was proud of him for finally saying what was in his heart. I knew there were so many times they’d held their tongues when it came to Lex because they were trying to be supportive of me and my mission to make it work. That must’ve been so frustrating for them. Since the divorce I hadn’t wanted to discuss it. I pushed it all down deep, thinking it would disappear. But now I knew that wasn’t going to happen. I have to face it now, and with the support I have, I can get past it.
    “I love you guys.” I hugged each of them. “No more tears!” I gave them a scolding look. They were amused by my attempt at being stern.
    “Can you stay for dinner? We could call Lill and Pete and have our family dinner , since you’re gonna be gone for a while!” Mom sounded so excited I couldn’t say no. “You could call Ethan and see if he could come, too!” That excited her even more. It made me smile and I got butterflies again. He’d probably just gotten back home. I didn’t want him to turn around and come all the way back just for dinner with my family.
    “I don’t know about Ethan ,” I said.
    “Whatever you want , Gia, but we’d love to meet him, and from the look on your face when you talk about him, I think you’d love to have him here.” She winked at me. “But it’s up to you.” She was so good at getting what she wanted.
    “I’m gonna run and get a couple of things done before dinner then ,” I told them. “I’ll see you in a couple of hours. if Ethan comes, it’ll be a little longer, okay?”
    “Okay, love ya ,” Dad said and watched as I drove off.
     
    ***
     
    “Hey, Hotness!” Ethan said when he answered on the first ring.
    I smiled . “I know it’s short notice, and you probably just got home, so feel free to decline, but do you have dinner plans?”
    He laughed, “Decline dinner with you? I don’t think so . When and where?”
    “You’re so easy ,” I teased him. “Haven’t you ever heard that playing hard to get is really sexy?”
    “Really? Okay, let’s try again.” And he hung up!
    “Hello?” He said very seriously when he answered on the fourth ring.
    “Forget dinner ,” I told him. “Just come make love to me all night.”
    “Shit, you’re right! Playing hard to get is g ood stuff!” I giggled.
    “Seriously, would you like to have dinner with my family tonight? We just planned it or I would’ve asked you sooner. My folks are