"Thanks for making my mom happy," I replied, keeping distance between us.
"I plan to make everyone happy," he said. His thumb traced a small circle on my back.
I excused myself and spent the rest of the night avoiding him.
After the honeymoon, they moved into his house. My childhood home was sold. Mom insisted I stay with them until I found my own place.
"Marcus has plenty of room," she said. "He wants you there. He told me himself."
I bet he did.
The first month was fine. He was polite, distant even. I started to think I had imagined everything. Maybe I was the problem. Maybe I was projecting something that wasn't there.
Then Mom started working late.