Free The Sweet Spot by Ariel Ellman Page A

looking up from her plate.
    “Okay,” Jordan replied, rubbing her hand softly with his fingers.
    “How come you never told me I was named after a frie nd of mommy’s?” Raffi interrupted as she suddenly appeared in the doorway of the kitchen.
    “What are you talking about?” Jordan asked, looking puzzled as his daughter walked over to the cookie jar to take another cookie.
    “Mommy’s friend Sebastian said that I was named after his little brother who was a very special person,” Raffi said with a frown. “He said that mommy should have told me.” Raffi looked at Ani accusingly.
    “What else did mommy’s friend Sebastian tell you?” Jordan asked calmly as he raised his wine glass to his lips and stared across the table at Ani.
    “Raffi,” Ani began, lowering her head into her hands.
    “He said that maybe the reason that mommy wouldn’t make me a lemon cake for my birthday was because lemons make her sad and that I make her happy,” Raffi whispered, suddenly sensing the change in the air between her parents.
    “Did he say why lemons make her sad?” Jordan asked his daughter, taking a large gulp of wine.
    “Because she used to make lemo n bars for him,” Raffi explained, her eyes widening as her mother’s shoulders began to shake and she started to cry. “I’m sorry I talked about the lemon bars again mommy,” Raffi whispered, walking over to Ani and putting her arms around her. “I didn’t mean to make you sad.”
    “Raffi, go finish watching TV,” Jordan told his daughter quietly.
    “But I don’t want to,” Raffi complained, hugging her mother tighter.
    “It’s okay Raffi, daddy’s right, go finish watching TV and we’ll talk about all of this later, okay?” Ani choked, returning her daughter’s hug and pushing her away.
    “You named our daughter after someone and didn’t even tell me?” Jordan said qui etly after Raffi left the room. “Jesus Ani, you cried last night about not wanting to hurt Raffi, and yet you place her at the heart of everything by naming her after someone that you can’t even talk about, someone who you’ve never even told me existed!” Jordan exploded. “That’s why you cried your heart out when you filled out her birth certificate isn’t it? That’s why you wear the St. Raphael medal? God Ani, I’m so fucking tired of your secrets!” Jordan exhaled, running his fingers through his thick dark hair that was just starting to show signs of a distinguished grey.
    “I’m sorry,” Ani whispered, raising haunted eyes up to meet her husband’s angry gaze.
    “I’m so fucking angry at you right now,” Jordan whispered, his voice filling with emotion. “And then you look at me with those eyes, those deep ocean blue eyes filled with secrets and pain and I just want to hold you and kiss all of your sadness away.” His eyes glistened with unshed tears as he stared at Ani across the kitchen island.
    “I think I should move out,” Ani choked in reply.
    “Why?” Jordan asked hoarsely. “After all these years of secrets will you at l east tell me why?”
    “I don’t know how to f ix this,” Ani whispered helplessly, staring at her husband with her heart in her eyes. “There’s no way to fix this.”
    “ Just talk to me Ani,” Jordan pleaded, walking over to Ani and slipping his arms around her shaking shoulders. “For once in your life, just fucking talk to me.”
    “It’s so complicated Jordan, I just don’t know how to begin,” Ani confessed, leaning her head against her husband’s chest sadly. “I’m going to take Raffi and stay at Sawyer’s tonight. I need some time to figure everything out,” she whispered, pulling away and rising up.
    Jordan was silent as he watched his wife walk out of the kitchen and go into the den to get their daughter.
    When Ani appeared on her sister’s doorstep a half hour later, Sawyer took in her overnight bag without a word, holding the door open for Ani and Raffi.
    “Should we go read Pippi