“And now?”
“And now what?”
“The next steps. How long before you dance again?”
At this, my spine snaps straight, and I glare at him. “Are you fucking kidding me? You dare ask me that? You sneak in here and ask me when I’ll dance? How about fucking never! Your spiteful, malicious, and power hungry daughter took that away from me! My career on stage is over and I’ll be lucky if I can find work again.”
The last part is a bit of added drama.
He sags. “I did not know what she had planned. Please, give me a chance to explain. None of this was supposed to happen.”
I draw in a deep breath, hoping it cools my simmering anger. The last thing I need is another outburst fueled by emotions.
“It’s amazing you are standing there saying that with a straight face. Is there a secret course offered to politicians when they transition into office? Lying, Scheming, Conniving 101? What did you intend to happen when you walked away from your newly graduated daughter to follow your political aspirations? You threw me into the world with no support system and never looked back.”
“You were always a fighter. You proved that early in life.”
“I was a fighter because my sister turned into a manipulative raging bitch set to destroy anything that made me happy.”
“One of my biggest regrets is overlooking her stages.”
Is he serious?
“You refer to them as stages; I like to think of them as personal experiments to see how far she could push. Stripping me of financial security for college because she said my major was frivolous?”
“Your financial security was never in question. I regretted keeping that from you every day, seeing how hard you worked and the toll it was taking.”
“And yet you stood by and watched, saying nothing.”
“There’s a lot I need to explain. But right now, you have to know how proud I am. What you’ve done for yourself is incredible.”
“Proud? What I did is incredible? My sister fucked my boyfriend, my parents took her side seeing the potential of having the number one draft pick in their circle, and you showed up at my apartment with an ultimatum. A stranger told you I impeded your future. You and Karen set my ass swinging after I didn’t agree. Clue in, Marco. I had no choice but to survive. How’s that for building goddammed character?”
“I see your husband’s colorful language has worn off on you.”
“You know nothing about my husband.”
“Sunday night, I didn’t. Now, I’m pretty up to date on Evin Graham.”
This time, I suck in a deep breath for a different reason. The insinuation hangs in the air. “Don’t you dare do anything to jeopardize Evin’s life.”
He rocks back, pain and anguish crossing his features. “I have no intent to jeopardize anything. You have to realize the shock of meeting him. The man married my daughter, I have a right to know who he is.”
“Any rights you had to me and my life died on the doorstep the day you walked away.”
“I hope you will understand once I explain.”
Dammit, the torment in his voice strikes straight to my heart, and a sliver of compassion breaks into my cloud of anger. “What could you possibly need to explain that would make a difference?”
“Everything I’ve done was to protect you. Unfortunately, it took a confrontation with a stranger that is your husband to bring my mistakes into the light.”
“Mistakes? You think what happened is as simple as a mistake? Hell, this gets richer and richer. Can’t wait to hear what comes next, Governor. Why don’t you spice it up and paint yourself as a victim. Isn’t that what true politicians do, especially with a possible Presidential run?”
I know I’ve struck a nerve when the color drains from his face. “There is no more Presidential consideration. Truth is, there never was if it involved disrupting your life.”
It’s my turn to be shocked.
“The night Evin stormed our table, I faced a man that was ready to go to war over his love for you. Isaac stood next to him resembling the same young man that came to my house all those years ago, completely enamored with you. It was easy to see. Two men stood in front of me; one of them raging so hard the air was electric, the other man clearly holding a flame for the woman he unapologetically tossed away. Seeing him like that gave me a sense of satisfaction.”
“Why would that satisfy you?”
“Contrary to what you believe, I think the man is a bastard.”
I grow lightheaded at his confession and fight to keep standing. “But you took his side. Him and Tasha.”
“No, I didn’t. I waited it out, and when the opportunity arose, I took advantage of his guilt.”
“What does that even mean?”
This is too much. My brain races to catch up. As if he senses I need him, my phone dings with a text.
Evin—I will meet you in therapy. Don’t try to be a badass because I’m not there.
“I’m leaving your mother.” My head snaps up at his announcement.
“She stopped being my mother a long time ago.”
“She stopped being your mother around the same time she stopped being my wife.”
“I don’t even know how to respond to that. I’m not sure how deep you dug, but I never regretted my decisions. Until a few days ago, I was living my best life.”
“It fucking kills me I never saw you on the stage.”
“Well, you didn’t and now you’ll never have the chance. Your prized daughter took care of that,” I lash out, the anger coming back full force.
“I’ll never forgive myself for the man I became. You have always been a superstar in my eyes. I thought I had time.” His fist clenches, jaw ticks, and the veins in his neck bulge. “Eight goddamned years I lost with my baby girl. That is not the man I am, not the man I want to be, and not the man my parents raised.” His voice grows louder, barbed with a fury.
Searching my memory, I realize I’ve never seen or heard him this loaded with rage, contempt, and hatred. I also realize he’s stood here pleading his case without an apology for the last ten minutes.
Ten minutes I should have been headed to therapy and proving myself.
Years of self-preservation kick up a notch and I straighten. “Where’s my nurse? You may be dressed the part, but this place is pretty tight. They wouldn’t just let you in here.”
He stares at me blankly, telling me what I need to know. He arranged this. If he looked into everyone I love with his resources, then he knew I’d be alone.
“This was the only way I could—”
“You need to leave,” I cut him off snappily.
“I’m staying in town for a while and would like the chance to talk again.”
“Evin is going to tear this place apart when he finds out you were here. You should get out before he arrives.”
“He is exactly the man I’d want for you. And that’s why I’m staying.” He pulls out a card and walks over to me. “He doesn’t need to tear the place apart, because I’ll be waiting. This is all my personal information.”
He lays the card on the table, then stops his hand before it touches my shoulder. More sadness fills his expression. “Saying I’m sorry seems inadequate, but I am. Truly, honestly, and to the depths of my soul, I am sorry. The rest of my life isn’t long enough to prove that to you.”