“I guess that’s it. I’m packed.” Kim closed the small suitcase and zipped it up. “Not that I need a lot. Just comfortable clothes, toiletries, and pajamas, that’s what it says. No makeup, no food or drink.” She gave a wry smile at the last one.
Zoe was with her friends for the day. One of their moms had offered to take them all to the waterpark. Van had jumped at the offer – so much better to keep her sister occupied than have her worrying about their mom.
“What time are you getting picked up?” Van asked Kim. She was biting down the urge to offer to drive her mom. Another thing she needed to get used to. This wasn’t her problem. Even if it felt completely wrong to be standing here watching life carry on around her.
“In an hour. I’ve left the directions on the refrigerator. In case you and Zoe want to come see me next weekend.”
“We’ll come.” Van nodded. “Zoe would kill me if we didn’t.” There was a family session planned, including a discussion about Kim’s next steps. “Let me know if you need me to bring anything.”
“I will.”
An hour later and the house was empty save for Van and her thoughts. Of course they were full of Tanner. Of the way he’d stared at her last night as he played music from his speakers. This was the first bit of quiet she had to process what had happened. She needed to decide how the hell to clear up the mess she’d made.
There was a bang on the door. Her heart immediately leapt. Was it him? Shaking her head at her stupid damn excitement, she walked down the hallway and opened the door to the last man she’d expected to see standing on the porch.
“Johnny?”
There was no way she was calling him Dad. Not least because it sounded kind of creepy.
He shuffled his feet, looking over his shoulder like he was worried he was being watched. “Can I come in?” he asked.
“What for?”
“Because I think we need to talk. And your neighbors are all staring out of their windows right now.”
Maybe fear of gossip was genetic. “Okay. Come in.” She pushed the door wider and he stepped inside.
“Is Kim home?”
“Nope. Just me.”
He nodded, threading his fingers together. “That’s good.”
She led him to the small living room and pointed at the recliner by the window. “Please sit. Can I get you a drink?” She tried to be civil, even though it was hard to hide the hostility she felt toward him.
“Um, no thank you.” He did as he was told, glancing out of the window again. “This shouldn’t take long.”
She bit down a desire to laugh. This was so absurd and nothing like she thought it would be. Not that she’d spent a lot of time dreaming about ever meeting her father. But in the movies there was always a lot more hugs and tears.
Maybe she should be glad that Johnny wasn’t a touchy feely kind of guy. There was no way she wanted him hugging her.
“Okay then. Shoot.” She nodded at him.
He cleared his throat. “Um… well… after everything that happened at the drive-in, I wanted to make sure that you’re, um, okay.”
She swallowed. “I’m fine.”
“Nora thinks we should take a DNA test. Just to see if you’re really my daughter.” He looked up at her expectantly. “Would you be willing to do that?”
Van looked at him for a moment. At this big man in town who thought he was all that. She could imagine him all those years ago, thinking he was the king of the castle, sleeping with two women, getting them both pregnant. And now he looked chastened. Embarassed. Under the thumb of a woman he’d wronged.
“No,” she told him. “I wouldn’t be willing to do that.”
“Can I ask why?” He lifted his head up, his eyes wide.
Yeah, he could ask. Didn’t mean she owed him an answer. She looked at him with tired eyes, wondering why this all felt so damn awkward.
“Because it wouldn’t make a difference. You weren’t a father to me when I needed one. And now that I know you are, it doesn’t matter. You’re too late.”
He blinked, his gaze dropping to his legs. “You’re right. I wasn’t there.” Another cough. Still not meeting her eye, he took a pen out of his suit pocket, then a small black book that looked suspiciously like a checkbook.
He wasn’t going to try to buy her off, was he? Her mouth was dry as he opened the flap, then twisted his expensive-looking pen until the nib came through. He meticulously wrote, then tore out the check and held it to her.
“What’s that?” She made no move to take it.
“Ten thousand dollars. Something close to what I owe in child support.” He pushed the check toward her. “Take it. It’s yours.”
She stared at the piece of paper. At his elegant handwriting. At her name written in loops and swirls along the top line. Ten thousand dollars. It made her feel sick to look at.
“I don’t want your money,” she told him, her voice low. “I don’t want anything from you.”
“But Nora’s worried you’ll come for it after I’m gone. I want to settle it now. Make sure she and Chrissie are looked after.” His tone was desperate.
Van’s jaw tightened. “You’re a piece of work, you know that? Why would I come after your money? I don’t want anything to do with you. Not any of you. Once upon a time you might have made my life more liveable.” She stood, unable to sit civilly and listen to him anymore. “I know you saw me, running around town on my own when I should have been taken care of at home. And I know you know mom was depressed or drunk or both most of the time. I needed you then.” She shook her head. “I needed someone. Even if you offered me a million dollars it wouldn’t make up for that.”
His mouth dropped open. “A million…”
Van shook her head. “Don’t worry. I don’t want a dime off you. You can tell Nora and Chrissie that your money’s safe. And if you want me to sign something stating I have no claim on it, then send it to me. I’ll sign anything to get you all out of my life.”
“If you’re going to be like that about it then I should go.” He stood, sliding his pen and checkbook back into his pocket. “You’re ungrateful. Like your mom. I gave her a job, a home, and she only wanted more. Nora’s right, you’re both poison.” He pushed his chest out, his eyes narrowing as he looked at her.
“That might be the nicest thing anybody’s ever said to me.” She walked to the living room entrance, and pointed to the hallway. He walked past her, his shoulders back, his head high. “I’d rather be like my mom than you. Or any of your family.”
He pulled the front door open, then turned to look at her. “Yes, well. I’ll ask my lawyer to send you a contract.”
She was sure he would. Stupid thing was, she’d sign it, too. Because her pride was worth so much more than this excuse of a father in front of her.
He huffed and stepped outside. That’s when Van saw the passenger sitting in his car, with her hair perfectly coiffed as she lifted her nose and glanced at Van on the doorstep.
A wave of fury washed over her. Van pushed past Johnny and almost ran down the steps. Alarm widened in Nora’s eyes as Van reached for the passenger door.