Page 59 of The Cottage on Pelican Bay

“Yes, I’d love a slice.”

It wasn’t long before he had poured them both cups of coffee and then, after placing slices of cake on the table, he sat across from her. After saying grace, he asked, “So, what’s wrong with your daughter that has you all upset, Margie?”

She wondered if anyone ever told Levi that he had such a gentle, calming voice. She took a sip of coffee and then remembered her conversation with Bellamy and how what her daughter had said still pained her.

Taking a deep breath, she met Levi’s gaze and said, “A few nights ago my daughter told me that her husband has asked her for a divorce.”

Levi didn’t say anything for a minute and Margie felt he was giving himself time to digest her words. Then he said, “I’m really sorry to hear that. Have they been married long?”

“Five years. They got married two years before Ron passed away. It was a beautiful wedding and the two of them were so happy then.”

Levi sipped his coffee. Then he asked, “And he asked her for a divorce?”

“Yes,” Margie said, remembering everything Bellamy had told her. “It seems he’s been having an affair for the past eight months with a woman at work. They are both married and decided they want to be together. She is divorcing her husband and...”

“He is divorcing your daughter,” Levi finished for her when Margie found it difficult to get the words out.

“Yes,” Margie said, fighting back tears. “I just don’t understand it, Levi. Ron and I felt our son and daughter had struck gold when they selected the people they had fallen in love with. The people they wanted to spend their lives with.”

Levi said, “Unfortunately, divorces are pretty common these days.”

“So is infidelity, obviously,” Margie said, trying not to sound bitter. She had tried to call Sam for the past two days and he wasn’t taking her calls. According to Bellamy, he had moved out of their home two months ago.

“I am very upset with my daughter right now,” she said.

Levi raised a brow. “Why?”

“Because all this was going on right before I moved back here. She was caught unawares, didn’t have a clue. But she didn’t tell me, Levi. She said she didn’t because she knew her grandfather needed me, and if she’d told me, I would have changed my plans to move back to Catalina Cove.”

“Would you have?”

Margie shrugged. “Probably, but that’s beside the point. I had no idea what she was going through. My son and his wife knew but neither of them told me anything because Bellamy asked them not to. I’m upset with them as well.” She paused a minute. “I know they’re adults but still, they are my children, Levi. They are all I have left from Ron, and I want them happy.”

“No one can assure happiness, Margie,” he said in that calm voice. “We can want it, but things happen in life we have no control over. The way I see it, for him to disrespect her the way he did, and for the other woman to disrespect her husband the same way, is downright despicable and they deserve each other. Your daughter is better off without him.”

“I know, and that’s the same thing she said, but still. I know how hard this must be for her. How much she is hurting.”

“Then be there for her when she needs you. But the one thing we can’t do is fight their battles for them.”

“I know. I just wish that we could.” She swiped at her tears, hating that he was seeing her now, at this wretched moment. “I guess you think I’m going overboard with this.”

“No, I don’t think that at all.” He paused. “Had she lived, my daughter, Dasha, would have been thirty-one this year. I’d want to think that had she come to me and told me what your daughter told you, my first instinct as a father would be to find the guy and beat the hell out of him for hurting my child. But I want to think the ex-cop in me would have given me more control of my temper. However, nothing can downplay a parent’s love, care and concern for their offspring. No matter how old they are.”

She released a deep sigh. “Thank you for saying that.”

“You are welcome, but you really don’t have to thank me.”

A part of Margie felt like she did because he’d seen how upset she was and invited her to his home for cake and coffee to talk about it. It was nice having someone to talk to. This was the type of conversation she definitely couldn’t have with her father because he’d be disappointed as well. He’d liked Sam, too.

“How could all of us have misjudged Sam’s character? He betrayed Bellamy for eight months. Eight months, Levi. A woman he’d vowed to love, honor and protect. And hadn’t that other woman vowed the same thing to her husband when they got married? Well, at least there weren’t any children involved. And to think, it was just last year when Bellamy and Sam had talked about starting a family.”

She appreciated Levi for not saying anything as she went on her angry tirade. She saw the understanding in his eyes and, for her, that was enough. She drew in a deep breath. Now that she had gotten all of it out, she felt better and honestly wanted to change the subject. So she then told him about the knitting group she had joined.

“You knit?” he asked.

“I used to years ago. Mom taught me. I wanted to start doing it again since I have a lot of time on my hands. I figure if I get back into it now, I can have a few items knit for my family by Christmas. I will definitely be marking Sam off my Christmas list,” she said with a huff.

Levi grinned. “And I don’t blame you one bit for doing so.”

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