Page 138 of Family Bonds- Kelsey & Van

“I’m not that stupid,” she said. “I drove by and saw a rental here and then came back and now it’s gone. Are you going to tell me you didn’t talk to him?”

“No,” he said.

“Will you tell me what was said?” He relayed it all to her. “What a dick,” she said.

“That’s a much milder word than I’d use,” he said. “But there you go. Money and greed and manipulation. Then has the nerve to say he wants part of it for some other kid he’s going to mess up in the head.”

“You’re not messed up in the head, Van,” she said. “Don’t think that.”

“Hard not to,” he said.

“I’m not going to argue with you. You’re going to have to come to terms on your own with that.”

“Just like everything else in my life,” he said. “Is it true what he said about being called a whore? Does a woman think that way?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “I was pissed off about seeing the word and when you just told me about it I thought right away it had to be your father that did it.”

“No,” he said. “If he knew about you, he would have thrown that in my face too. He would have found a way to insult me that I was only with you for your money.”

She laughed. “Come on now. I know why you’re with me and it’s not because of the money.”

“Why is it?” he asked.

“Because I bring a light into your life during all the darkness,” she said seriously. He expected a joke and what he got was heartfelt words he needed more than he needed to breathe.

“You do,” he said, pulling her close. “Which is why I love you.”

“Ahh,” she said. “See, you’ve got good timing when you say the words.”

“Don’t make me wish I didn’t say that just now by picking on me,” he said.

“I’m sorry. It’s what I think you need in your life. Don’t people who love each other do those things?”

“They do,” he said. Not that he’d ever seen that with anyone in his life before.

After everything his father just said, his parents’ marriage was all about lies and control.

No one did anything for the other.

Which might not be true.

It seemed to him his mother was loyal and even tried to keep his father in the picture, which caused the rift to begin with.

And now those people were gone and it could never be repaired.

“I know it had to be hard talking to your father, but how do you feel right now?”

“I feel unsettled but in control. Sounds stupid.”

“No,” she said. “It doesn’t. You’re in control because now you know who the bad guy was all along. Barry admitted he was at fault and it seems your mother was too. Sorry if you don’t want to hear that.”

“I know it. Everyone has some blame here, but my father was the worst offender. To think he could come here now and try what he had was ridiculous.”

“Do you think he would have left the island telling you nothing if you didn’t call him today?”

“I do,” he said. “I’m starting to think that he had to swallow his pride to come here, and once he realized my attitude toward him never changed, he decided to play his head games. He wanted me to have the last memories of my mother in my head of being a whore. Or being stupid enough to fall for his bull shit.”

“Only you can keep those memories there, Van. Don’t let him win.”

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