Page 7 of Operation: Unify

“Oh, is this about dad’s affair?” He went silent for one breath before he plowed on. “I can see it is. Look, I don’t want to meet anyone. Dad showed his true colors when he cheated on Mom. It was pretty clear that you didn’t think so.”

“You knew?” How had he been the only one kept in the dark?

“Yeah. Mom told us before she left. That’s why we all left with her. Don’t tell me you didn’t know.” Paul’s voice suddenly sounded a lot less sure.

“I didn’t. I was still in high school when all of this happened. I came home and Mom was gone. Dad didn’t tell me anything. I only found out about three weeks ago.”

“You’re serious?”

“Completely.” Had his mother died thinking that he’d chosen Dad over her? He would’ve loved to have had a relationship with both of them.

“I’m sorry, man. We’ve always thought you sided with Dad. That you thought his sleeping around was okay.”

Connor swallowed hard and leaned his head against the back of his office chair. At least he’d chosen to close the door this time. This was a conversation no one else needed to hear. “I didn’t. I chose to stay because I was still in school, and I had no reason to doubt Dad. I don’t know if this changes anything at all, but it only happened once, and he was very sorry about it. He told me he knew it was wrong. Mom hadn’t loved him for a long time, but Gloria did. After a while, he wasn’t able to fight how he felt. That doesn’t make it right, though.”

“Why didn’t you reach out to us before now?” Accusation filled Paul’s tone.

“Because I tried calling Mom multiple times and she wouldn’t answer. She never returned my calls. I didn’t get the chance to say anything to her.” Connor scrubbed his hand down his face, hoping his life would be steady again soon. This rollercoaster of emotions was for the birds.

“I’m sorry, Connor. I didn’t realize. All three of us tried to make sure Mom still felt loved after she left. It’s odd. She never grieved the loss of Dad, but you . . .”

He couldn’t hear this. Not when he couldn’t change the past. “Then why didn’t she return my calls? She left me.” Abandoned him. That still hurt.

“I don’t know. Maybe she was worried you’d try to gloss things over about Dad? I can’t answer that.”

Connor swallowed hard and focused on what had to be said. He didn’t want to have any more conversations about Mom when they weren’t face-to-face. “Look, I called to tell you that Dad got shot about a week ago. He’s doing okay, but we’ve found someone to replace him in security here at Wayside. He is now married to Gloria . . . and his daughter is here too.”

“What did you just say?” Paul’s voice went quiet.

“We have a half-sister.”

“And what did you hope I would do with this information? Should I welcome her into the family? Should I pretend that all the awful things I saw happen to Mom never happened?”

“Keep in mind that Ferd had no choice in the matter. She is innocent in all this.” Connor realized he was coming her defense naturally.

“I suppose that’s true,” Paul grumbled.

“Look, I’m having a small Christmas get-together with Dad, Gloria, Ferd, and I hope all three of you. Bring your spouses. Youcan meet your sister. She is twenty, I think, and has a good head on her shoulders.”

“I don’t know that my wife will want to come. Things aren’t good between us. When are you planning this?” Connor heard him sigh.

“I’m sorry. Things aren’t great with me relationship-wise either. I’m divorced.”

“I’m probably headed that way without a miracle. Just so you know, Kevin and Hunter are in the same boat. Who knew that growing up in a house where our parents never talked would make us into horrible spouses?” He laughed without any humor. “At least we tried.”

“Yeah,” Connor muttered. Had he tried? Or had he simply given up before Lacy had a chance to hurt him? Every day she’d stayed after the divorce had surprised him. When she’d stayed at his side through all the infections after he was shot, he was shocked. She didn’t have to do that.

But she had.

“I was thinking Christmas Day. Since most everyone does their holiday on Christmas Eve nowadays, that day is usually open.”

“Yeah, Paula’s family celebrates on Christmas Eve, so we’ll have that day free. You sure you want to do this?”

“I promised Ferd I would. If it would be easier for you to agree without Dad or Gloria there, I could try to do that, but I know Dad would like to see all of you. Do you have kids?”

Paul was silent and when he spoke again, there was a harshness to his voice that Connor couldn’t name. “No. Kevin has one and Hunter has one, but we have no kids.”

He wasn’t sure if he should say he was sorry or not. That seemed like a landmine, and he wasn’t ready to make this conversation any more stressful than it already was. “Come onover around two. We’ll sit and talk for a while, then have an early supper.”

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