Page 83 of Obsession

Now, looking back, I wondered if they knew more about my mother than I did. I could not understand why they loathed her and tried to destroy their relationship, but at the same time I would never have believed my mother capable of what she had done a year ago.

Still, I was sure of one thing: she hadn’t married my father for money. With or without honey, they weren’t rich.

My dad snapped me out of my thoughts when he threw a piece of cheese at me. I flinched when I saw it coming towards my face and caught it before it hit me.

“What are you frowning about?”

I shook my head and sipped my coffee.

“I’m trying to come to terms with the fact that we’re here, where your family is.”

“They’re your family too, Kath.”

A bitter smile carved my lips.

“Debatable.”

“Now that you mention it…” he stopped scrambling the eggs and looked at me a little uneasily. “Do you have any plans for today?”

I thought about it for a moment, then shook my head. My life was extremely interesting, my activities revolving around homework and the agony of resisting the urge to walk around town looking for drugs.

I drank almost all of my coffee in a few gulps; it helped with the dizziness.

“How about you come to the fair with me? I promised Josh I’d help with his stall, and I’m sure Iolanda needs help too.”

I wrinkled my nose.

“I’m not in the mood to set up cookies and jars of honey, Dad.”

He made a sad, funny face.

“Please.”

Puppy eyes. Unbelievable. I narrowed my eyes in his direction.

“What’s the ulterior motive?”

“I’m just getting you out of the house, so you don’t mope around here all day like a grounded kid.”

“I am a grounded kid; in case you have forgotten.”

He smiled.

“If you come with me, the punishment will disappear.”

Oh, now we’re talking.

“And I can do what I want after class? Without you calling me and stressing me out?”

“As long as you do your homework and stay on the cheerleading squad, yes, then you’re free.”

Even though I was sure he had another reason, I couldn’t turn down the offer. He was stressing me out with his intention to pick me up from school after class. He had been helpful on Wednesday, but I wanted to get rid of him.

“Fine, I’ll come, but don’t try to push me into their lives. Remember, I’m the child of the woman they never agreed with.”

He grew serious and fell silent for a few minutes as he poured the eggs into the pan.

“You know they loved you from the beginning. You’re the one who refused to have anything to do with them.”

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