Page 77 of It's Complicated

“You’ve put time, energy, and resources into me?” I burst out, unable to keep it in any longer. “Is that what you call ignoring me for twenty-five years and trying to micromanage my life while having absolutely nothing to do with me and barely acknowledging that I exist?”

“Isaac—”

“I’ll give you resources,” I cut my dad off. “You were great at throwing money at me or my problems to make us go away, but time? Energy? Not even close.”

“This is exactly what I’m talking about.” Dad’s tone was bitter. “You’re as ungrateful as your mother, and about as useful as her too.”

“Gee, Dad, tell me how you really feel.”

“I was hoping you’d finally get your life together and stop wasting your time, but that’s obviously not going to happen,” hecontinued. “You’ve had twenty-five years of my full attention. Now it’s time I shift my focus elsewhere.”

“What are you saying? Are you cutting me off?”

“Not completely. You still have your trust fund, I can’t touch that, but we’ve decided it would be best if we spent the next few years focusing on our family while you either get your life together, or don’t. Your involvement with us and the new baby is up to you.”

I gaped at him.

“It’s not that we don’t want you around, it’s just we don’t think you’ll be the best influence right now,” Bri added.

I swung my gaze to her. Who the fuck was she to judge my life or what kind of influence I was?

“And it’s not just the baby we’re worried about. I don’t trust you around Bri,” my dad said.

“Excuse me?” I turned my attention to him. “What exactly are you implying?”

“She’s a beautiful woman, and you can’t be trusted around her. Not until you grow up.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“Language,” he admonished.

“I’ll watch my language when you tell me what the fuck you meant by that.” Was my own father calling me a predator? Did he seriously think I’d try to seduce the woman he was sleeping with? The very thought made me want to gag.

“You know exactly what I meant. You think with your dick, Isaac, and I will not allow you around my wife until you can prove that you will treat her with the respect she’s owed.”

“Ithink with my dick?” I let out a hysterical-sounding laugh, not caring that people around us were looking. “Where do you think I learned it from?”

“Isaac—”

“And you really think I want your sloppy seconds?” I interrupted, unable to stop now that the floodgates were open. “That I could ever be attracted to a woman who slept with myfather?”

She spluttered like I just told her a giant spider was crawling up her arm.

“In fact,” I barreled on. “I have news too. You don’t have to worry about me or my dick because I’m seeing someone.”

“You are?” Now Dad was the one gaping at me.

“Yes.” My brain was yelling at my mouth to shut the fuck up, but I was past the point of no return. “But I’m guessing that means nothing and I’m still banned from my own family for being a bad influence, right?”

“Who are you seeing? Why didn’t you mention her earlier?” Dad demanded.

“When was I supposed to shoehorn that into our conversation?” I asked my dad sweetly. “Before or after you tell me you’re getting married to a woman I’ve never met and didn’t know existed until fifteen minutes ago. Or was it when I found out that my newstepmotheris two years younger than me? Or perhaps I was supposed to say something while you were calling me a predator and kicking me out of my own family because you’re scared I’m going to fuck your new wife?”

“Isaac—”

“Joke’s on you, Dad. I’m not interested in your future wife, or any woman. I’m dating a man.”

His eyes bugged out comically, and his mouth fell open. I couldn’t remember the last time my dad was shocked into silence.

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