Page 294 of The First Time
Right on cue, Trey walks into the room. "Fi-fi, sweetie, I have to go."
Meryl shoots Fiona aseelook.
Fiona frowns. "Can't you stay for dinner?"
He leans in to plant a kiss on her check. "I wish I could, but this is an emergency." He looks to Meryl. "Meryl—"
"Don’t bother." She shakes her head. "This is the example I set for you. Hell, at least you're leaving."
Somehow, this doesn't hurt Trey.
He looks to Fiona and whispers something. She narrows her eyes and furrows her brow.
Trey stands and takes a step towards the door. "I'm sorry, Meryl. I'll see you next week."
Meryl clears her throat. "Have a safe drive."
Trey kisses Fiona goodbye and steps out of the room. Everyone is quiet until the door slams shut and a car outside turns on.
Fiona addresses Meryl. "He's trying to be supportive."
"He's an asshole."
"So was Dad."
Meryl lets out a heavy sigh. She stares at her wineglass like it holds all the secrets of the universe. "If you do this to Kat, I swear to God…" She looks at me. "Some family to marry into."
I swallow hard. "Blake is sweet."
Meryl makes eye contact with him but speaks to me. "This is what money gets you—the pursuit of more money."
"I'm not like Trey. And Kat isn't like Fiona," Blake says.
"Fuck you." Fiona folds her arms.
"Not everything is an insult," Blake says.
They exchange hostile looks. There's something knowing about it. Like there's no way for them to let anyone else in.
They seem to hate each other and love each other in equal measures.
Meryl's voice softens. She offers Fiona her hand. "You didn't know better, sweetie. You were just a kid."
Fiona pulls her hand into her lap. "I was nineteen."
"Exactly. You're better off without him," Meryl says.
"With nothing," Fiona says.
Meryl looks to Fiona. To Blake. Neither one of them is willing to challenge her. Something about her expression makes them stand down.
Meryl shakes her head. "What is with you two? Why is it always money? There's more to life than that."
Under the table, Blake squeezes my hand. He looks at me as if to askare you okay?
I nodyes. I'm okay enough.
The room goes quiet. It makes the air heavy. I guess Blake and Fiona agree that everything is about money.
