Page 66 of Decoded
“Standing up for her, how? Against Daniel? He’s known her since she was born and would never hurt her.”
“But he has,” Keaton and I answer in unison.
“The day he showed up to my office, he called Anna some of the cruelest names and then slapped her,” Keaton explains.
My dad’s eyebrows furrow in confusion and I can hear my mom gasp from somewhere in the room.
“What did you say to him to make him react that way?” My dad turns to me, his arms crossed and chest puffed believing I’m the problem. Just like always.
My voice cracks as I let the truth spill from my lips. “I didn’t do anything, Dad. Daniel has been harassing me for almost the entire time I’ve worked for him. And on my last day at work, he called me into his office, and, Dad,” I force myself to say the words that don’t want to come out, “he touched me.”
Sobs sound from somewhere in the room, and I reach my hand up to my cheeks, surprised to find no tears. I turn and look at my mom, her beautiful face streaked. “Oh, honey. Why didn’t you tell us?”
“Because it’s not true,” my father barks. “I’ve known Daniel for over thirty years. He wouldn’t do that. Especially not to my daughter. You can’t just make accusations like this, Anna Laura. You can’t try to ruin someone’s life in retaliation for letting your big married secret slip.”
“She’s telling you the truth, sir,” Keaton says strongly, tightening his grip on my hand.
“What do either one of you know about the truth? This man,” my dad points to Keaton, “is causing you to be erratic. He’s the reason you left home in the first place. Left a good job with Daniel. He’s the reason you’re making these false accusationsagainst a man I’ve known and called my best friend for decades. And this man isn’t welcome in my house.”
“Dad, if he goes, then I go,” I say, attempting to stand my ground.
But my dad’s words cut me like a knife. “Then so be it.”
He chose Daniel. He chose his friend over his daughter. He chose not to believe me.
“No.” My mother’s firm voice shocks me out of my emotional spiral.
“What did you say, Kara?” My dad’s icy tone is directed in her direction, but she’s been married to him long enough to not care.
“She and Keaton are not going anywhere.”
“You can’t tell me you believe this?”
“I believe our daughter, Craig.” My mother walks over and wraps me in her embrace. She whispers in my ear, “I believe you, honey. I love you. I’m proud of you. And I’m so sorry that the son of a bitch hurt you. I’m so sorry I didn’t step in when I saw what was happening that night at dinner.”
“I oughta drive you all over to Waverly Hills and see if they’re still accepting patients. The lot of you are crazy if you think for one second that man hurt Anna.”
“And you’re crazy if you choose him over her,” my mom jabs in his direction. “She’s our baby girl, Craig. She’s telling you something painful, hoping you can help. And you’re pushing her away.”
I don’t know if it’s the pain from my dad’s rejection or the strength of my mom’s support, but my tears are falling freely now. My voice comes out in sobs, “I’m so sorry, Dad. I never meant to be your greatest disappointment.”
His face drains of color.
“My entire life I’ve never been good enough for you. I just needed to lose a few pounds. Or make better grades. Or I n,eded to get my head on straight and get a degree in something morepractical. I needed to make more money. I needed to work where you wanted. I needed to marry someone you chose,” I swallow, “I’ve only ever wanted to make you proud, but I guess I’ll take being your disappointment if it allows me to finally be me. Amethat is completely loved by a man for the first time in my life”
My dad staggers back like he’s taken a bullet to the chest. “That’s what you think?”
I straighten, my mom and my husband standing tall beside me. “Anna Laura, you have never been a disappointment. I know I’ve said I’ve been disappointed with some of your choices, but you, you are the most important thing in my life. And I’m so sorry you ever doubted that.”
“Then why can’t you believe me?”
He plops down on the tawny brown leather chair beside him, his eyes scanning the floor. After several moments his voice comes out with barely a whisper. “He really did it, didn’t he?”
My mom goes over to kneel in front of him. “He really did it. And we’re not going to let him get away with it.”
My dad nods, “So, what do we do?”
Chapter forty-four
