Page 112 of Sharkbait
When I don’t say anything to refute his words, he lowers his voice and repeats softly, “It’s exactly what you said.”
Despite my best efforts, a single tear breaks free.
Silently, he watches the tear roll down my cheek. Then he traces its trail with his thumb.
I swallow and take in a breath.
I can barely hear my own voice when I say, “I said that when I… It was before I…”
“Before you what?” he whispers, eyes locked with mine like he’s trying to coax my next words out of me.
Before I started falling for you.
But of course, I don’t say that.
Instead, I close my eyes.
I shut him out.
The sound of his breathing gets closer.
He places a warm hand on my shoulder.
The heat of it radiates throughout my entire body.
“I’m sorry I didn’t find a way to tell you sooner. But I am not sorry for who I am or the life I have with my daughter. If that part of my life makes us incompatible in your eyes? Well then, there’s nothing I can do about that now, is there?”
I want to say, “this is my issue, not yours.”
I want to say, “I’m an adult now, and my relationship with my parents shouldn’t affect me this way anymore.”
And more than anything, I want to say, “can you be patient with me while I work through this?”
But I don’t say any of those things.
Instead, I keep my eyes sealed shut and whisper, “I guess not.”
“I guess not,” he repeats, then slips his hand off my shoulder.
His footsteps move away from me.
“I’ll see you around, Cold Brew. You know where I am if you need me.”
The door clicks shut behind him.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Louise
"Isn’t Calliope coming?” I ask Ralph as we drive through the suburbs on our way to Bucks County Tavern.
“No. Mom said family only.”
“So why is she going to be there?” I mumble.
He pats my leg. “Lou. Come on. Let’s do the best we can. She says she has exciting news to share, and she wants us to be happy for her. It doesn’t cost us anything to be happy for her.”
“Speak for yourself.” I scratch my head a few times. I swear, family interaction makes me itchy. “Is she bringing the guy? She better not be bringing the guy.”
