Page 73 of Until Now

“Oh, Davina! Did your brother tell you? It looks like your father may get to step down sooner than we thought.”

“Goody,” I can’t contain my grimace. I already knew this was coming, it was clear to see in the way Daddy has been handing more responsibility over to my brother well before we went to Haven. And, I’m happy for my father, he deserves to enjoy the life he’s built. I just hope I get to enjoy it with him.

The waiter appears to take our order, but I’m not hungry. I don’t want to give myself any reason to stick around longer than I should — I order a whiskey neat. When the waiter finally leaves, only silence remains.

“Nina, I know this isn’t what you want to talk about, but we’re just trying to understand,” Mother says when she can’t take it any longer.

“How many times do I have to explain it?” It’s getting ridiculous at this point. The answer isn’t going to change no matter how many times they ask. “I wanted you to leave me alone. I just wanted to be able to go on vacation without hearing about Lee and how great he is. But, not only did I have to hear about him, I had to see him. All because you had to invite the Madigans back to Haven.”

“They’ve always come out to the summer house, why should that change now?”

“Because we broke up! You want to invite Karol and Jack? Fine. I can deal with that, but not Lee or Teagan.”

“It’s time you moved past this, Davina. The way you hold on to the past is not flattering.”

“I have moved on, but that doesn’t mean I want to spend time with him.” I thank the waiter for my drink before he scurries away, sensing the tension at the table. “If you hadn’t invited Lee, I wouldn’t have brought Nick. And, if not for that, I may not have met him.”

“Michaela is his cousin, I’m sure she would’ve hooked you up eventually.”

“Come fai a saperlo?”

“Would you please speak in English? You know I cannot understand—”

“How did you know Michaela is his cousin? I never told either of you that.”

Panic. That’s the only word I can use to describe the look on my mother’s face. And finally, Daddy joins the conversation, equally as interested to know how she knew something he didn’t.

Mother’s voice wavers, “I don’t know, you must have said it.”

“This is the first I’m hearing about it. How did you know, Bri?” Daddy asks, but she refuses to answer. “Brina.”

“Fine, I looked into him. Okay?”

“You looked into him?” Even Daddy seems surprised.

A million thoughts race through my mind… Does Nick know she looked into him? Is that why he started acting so weird? Did she say something to him? Do something?

“What were you looking for?” I hiss.

“Nothing, I just wanted to know some more about him. You know, Davina, it’s a good thing you didn’t end up with him because he lied about everything. He dropped out of RU, he—”

“You’re unbelievable. I know. I know everything! I didn’t tell you because I knew you would react this way. I found someone who didn’t want anything from me, he didn’t care about our name or what I—”

“Didn’t want anything from you?” Daddy’s anger turns on me. “Lo stavi pagando!”

“He didn’t even take the money!”

“Quiet, people are staring,” Mother threatens.

“He didn’t take the money,” I say again. Quieter. Calmer. “I know you’re mad, Daddy, and I am sorry.” My voice cracks behind the tears welling in my eyes. “But, I would do it again. I just…I couldn’t do it alone. I couldn’t spend the summer with them. And, yes, it was about the money, at first, but he didn’t take it.”

Daddy says nothing.

“When did you look into him?” I turn back to Mother, but she doesn’t respond.“Mother. When?”

“Right before he left, I was—”

“Why’d you wait so long? If you were actually concerned, you would have done it in the beginning.”

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