Page 12 of Matrimonial Merger
“This is not the time, Elise,” Tim said.
“It probably isn’t, but I don’t give a damn, Timothy! Danna has poked the bear! Every time there is even something the least bit wrong, Cal swoops in to save Daphne and it’s a whole thing. Cal has been swooping in to save you all for years—at his own disservice many times.”
“Mom, I am a grown man. And Daphne is no damsel.”
“Well, she shouldn’t be. She’s an educated heiress who is insisting on a lock tight prenup, correct? She knows the game.”
“Game?” Danna asked. “What game?”
“She bats her eyelashes and he comes running. It was the same thing with you and David. God forbid David need something, Cal would be?—”
“David was my best friend!” I said, unable to hold back. “He was my mentor and one of the best men I ever met. I owe him a great deal of credit. And Daphne? OfcourseI rush in to take care of her. She’s about to be my wife. If I didn’t run to her, what sort of man would I be, mother?”
“Well, for a woman with all of her capabilities, I’d expect her to want to save herself!”
“Asking people for help is not a crime, mother,” I said. “She said she needed to take a seat. In fact, I asked her if she was okay.”
“And now you bloody well storm over here to interrogate her!”
“If she would just drink a cup of coffee?—”
“But she can’t!” Danna said protectively. I knew what came next and I braced for impact. “She is pregnant and cannot have coffee. And if you were not being an absolute cunt, you would leave it be!”
It was worse than expected, to the point that Danna immediately recoiled and covered her mouth. She knew she shouldn’t have said the first bit and the second bit, though absolutely true, wasn’t helpful. But, given that the woman was awidow and wildly protective of her brood of six children, I gave her a pass. This was a hard day for everyone.
Daphne stood, tears in her eyes. “Can we all just shut the fuck up and let me cry in peace?” She stormed past me and I tried to follow her but she pushed me away and said, “No! I do not need you involving yourself, Cal!”
It hurt. I knew she wasn’t mad at me, just very overwhelmed. And, anyhow, I had issues to deal with on her behalf. The room was quiet enough to hear a pin drop—and enough to hear Daphne sobbing in the back of the kitchen.
“She’s pregnant?” Mom demanded. “And I’m finding out?—”
“Elise, drop it!” Tim said, voice strong. Tim rarely raised his voice, but when he did, Mom listened.
“God damn it! What is going on! Why is Daphne sobbing next to the cooler?” Dahlia’s voice rang out as she strode over. “What the actual fuck?”
“Ask Elise,” Danna said.
“Excuse me, but you just called me a cunt!”
“What now?” Dahlia did a double-take, glaring at Danna .
“My words were regrettable,” Elise said.
“And, mother?” Davey said.
“I apologize for using that word.”
“And are you going to apologize to Cal and Daphne or just Elise?” Delanie asked. “Because you just told everyone Daphne’s very private news pretty openly!”
Tears welled and Danna collapsed into a chair, sobbing openly. I’d never seen the woman cry—not even at David’s funeral—so this shook me.
Delanie threw her hands in the air.
“It’s okay. Tensions are running high,” I said. “I’m not angry.”
Dahlia stood on a chair and clapped her hands. “Okay! Everyone! The goal here is not to kill one another! Everyone issad. Dad isn’t here. And lord knows if he were here, he’d have just lost his mind upon hearing that he was about to?—”
Dahlia fought tears as well. “About to… get his first grandchild and… oh fuck!”
