“Speaking of waiting,” she says. “It’s been a good three minutes since I told you I love you, and you have yet to lock these lips onto mine.” She outlines my lips with her finger.
“Patience is a virtue, my love.” I tap her nose. “Before I claim your luscious lips, I have one question.”
“What’s that?”
“How much is ‘so much’?”
“More much than you can imagine.”
“It can’t be more much than my ‘so much.’”
She pouts. “Can so.”
“How about we both love each other the most much?”
“Nope. I insist I love you so much more. Now stop stalling, and kiss me,” she taps her lips, “right here.”
* * *
“He didn’t say a word about Sonya,” Mom says. “That might be the thing I’m most angry about.”
“What did you want him to say?” I ask.
She picks at a loose thread on the arm of her chair in her sitting room. “I don’t want him to have any contact with her, obviously, and I’d spirit her away to Antarctica if he tried to fight for custody. But I hoped he’d at least remember we still have a minor child at home and maybe he’d have a small desire to spend some time with her. All he cared about was his money and this house and my betrayal.” She barks out a laugh. “As if I’m the betrayer in this family.”
“I get what you’re saying, but are you surprised by any of it?”
“No, but a tiny part of me hoped he’d act like a civilized human being for once.”
I nod, because a tiny part of me still hopes for the same thing. “Have you told any of your friends yet?”
“I called Elizabeth Teague a little while ago. Since I knew you boys already told Melissa, I figured I’d let her mom know, too. We’ve gotten close over the past few months since we had them over for dinner. She and William will take my side instead of your father’s.”
“That’s going to be tough, isn’t it?” I ask. “Your friends having to take sides.”
“Yes, and to be honest, I think many of them will publicly side with your dad, although most of them despise him. Even if I end up with half of our assets, he’ll still be a very rich and powerful man. A lot of people will be scared to cross him.”
“But not the Teagues?”
“No, they’re old money and better connected than he is. They have no fear of your father.”
“Good. Are you going to be okay, Mom?” I reach over and cover her hand with my own. “Ash told me Dad said some pretty nasty things to you today.”
“It was no worse than some of the things he’s said in the past. I’ll get over it.”
She turns her hand over, squeezes mine, and then slides it away.
“You shouldn’t have to get over it,” I say, “because he shouldn’t have said it. I wish I’d known the extent of how he treated you so I could’ve done something about it.”
“There was nothing you could’ve done. And I’m the one who should’ve done something, because I knew he treated you and Ash terribly. I begged him to stop, but that wasn’t enough. I should’ve done more.”
“Were you scared of what he’d do if you tried?”
Her eyes glitter with unshed tears as she nods. “I was afraid he would hit me—or worse, hit you boys.” She gives me a sharp look. “He never touched you, did he?”
“No, and it was rare that he even yelled at me. It was his disappointment in me that hurt the most.”
“I’m sorry, Randall. I should have protected you from him.”
