Page 61 of Love is Angry

The manny comes around Dad’s SUV and tries to get her to move, but I politely push him away. “Stay out of this, Steve. Trust me. It’s the one conflict you don’t want to get dragged into.”

“Stop telling my staff what to do and get in the fucking car. Both of you!” Dad snarls, ready to jump out and wrestle me, if he has to. There is so much unresolved anger festering inside me, I almost want to dare him to it. I can definitely recognize the therapeutic benefit of breaking my father’s face.

“We’re not going anywhere,” I say, raising my chin in defiance. “You fucked up, Dad. You made a fool of yourself in 1872 Café, which is where most of your future constituents hang out, by the way. And you embarrassed us, too.”

“The only ones doing the embarrassing were the two of you, hanging around with that piece of trash,” he replies. “For the last time, get in the car. We need to talk.”

Laura groans softly. She’s trying so hard to be brave, but the more Dad growls, the more difficult the entire situation becomes for her. I promised her doctors that I would do everything in my power to keep her away from stress and emotional triggers, but I am clearly failing here. I need to get her away from Dad, not in a car with him. The last thing she needs is an earful about how we have to steer clear of anyone who might damage his precious reputation, with only a few weeks left until the election.

It’s all he cares about, anyway. Nobody will nominate Julian Echeveria for the Father of the Year award, that much is painfully clear. The air is so thick, I can barely breathe. Worse even, most of this agitation comes from not knowing how Madison is. The whole encounter must have shaken her to the core that it led to that dramatic exit. She even left her stuff behind. I can’t help but feel responsible.

“For the last time, neither Laura nor I are coming with you. We’ll see you later, if anything. So go home, dad. Grab a few drinks, think really hard about how you’re going to play this out, and later, I’ll be happy to talk.”

Not really, but if this buys me a few hours, at least, I can make some arrangements. Laura will go home, inevitably, at some point. My goal is for Dad’s rage to simmer down before she gets there. That way, whatever conversation they have will be calmer. As for me, I’m driving back to Ithaca. I have no interest in hearing what he might have to say.

“You’re making a big mistake,” Dad warns. “I’m the last person you want to go up against.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” I shoot back. “I’m not the one who embarrassed my children in public over the woman I had an affair with. Most importantly, I find it beyond outrageous thatyou actually had the balls to make yourself out as the victim back there. You didn’t trip and fall with your dick inside Madison Willis, Dad.”

“Shut your mouth!” he snarls, ready to jump out of the car.

The manny has the presence of mind to intervene. “I’ll stay with Laura, sir. I’ll bring her home later. Let us not do this here.”

“Public opinion is easy to break,” Laura mutters.

It’s enough to tone him down, to my astonishment. Then again, I don’t know why I’m surprised to see that his poll numbers matter more than his family. I should be thankful.

Dad gives me a disgusted look as he shifts the car into gear.

“I’d better see youbothhome later,” he grumbles and drives off with a furious screech.

Heavy silence follows, as both Laura and I are left staring by the SUV, a black giant rumbling into the noon traffic. Its steel rims capture the sunlight and throw it back into our faces, briefly blinding me before turning the corner. Only once he’s out of sight do I breathe again. I take in a lungful, too, though it’s Steve the manny who exhales sharply.

“Jesus fucking Christ,” he says, shaking his head.

Personally, I’m baffled. I’ve never heard him talk like this before. “I could’ve sworn you were some kind of golly-gosh Mormon or something,” I tell him.

“What? No. And you two need to get your shit together,” he bursts. Again, I’m speechless.

“Who are you and what have you done with Steve?” Laura asks, albeit sarcastically.

Steve, however, fails to capture the nuance. “I didn’t do anything. You did. Couldn’t you have been a bit more discreet about meeting with that lady? Hasn’t she caused enough trouble in your family already?”

“She’s not the one who caused the trouble. She isn’t the one who had the affair. That was your boss,” I reply, wondering where he’s going with this.

“Either way, you should’ve been smarter about this. He was bound to find out,” he says. “The man knows everything that goes on in Rochester. Absolutely everything, especially what his children are up to. That whole mess back there could have been avoided.”

Laura looks at me. “He does have a point.”

I smirk. “It’s fine. I want the old bastard rattled, anyway. He got off easy, no matter what you tell me, kid.”

“Rhue, please. We can’t start a war with Dad.”

“We won’t. Steve here came up with a great idea just now,” I say.

“I did?” he asks, looking rather confused.

I give him a cool grin. “You most certainly did. You’re gonna keep my beloved sister company till about six in the evening. That should be enough time for the man to get home, drink his whiskey and cool the fuck down so that he doesn’t say or do anything that he might regret.” I take the purse from Laura’s lap and make sure Madison’s phone is in it, as well. “In the meantime, I’m gonna take this back to Madison and see if I can fix things. That couldn’t have been easy for her, either.”

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