Page 55 of Terms Of Un-Endearment
“That was before Cynthia’s lawyers started harassing me. This has all gone on long enough, Archibald. There are bigger stakes here than your business idea.”
“Dad…” I wince when I hear the pleading in my voice. “I’m not ready to come back yet. I want to finish this proposal. The market projections look really good and?—"
“—Archie! No more arguments. You’ve had years to figure this out, and I need you home.”
“But I am home! LA is home!” I take a breath and put my emotions in check. “I don’t want to go back to Brisbane, Dad. My life is here.”
A long silence follows. Long enough for me to tell myself that Dad will admire the fact I’m standing up for myself. Long enough for me to hope he’ll see I’m trying to make something of myself.
Long enough for me to tell myself a thousand other lies.
“Archibald, let me make this very clear. If you stay in LA, you do it with your own money and in your own place, not mine. I’m not going to support this childishness any longer.” Dad’s voice is dark and emotionless. A black hole.
“Then give me access to my trust fund, and you won’t have to support me financially. The money that’s mine. That I earned.” I clutch the phone so tightly my knuckles turn white.
“You know the terms of your trust. You agreed to them.” The flatness in his tone sucks the fight out of me. It’s impossible to resist his will. “If you choose to stay in LA, you choose to accept the consequences.”
In the pause that follows, my last bit of hope slips away. Dad’s the one in control. He’s always been the one in control and always will be.
“Do we understand each other?” He asks, not unkindly, but for the first time, I hear the manipulation in his voice. Theunderstanding he wants goes one direction, from me to him. There’s no chance of reciprocation.
“Yes, sir,” I say, softly.
“Sybil will be in touch with the arrangements,” he replies, assuming my understanding is in agreement.
My first thought after the line goes dead is that I wish Piper were here so I could tell her what’s happened. She knows what it’s like to believe you’re on Dad’s best side, only to have him pull the rug out from under you.
I reckon the only person who would be more surprised than I am by that thought is Piper.
For some reason, that brings a much-needed smile to my face.
Chapter 19
Archie
The smile quickly fades as I make my way to the back patio. By the time I sit facing the ocean, I’m numb, wondering what to do next. I don’t see any way around doing what Dad wants unless I’m willing to give up everything he provides and, possibly, what I’ve earned myself.
He holds all the cards, and he’s willing to cut me off, same as he did Frankie and Piper.
Even though I’m the loyal one.
Even though I’m the one who’s worked to preserve our relationship.
I’m staring at the waves when I hear Dex and Britta at the front door. If this is our last night together, I won’t spend it burdening them with my problems. Tonight is about the AFL match. It’s supposed to be a party. Tomorrow, I’ll decide what my next step is with Dad.
I meet them in the kitchen, where they’re setting four large paper bags from Kenzo on the counter. Britta’s cousin, Stella, follows behind with another bag.
“Good to see you again, Stella.” I give her a hug. I met her last summer. Even though she’s just moved permanently to LA, I haven’t seen her since.
“You too, Arch. Did you order everything on the menu?” She holds up her bag and nods to the four Britta and Dex brought.
I shrug. “I wasn’t sure what everyone would want. Thanks for picking it up.”
“You should have let me buy,” Dex says, a bit out of sorts. “I wouldn’t have over-bought. Most of this will end up in the garbage.”
He’s got a point there,
CanIafford to drop a thousand dollars on sushi? I could when I ordered it, but that was before my conversation with Dad.
