Page 11 of Fractured
A client I had needed to get the promotion I wanted.
I had whirled on him and then looked at Mom, who had been snickering, and asked, “Seriously?”
She snickered again, “That was funny.”
I gaped, “Why do you take his side over mine?”
She sighed, “Talia, not this again.”
“I was talking to a client I needed to get my promotion at work. I would have made partner,” I growled.
She stopped snickering.
Then her face paled, “Talia.... I...”
I narrowed my gaze at Dominik and said, “I’m done.”
Then I closed my laptop, grabbed my bag, and walked out of the house.
My dad called my name, and I stopped.
He came up to me, wrapped his arms around me, and kissed my head. “She feels bad that he doesn’t have anyone left.”
I nodded, “I get that. And why I let almost all of it slide when she does it. But when it’s important to me... why doesn’t she stick up for me?”
He sighed, then he said, “I’ll talk to her.”
I shook my head, “Don’t worry about it. It won’t change.”
Me – You're not serious.
Big Foot – I was teasing you, Talia. It’s what we do.
Me – Have I ever interrupted you when you were talking to a customer?
Big Foot – No.
Me – Exactly. No.
Me – I have too much respect for you to do that.
Me – Don’t talk to me for a while.
Big Foot – I’ll try.
And you know what else... he’s never once mentioned the words,I’m sorry, to me. Everyone else? Yes. To me? No.
Then I thought about that day, and I didn’t know why.
I didn’t know why my mind went back to that day.
I was seven.
“If I don’t find myself a man, I’m going to be Ouiser when I grow up,” I said to my best friend in the whole wide world, Harlee.
Harlee giggled, “I’ll be like Truvy. The apple of the entire show.”
I snorted, “No, you’ll be like Charlie.”
