Page 114 of Enemies to Prom Dates
Now they had all gone to bed. My father had retired to his study, a room adjacent to the formal living room, and I wanted, I needed answers.
“No,” I said quietly.
“No what, Elizabeth?”
“No, you’re not going to brush me off like a good little girl. You’re going to answer my questions.”
His eyebrows arched in a familiar way. “Am I?”
“Where have you been?”
He sighed and took a sip of his drink. “Away.”
“Not good enough.”
“I’m afraid that’s all you’re going to get. I needed to see to some matters. They’ve been seen to and now I’m back.”
“For how long?” I pushed.
He shrugged. “Forever I suppose. As long as your mother will have me.”
She’d been so happy, I thought resentfully. So pleased to put the bracelet on and kiss him as if it were a Christmas present or a birthday present instead of what it actually was.
A bribe.
He wanted to bribe all of us into forgetting what happened. Look the other way and pretend this happy family reunion was for real.
Although I suppose for some, it was. Was it wrong to be angry with Kit and Lyd for jumping up and down like little girls? Was it even worse to feel betrayed by Star as she kissed him on the cheek after opening her gift?
Only Mary had been her normal quiet self. Reserved and standoffish from him. It reminded me she might have been the most hurt by his absence so it made sense she would be cautious before embracing his return.
“Your business…”
“Dissolved. All perfectly legally under the LLC agreement.”
“There were investigators…”
“Yes, just making sure everything was done correctly. I”ve got no legal issues if that’s your concern.”
It was only one of my concerns.
“The money you took.”
He frowned then took another sip of his drink. “Yes, that must have been a bit of a shock, but I needed it to handle the business side of things. I needed the cash for the liquidation of the investments. You understand.”
“I understand nothing. You left, you took everything with you, we had to sell the car, Mom’s jewelry. I got a job…”
“A job? Yes, well you’ll quit that immediately. There’s no need for you to work anymore.”
“Why not?” I snapped. “You have no business! No income, no savings. I don’t know where you got the money for all the gifts, but if you’ve just put us into greater debt, then that gets us nothing!”
He stood then, slamming his glass down on the desk.
“Who do you think you are?” he sneered. “I’m your father. This is my home, my family, and I will not be questioned in my own damn study by my daughter who should be grateful for the roof over her head. One, I provided!”
Unafraid, I marched toward his desk and planted my hands on it so I could meet his imperious glare.
“This is notyourfamily,” I said. “This ismyfamily. I held us together while you were gone. I kept food on the table. If you think for a second I trust your return is genuine, then you’ve underestimated your daughter. You’re here for a reason and I’m going to find out exactly what that is. If I find that you’re involved inanykind of criminal activity, know that I will turn you in myself!”
