Page 98 of Meant to Be

“Love you, too,” Cate said, her voice strained.

As soon as Wendy was gone, we all transferred to the dining room for Jan’s onion dip, followed by a lasagna dinner served with garlic bread and a salad. All the while, Chip’s passive-aggressive bullshit and bad manners continued. Not once did he address Cate directly, thank his wife for preparing our meal, or ask me a single question. In fact, all of his actions seemed designed to show me that he didn’t know or care who I was. Obviously, I didn’t need my ego stroked—and certainly not by the likes of him—but it became too much when he asked where my parents lived.

Cate’s foot found mine under the table, her toe pressing into mine, as I cleared my throat and said, “My dad’s dead.”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Chip,”Jan said, looking horrified. “You know who his father is. Joseph Kingsley, Jr.”

Chip stared at me with a blank expression, then shrugged as if to sayNever heard of him. It was so absurd that I shook my head and laughed bitterly. He could slight me all he wanted—but not my father.

“What’s so funny?” Chip asked.

“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head, still smiling.

“Seems like you’re amused about something?” he said, staring me down, clearly trying to intimidate me. “What is it?”

“Well, it’s certainly not my dead father,” I said, gazing back at him, poker-faced.

“Okay. Well, look. We better get going,” Cate said, standing, picking up her plate, then stacking it with mine, silverware on top. She turned and marched to the kitchen, and I heard a clang as she dropped everything into the sink. A second later she was back, crossing her arms, telling me again that it was time to go. Meanwhile, Chip kept eating.

“But I made dessert,” her mother said.

“They said they had to go, Jan,” Chip said.

“I know, but—”

“But what?” he said. “What don’t you get?”

She opened her mouth to reply, then closed it.

“We’ll do dessert another time, Jan,” I said, getting to my feet. “At my place.”

“Oh, that would be wonderful,” she said. “And I’d love to meet your mother.”

“She’d love to meet you, too. You’ll have to come to the city soon,” I said, then added how much I thought they would have in common, and that she should also come out to the Hamptons.

At that point, I was just trying to piss Chip off. My tactic seemed to work because he got up from the table without a word, walked out of the room, then headed up the stairs.

Looking distraught, Jan rushed after him.

“See? See what I mean?” Cate whispered. “He’s amenace. A goddamn menace.”

I put my arm around her, kissed her forehead, and whispered, “I know. C’mon. Let’s get out of here.”

She nodded, and the two of us walked to the door. Then, just as we were about to leave, we heard Chip yelling from upstairs.

Cate closed her eyes and shook her head. She then turnedaround and looked up the staircase as Chip shouted. His words were unintelligible, but it didn’t sound good.

“Damn. Is she okay?” I said, now worried in addition to everything else I was already feeling.

Cate shook her head. I stared at her, putting all the pieces of the puzzle together. Looking back, I feel stupid that it had taken me so long to process what was happening in that house. Chip was more than an asshole—he was awife beater.

“Should I go up there?” I asked Cate.

“No,” she answered quickly. “That’s a really bad idea…. I’ll go….”

Jan suddenly appeared at the top of the stairs, descending them quickly. When she got to the bottom, she forced a smile and mumbled, “Sorry about that. He’s just in one of his moods. His job is so stressful—”

“Mom,” Cate hissed under her breath. “Quit making excuses for him.”

“I’m not—I just…It will be fine.” She smiled again, bigger this time, but I could see the fear in her eyes, along with a telltale red mark on her right arm.

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