Page 99 of Meant to Be

CHAPTER 22

Cate

“Mom, please,pleasecome with us,” I pleaded under my breath as we stood by the front door.

“I can’t, honey,” she whispered, shaking her head.

“Yes, youcan,Mom,” I said, doing my best to stay calm. “He’s going to hurt you.”

“No…I can smooth this over,” she said.

I shifted my gaze to Joe and could see his shock, along with fear. It was something I’d never seen on his face. Joe was never afraid. Ofanything.

“Jan—I know it’s none of my business—” he said, his voice low but strong.

It was what people always said, and it wasn’t true.

“Yes, itisour business,” I said, cutting him off. “We need to get her out of here.Now.”

“Oh, Catie,” she said in her Stepford Wife voice. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”

“No, Mom,” I said, feeling increasingly frantic. “It’s time. It’s way past time. Please. Let us help you. Go get in the car.”

Before she could reply, Chip was charging down the stairs. “What the hell are you all whispering about?”

I fought against my ingrained instinct to cower, finding the courage to reach out for my mom’s hand. “She’s coming with us,” I said, staring Chip dead in the eye. “That’s what we’re whispering about.”

“The hell she is!” Chip said, grabbing my mom’s other wrist and yanking her as hard as he could, like she was the rope in a game of tug-of-war.

Joe put his hands in the air, palms out, his shoulders squared to Chip. “Whoa! C’mon, man! Let her go! Calm down!”

Chip’s eyes narrowed as he dropped my mom’s arm and took a slow, dramatic step toward Joe. “You. Pompous.Prick,” Chip said. “Don’t youdaretell me what to do.”

“C’mon, man. I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just—I just wanteveryoneto calm down.”

“Get the hell out of my house!” Chip said. “And take your little gold-digging tramp with you.”

I held my breath in horror and humiliation as Joe squinted at Chip. “What did you just say?” he said.

“Did Istutter?” Chip asked.

“Apologize,” Joe said, the two men nose to nose. “Right now. Or—”

“Orwhat?” Chip said.

“Or else…you’re going to have a real problem on your hands!” Joe said.

Chip shrugged with a smirk. “If that’s what you want. Let’s go, pretty boy.” He shoved his way past my mom and me, then walked out the door, taking a few strides onto the front lawn before turning to face the house. “I’m waiting!” he taunted, his arms crossed.

Joe took a step toward the door, but I blocked his path with my body, and said, “Don’t, Joe. He’s not worth it.”

Joe shook his head. “I’m not going to let him talk about you like that, Cate! No way!”

“And I’m not going to let you fight him,” I said, picturing a scene on the front lawn, along with tomorrow’s headlines. I turned to my mom for one last-ditch, frantic effort. “And, Mom, I’m beggingyou…. If you ever cared about me, if you love me at all, you’ll go get in the car and leave that man, once and for all.”

She stared back at me like a wounded, disoriented animal, then whispered, “I can’t.” Her eyes looked blank. “And you both need to go.”

In that second, something died inside me, and I gave up, once and for all. “Okay, Mom,” I said, disgust drowning out every other emotion. “Have it your way…. Goodbye and good luck. Let’s go, Joe.”

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