Page 23 of Coveted Justice

“No, I was in shock. The anger came later when I got home. How could he do that to her? How could he come home day after day and act like nothing had happened? It’s like I never knew him at all. When he was telling me, it was like I was looking at a stranger. My father wouldn’t do this.”

“But he did,” Sherry said quietly. “He’s human, Mad. He made a mistake. I’m sure he felt bad about what he did.”

“He said that he did, but he didn’t act that way. And yes, I know he’s human. Shit, you sound like Tanner. I get that he’s human and humans make mistakes. But this is a biggee. This isn’t locking your keys in the car or not putting the lid on the blender when you’re making a smoothie.”

“I do that all the time. I’ve cleaned up more than one mess. You’d think I’d learn but I never do. But this isn’t about me. This is about you. You and your dad.”

“I don’t even want to talk to him right now.”

“I’m guessing he’s figured that out since he called me.”

“I’m angry…and hurt. I’m not returning his calls.”

“I understand that you’re upset and hurt but remember that he didn’t do this to you.”

Maddie threw up her hands. “He did it to our family. He did it to my mother. My mother. He didn’t say if she even knew, and I was so floored that I didn’t have a chance to ask him. If she didn’t know, then he was lying to her. That makes him a liar and a cheat. He didn’t give her the opportunity to make her own decision as to whether she wanted to stay in her marriage. If she knew, she might have wanted to leave.”

“I’m just trying to make you feel better,” Sherry said. “Clearly, I suck at this.”

“You’re doing fine. I’m just…I don’t even know how I am. It feels like my whole world has been shaken.”

“You thought you knew who everything about your dad. You thought he was this amazing hero. Now you’ve found out that he’s only human. That’s got to be hard. It was for me. Not about your dad, of course, about my own parents. It’s a hard day when you realize that they’re not these all-knowing omniscient beings. They’re just clueless parents doing the best that they can. Just like we are with our kids.”

“I’ve never cheated on Tanner,” Maddie protested. “And I don’t think we were clueless. Just inexperienced.”

Sherry laughed and shook her head. “We were clueless. Time has dimmed our memories and smoothed them over. All the humans on this planet are just making it up as they go along, trying to do the best that they can with what they have. No one has it all figured out. Unless you do? If so, I’ll take back my statement.”

“Clearly, I don’t have it all figured out. I barely know which way is up after last night.” Maddie took a deep breath. “He wants me to meet her. He wants us to have some sort of family relationship. I guess he’s been spending a lot of time with her. He says she’s nice.”

“I’m getting the feeling that you don’t want to meet her.”

“Right now? No, I don’t. I’m still too angry.”

“At her? Because she’s not responsible for this.”

“No, of course not.” Maddie rubbed at her temple. “If I say it out loud, I’m going to sound like a toddler having a tantrum.”

“Tell Dr. Sherry all about it. But I think I can take a guess. You don’t want to share your dad. It’s been you and him for so long you don’t want anything to change.”

Ouch. Hearing it out loud hurt. It made her sound terrible. Selfish and awful.

I don’t want to be a terrible person.

“It’s too late,” Sherry said, her tone gentle. “It’s just too late. She’s already in his life, and I doubt she’s going anywhere. You can’t go backwards. Unfortunately, the only way through this is forward. It’s going to hurt before it gets better.”

“Will it get better?”

“I would imagine that it will. Eventually. But if you’re definition of better is that it all goes back to how it was before? Then no. It won’t get better.”

“Is this a pep talk, Coach?” Maddie asked shakily. “Sort of the walk it off or rub dirt on it kind of thing?”

“I’m just helping you realize that railing against the world and telling the universe how unfair it all is, isn’t going to make a damn bit of difference. You have to deal with the reality. And the reality is that you have a half-sister. I doubt you’ll be able to avoid her forever. You don’t have to meet her today, tomorrow, or even next week, but eventually… Yes, you’ll probably have to do it. I have to ask you…Aren’t you the least bit curious? I would be.”

“No,” Maddie replied firmly. “I’m not curious at all. Not really.”

But she had a feeling that Sherry was right. Eventually, she was going to have to meet this woman who shared some of her DNA. She couldn’t avoid it forever, but she could for today.

Maybe tomorrow, too.

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