Essie pressed her fingertips to her lips.
“Sophie exploded,” Chad said, voice tight with stress. “Told me I was choosing sides. Called me a traitor. Said I was just as much to blame as you, Dad.”
Frank’s jaw clenched. “You’re not, son.”
Essie’s heart cracked open. “Oh, Chad…”
“That’s not even the worst part,” Chad continued, frustration and heartbreak mingling in his voice. “She wouldn’t hear anything. Tasha did her best to calm Sophie down. She even followed Sophie into the kitchen to talk privately, but Sophie wasn’t having it. She said Tasha was brainwashed by us. Can you believe that?”
Essie shut her eyes. A sting of tears built behind them.
“Anyway, she packed her things,” Chad said, voice raw. “Called an Uber. And left.”
Essie gasped. “She left? Just like that?”
“I tried to stop her. Tasha tried. But she was angry and out of control.” He took a breath. “She said she doesn’t have a family anymore. And I…” His voice cracked. “I agreed with her. Told her she didn’t deserve a family with the way she was acting. I probably shouldn’t have said that, but I was so done with her.”
Essie’s tears finally spilled over. She covered her face with her hands. A moment later, she felt Frank sit beside her, his hand on her back.
“Do you know where she went?” Frank asked, quietly.
“To the airport, I guess,” Chad said. “She told Tasha she was leaving as soon as possible. I checked and the first flight back to Miami leaves in about an hour, so I have to guess that’s what she’d doing. Going home. Back to that idiot Ryan.”
Essie uncovered her face to take Frank’s hand. “You tried, Chad. Thank you for that.”
Chad’s voice broke. “I’m sorry, Essie. I couldn’t stop her. I really thought I could fix everything.”
Frank cleared his throat. “Son, you did everything a brother could do. More than she deserved after what she’s done.”
Essie sniffed, trying to speak around the ache. “Your father’s right,” she whispered. “I know you love her.”
“We all do,” Chad replied. “But she’s in a dark place. I don’t know how she’s going to get out of it until she wants to. She’s going to have to hit rock bottom, I think.”
That was an awful thought, but Essie nodded, even though he couldn’t see. “Please keep us updated if she reaches out.”
“I will,” Chad promised. “I love you both. I’m sorry.”
The call ended. The silence that followed felt heavier than the words themselves.
Essie leaned into Frank, who wrapped his arm around her shoulders. He rested his cheek on the top of her head.
“I’m scared for her,” she whispered.
“I am too,” he admitted, voice unsteady. “But we’re going to hold on. And we’re going to keep praying. Because she’s still family.”
Essie’s tears dampened his shirt. “I don’t care if she hates me for the rest of her life, I just want her away from Ryan. He’s a bad influence. I think without him, we might have a chance.”
“I know, sweetheart. I think the same thing. Which reminds me, I need to call Charlie and let him know Sophie’s coming back sooner than expected.”
“Okay.” Essie nodded, wiping under her eyes. “Put him on speaker.”
Frank tapped the PI’s contact and set the phone back on the coffee table. It rang twice before Charlie’s gravelly voice filled the room.
“Frank. Everything all right?”
Frank let out a hard breath. “Not even close. Listen, you’re on speaker with Essie.”
“Hi, Essie.”
