Page 137 of Play Nice

“Yeah, just got here,” he says.

“I’ll be back,” I tell Veronica. “And we should get drinks soon, yeah? Next time I’m on your side of the river.”

“I’d love that. I miss you! Call me,” she says, blowing me a kiss.

Austin takes my hand and leads me through the crowd.

“Do you hate this?” I ask him.

He laughs. “No. But it’s not nearly as fun as my work parties.”

“I’m sure. I can’t compete with bingo night.”

“Appreciate that no one here’s asked me for cookies or drugs, though.”

“Not yet.”

We approach the corner, where Dad, Amy, Tommy, Leda, Daphne, and Daisy huddle around a cocktail table.

“There she is,” Amy says.

“Why is it so dark in here?” Leda asks. “I can barely see anything.”

“It’s the vibe,” I say.

“Congratulations, sweetie,” Dad says, hugging me. We exchanged apologies almost a year ago, but we don’t look at each other the same. He overcompensates. Last week, he offered to pay for my wedding. Austin and I aren’t engaged, but even if we were, I wouldn’t take Dad’s money.

I meant it when I told him I was sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t see him for who he was any sooner. I’m sorry for the part he played in Mom’s destruction. I’m sorry for the part he would have played in mine had my sisters not been on my side. I will never know his motivation—if it was pure and he really thinks himself the hero, the white knight, saving us from someone battling demons. Or if he was intentionally antagonizing our mother because it benefited him, because with her gone he could get everything he wanted. Amy. Us. Or maybe he didn’t want to hurt her, but he was just fine watching her hurt herself.

Yeah, I said I was sorry for the sake of my sisters, to preserve some of what was good about our family. And yeah, he said it, too. But forgiveness is a different beast.

It’s fine. I don’t need him anymore. He has no power over me.

“It’s all so lovely,” Daisy says. She’s button cute, and the few times I’ve met her, she’s been dressed like a milkmaid.

“We’re proud of you, Cli,” Tommy says, pushing his glasses up his nose. He’s crying. He’s been crying continuously since they found out Leda’s pregnant. Such a softy.

“I don’t know how long we’ll stay,” Leda says. “But thank you for inviting us. Everything’s beautiful. From what I can see.”

“I’ll be right back,” Daphne says to Daisy. She grabs me and Austin. “It’s too crowded; it’s stressing me out. Let’s go smoke.”

—

The three of us go out to the balcony and pass around Daffy’s weed pen.

“Sorry. Long day,” she says. “This is really cool, Cli. Congrats.”

“The buyers fell through, didn’t they?” I ask her. She took over all things Edgewood after what happened that night with Roy.

He’s retired now, I hear. Probably for the best.

Daffy stays quiet, which I take as confirmation.

“That house will never sell,” I say.

“It’ll sell,” Austin says. “Just could take a while.”

I’m grateful for his optimism, and I trust that he actually does believe me about the demon. I’m just not sure he understands.