Page 46 of What Maple Heard

“I heard,” she said. Just that. I heard. She was great at shooting out carefully selected words that opened up a series of questions in the listener’s mind that wouldn’t be answered right away. I was about to ask her directly what she had heard, when I saw Dad behind her. He had a big smile on his face, and had his arms wide open for embrace. I needed that. I really did.

“There he is.” He pulled me into a hug that was less complicated and completely full. He clapped me on the back twice. “Come on, dinner’s ready. I want to hear about everything.”

Everything, I thought. Sure, Dad. Let’s start with the tutu.

The dinner table was set for three in a way that clearly suggested that a private, heated conversation between three people was about to take place. The three placements were right next to each other, although the table could comfortably seat twelve people. I was heading to take the corner seat before any of them did. “Cade,” Mom said. “This one’s for you.” She gestured with a tight smile towards the chair right in the middle.

Oh well, let’s just get it over with.

Our butler Jerry and the rest of the staff quickly appeared with salad and soup and Mom, Dad and I took our seats. I smiled at Jerry and he returned it with the warmth I had known all my life. “Let’s start.” Dad said. I was waiting for Dad or Mom to start the conversation and finally address the elephant in the room, but realized he was only talking about starting the first course. They both deployed lethal ways to keep the suspense hanging.

I tried to smile at him but what materialized on my face instead was a confused, almost constipated look. I saw Mom noticing that look and quickly corrected myself. With a straight face, I dug into the Kale and Cranberry salad and the Roasted Pumpkin soup. Both were absolutely delicious and brought back many happy memories of past fall lunches and dinners with my parents and Kyle’s family. Before Kyle backstabbed me.

We ate silently for a while. The lamb arrived promptly, roasted to a perfect golden, with caramelized potatoes and roasted butternut squash. I took a bite of it and savored the heartiness of it that my Mom had perfected over the years. Whenever Mom cooked, she gave it her all, and roasted lamb was one of her specialties.

“This lamb is very good, Mom. As always.” I said as I took another mouthful. “Thanks, Cade.” she said pleasantly. Then she set down her fork. “So, how is your fairy dance going?”

My fork stopped, suspended somewhere between the plate and my mouth.

“I beg your pardon?”

“Your dance.” She tilted her head. “In the children’s performance. People have been talking about it.”

“Have they.”

“It’s a small town, Cade.” She picked up her fork again, very calmly. “People talk. And the talk spreads. Especially the kind that involves the heir to Sonnenberg Industries volunteering at a children’s dance school.” She paused. “And being involved with an ex pole dancer.”

I put my fork down and looked at her. This was the moment I had prepared for. I knew what I was going to say. I had rehearsed it in the car, on the drive over, and in the parking lot. I knew how I wanted to say it, and how I was not going to let her framing of the situation become my framing of the situation.

“I am not involved with an ex pole dancer, Mom,” I said. “I am in love with her. I want to spend my entire life with her. And if anyone has a problem with that, then that’s a problem I’m willing to have.” What followed was complete, deafening silence. Mom looked at me. “Cade, you have your whole life in front of you. You can have anyone you want.”

“I don’t want anyone,” I said. “I want her.” I kept my voice even. “I know I will probably never have your approval on this. So I’ve decided I’m going to make this choice for myself. I want to spend the rest of my life with Maple. I want to be there for her brother River.” I looked at her directly. “And Mom — if you could put down all of the labels and the judgements for one minute, just one minute, and look at what I’m telling you — I think you’d understand why. Because I love you. And I want you in my life, always. But your opinions about who I should be with don’t serve me. And they won’t make me happy.”

She looked directly at me for a second, and then looked over to Dad, expecting him to take over the conversation. My father cleared his throat. “Does she love you too?” he asked.

I opened my mouth.

And stopped.

I didn’t know. I genuinely, honestly did not know. I had spent six weeks showing up at her studio and sweeping her floors, and I still did not know if Maple Brooks was going to let me back into her and River’s life.

I had been so ready to stand in front of my parents and declare my feelings. But I had not fully accounted for the part where I had no idea if my feelings would be returned by Maple anymore.

“I did something I am ashamed of,” I said. “I said some terrible things about her at a time when I was being an absolute idiot and didn’t even understand what she meant to me yet.” I looked at my father. “And the truth is — I don’t know if she’ll ever fully take me back. I don’t know if she loves me anymore. But I’ll keep showing up for her, and her brother River. Even if it takes me my entire life.”

My father looked at me for a moment. Then he smiled. “Edward told me,” he said. “About what happened at your office. With Kyle.” I blinked. “He told you?”

“He told me everything.” Dad set down his glass. “That you stood in front of your entire board and told them the truth about Kyle, even knowing what it might cost you.” He paused. “I have to be honest with you, Cade. That surprised me. Kyle is someone you grew up with. Someone you’ve defended and supported for years.” He looked at me steadily. “And you walked away from all of that to do the right thing.”

I said nothing.

“I’m proud of you,” he said. “For everything you’ve done to make this right. For showing up for that woman. For showing up for her brother.” He looked at Mom. Then back at me.

“I never told you to choose money over love, son.” He said it simply. “Your mother and I chose each other first. The money, the company, all of it — that came after. That has always come after.”

He looked at my mother.

My mother, who had been very quiet for the last two minutes, smiled. She looked at him, and something passed between them. An understanding, a joint realization, maybe.