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“Whenever I was sick and had to stay at my grandmother’s home while my parents went to work,” Mom said, “she wrapped me in that afghan, fed me chicken soup, and told me stories.”
“How did I not know this?”
“I guess I never told you. Since no one else wanted that old afghan, I didn’t have to give any reason why I wanted it. Not many kids had parents who both worked back then. Luckily, my grandmother was around to take care of me when my parents couldn’t.”
That old puke-colored afghan suddenly became beautiful in my mind. Almost as beautiful as my tattered old stuffed puppy. “Mom, someday I think I’d like to have that afghan.”
“You’ll get everything, Daphne. You’re my only child.”
I was. This conversation became uncomfortable quickly. I’d come way too close to losing my mother recently, and I didn’t want to contemplate the day when she would be gone. Best to change the subject.
“So…when will the greenhouse be finished?”
“I was hoping by the holidays, but that probably won’t happen.”
“Has Dad hired a contractor?”
“No. He thinks he’s going to do it himself on weekends.”
“Then you might be waiting awhile.” I couldn’t help laughing. My father wasn’t exactly a handyman.
“He’s determined,” she said.
I forced myself not to grin. I had just come up with the best Christmas present for my mom.
Chapter Eleven
Brad
“I know,” I said. “You made it very clear that Lucy is your priority now. I get that.”
He cleared his throat. “Yes, Lucy.”
Something in his tone made me pause. I believed he loved his wife and wanted to take care of her, but I got the distinct impression his comment had meant more than that.
“Anyone else, Jonathan? Anyone else you need to protect?”
He cleared his throat again, longer this time. Sounded like he had a glob of phlegm caught in there.
“There’s Larry.”
Of course. Larry was his son, but he was a grown man in law school and engaged to be married. Why did Larry need protection?
“Is Larry in some kind of trouble?” I asked.
“Why would you think that?”
“Because Larry is my age. He’s in law school and will make a good living.” He was already making a damned good living, but I didn’t say that. Did Jonathan even know his son was a millionaire?
“He’s still my child.”
“He is, but so is Daphne, and you made it quite clear to me that Daphne was my responsibility now.”
“It’s a different situation altogether,” he said. “You have unlimited resources to care for Daphne. All her needs will be met. All your son’s needs will be met. Larry doesn’t have those kinds of resources.”
Maybe not the kind I had, but Larry had resources. Clearly, his father didn’t know about Larry’s Future Lawmakers dealings.
“What needs does Larry have, then?”
“Larry is… Let’s just say he’s been in therapy.”
“I believe Daphne mentioned that, but only in passing.”
“Daphne doesn’t know Larry very well.”
“Why is that, Jonathan? I’ve always wondered.”
“A lot of reasons. The biggest one is that things did not end well between Larry’s mother and me.”
“Did you pay for his prep school and his college?”
“I paid my regular child support while he was in high school. Once he turned eighteen, I no longer had any obligation to support him, but I continued with my monthly amount until he graduated.”
“What about college?”
“Lisa paid for that. At least I assume she did. Neither one of them asked me for anything.”
Easy enough for me to deduce how he paid for it. His Future Lawmakers earnings. Same for law school.
“It doesn’t seem like Larry needs your financial support,” I said.
“He’s still my son.”
“You seem to be forgetting that I know Larry. He and I were friends all through high school. He came to my wedding more for me than for the half sister he barely knows.”
“I’m aware you were friends in high school.”
“Are you aware that he and I were in business together at one time?”
“He may have mentioned something about some kind of high school business, yes.”
“Have you met his fiancée, Greta?”
“I haven’t. I’d like to have a better relationship with Larry, but because things are so strained between Lisa and me, it’s not always easy.”
“Larry has been a legal adult for four years now. What does it matter whether the relationship between you and his mother is strained?”
Jonathan shifted in his chair. “Brad, is there a point to this interrogation? I understand you and Larry were friends. Maybe you still are. You should care what happens to him.”
“I do care about Larry. I just don’t quite understand what you feel your obligation is to him. With all due respect, Jonathan, you basically pawned your daughter off on me.”
Jonathan opened his mouth to respond, but I gestured him to stay quiet.
“Don’t take that the wrong way,” I said. “I am happy beyond measure with Daphne and our life together, and I will see to all her needs as long as I live. My point is only that you seemed happy and relieved to have me take over. Yet you sit here and tell me you still need to take care of Larry, your son, who is older than your daughter, is putting himself through law school, and is engaged to be married.”
