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He couldn’t imagine anyone actually doing something like that, but it’s what it felt like.
Like she was living out the command of Jesus, but she didn’t make it look hard or onerous, just natural.
He grabbed some bags of stuff and walked into the house with Pam and Charlene trailing behind, carrying a few odds and ends.
He typically ordered his groceries, and Pam picked them up for him, adding what she needed to make his meals to his order at the store.
As he set the stuff down on the counter, Pam said, “I’ve been hearing that there’s been someone out here at your house, and I wasn’t sure whether you were feeding her. I brought some extra cold cuts just in case. You always give me extra money, and I thought that might be something you might need. I know you like your sandwiches in the evening.”
Pam knew his habits as well as anyone. She’d been sweet and kind and a perfect find. He would miss her.
Charlene seemed like she was quite capable, and he wasn’t worried.
“Thank you, I’ve actually been making sandwiches for her. You know me pretty well.”
Pam nodded, her permed hair not moving but sticking in tight curls to her head.
“I didn’t tell you, but my daughter is coming this week. She’ll be here for two weeks.”
“Give me a list of the things that she likes, and I’ll make sure that she has plenty of options.” Charlene spoke like the thing she said didn’t twist Bryce’s insides.
He didn’t know what his daughter liked. He had no idea. He also didn’t know how much she usually ate. He didn’t know her at all.
Peyton’s words came back to him as he stood there, saying how her son was her responsibility and she would do the best she could for him. He hadn’t done what he should have done for his daughter. Hadn’t been a very good dad. Had been a terrible parent.
Sure, he hadn’t been addicted to drugs or in and out of rehab like Kendrick’s mom, but he treated her like a possession and not a person.
He’d wanted to protect her from teasing and any hardship she’d face because of him being infamous, but he couldn’t blame everything on his accident and cancel culture since he hadn’t spent that much time with her before.
He really had tried to justify what he had done by saying she was better off without him. The more he thought about it, the more he figured Peyton was probably right. Although, bringing his daughter here, having her around him, was going to require some sacrifice and even pain on his part. Pain because people were going to see him, they were going to make fun of him, they were going to tease her about him. He would see Kendrick’s pain, and that would hurt him the most.
He didn’t want his kid to be ashamed of him. He wanted his child to be proud of her parent.
“I’ll have to make a list and get back to you.” He’d have to call his daughter and ask. “Also, I know that the groceries are normally delivered on Monday, but I’m having some people over for Easter dinner, and I’d like it if you could pick up the things I order and bring them out.”
Pam would have agreed readily, but Charlene wasn’t quite as easygoing.
Her eyes narrowed. “I’m sorry. Fridays are very busy for me, and Saturday Owen has a baseball game, and I want to see it.”
He jerked his head up, wanting to ask about the other three days of the week, but he didn’t.
Why couldn’t he pick up his own groceries? He didn’t need Charlene to do it for him.
He wouldn’t even have considered it a couple of weeks ago, and her refusal might have made him angry.
“That’s fine. Come to think of it, I’ll get them.”
Was it just his imagination or did Charlene look a little satisfied? Like she got him to do exactly what she was hoping he would.
He wasn’t sure.
The ladies left soon after, and he showered and changed, going to his office and sitting down at his computer.
He had some investments he needed to check, and he needed to talk about a few things with his accountant and discuss something with one of his business partners.
With everything he was involved in, he was a silent partner, not wanting to show his face. Knowing that if he did, the canceling that he’d been through could possibly rub off on his business and cause it to lose money or even go out of business.
Lots of good people would lose their jobs if that happened, so he stepped back. Which suited him just fine, since he was ashamed of his face anyway.
