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But today, I don’t feel like going out and having a meal with my other child. It’s been a hard week at work, and I was working from home yesterday. I just want time on my own, no company or anything. Natalie will understand.
Well, there is a company I want, but I don’t think Megan will agree to it.
I call Natalie as I slump at my desk, feeling a little guilty that I was neglecting my daughter. It wasn’t her fault. She would understand what was going on.
For the most part. I’ve never told Natalie that I have feelings for her friend. She and Megan are close, and she’s not very good at keeping secrets. I don’t want her to find out about what Megan and I did the night of the engagement party. That is not something I want my daughter to know about.
Natalie picks up on the third ring. “Hey, Dad. I was just about to head out to meet you.”
“Sorry about the bad timing, honey, but I’m going to have to cancel.”
“Cancel?” Natalie’s bright tone turns concerned. “Why? Has something happened?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m just not going to be good company today.” I lean back in my chair and close my eyes. “I just want to be on my own before I deal with everything tomorrow.”
If anyone can understand, it’s my younger daughter. She’s very mature for her age, and I love that about her.
“I see.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart…”
“No, it’s fine. I get it. Especially with all the mayhem lately, I’m surprised you haven’t had a break,” Natalie giggles. “Well, apart from Martha’s Vineyard not too long ago, although I wouldn’t call that relaxing.”
“You mean about the power cut?” I ask innocently.
“Yeah, whatever you say.”
I have a feeling she knows what happened there. Megan must have said something. At least she’s not shy.
“Anyway, I was half-expecting you to call out of lunch,” Natalie says.
“What? Why would you think I could cancel?”
“Because I got the invitation to Anna’s wedding,” she says. “And Mom’s been complaining about not being able to get hold of you.”
“What?”
I check my phone, only to realize that I had put it on silent the night before. There are several missed calls from my ex-wife, along with quite a few messages. I don’t want to check any of them; I can only imagine the content.
“I hadn’t noticed,” I sigh.
“I wasn’t sure, but I thought Mom would have put you in a bad mood.”
“You are talking about your own mother, Natalie.”
Natalie scoffs. “Even I know she’s a pain in the backside. Besides, you know she prefers Anna to me. Why would I be nice to her when she can’t be nice to me?”
She did have a point. I’d told Caitlin long ago that favoring one child over another is going to end up with consequences she wouldn’t be able to cope with, but Caitlin didn’t care. She said Anna was beautiful and she needed to invest all her time in the child she thought would succeed, which meant Natalie got ignored by her. I had to make up for it, which is probably why Natalie and I have a close relationship and Anna’s is more superficial.
I should have put my foot down when they were kids, and then this wouldn’t be happening now.
“I haven’t heard anything, and I haven’t been down to the mailbox.” I don’t bother to hide a yawn. “What’s the date for the wedding?”
“Three weeks from now. On the 13th.”
“Three weeks? Isn’t that a little early? Surely, they would have the wedding out a bit further to get everything ready.”
Something tells me the urgency is coming from Eric. He wants his hands on Anna’s money as soon as possible.
