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I glance around Joel’s shoulder and take a look at Anna’s face. Her mouth has dropped open, and she looks stunned. Then she starts to cry.
“Don’t you love me anymore, Dad?” she wails. “Why are you being so mean?”
“Don’t do that, Anna. It’s pathetic. You’re a grown woman, so behave like one.” Joel turns to Caitlin. “The least you can do is help her. I don’t care what you do beyond that, but she’s your daughter.”
“She’s yours as well!” Caitlin points out.
“At this point, I’m not comfortable calling her my daughter. I didn’t raise either child to behave in such a foul fashion. If she wants to be considered my daughter again, she needs to put her big girl pants on and grow up. Now, Megan and I are going to leave now.”
“No!” Anna cries, but Joel glares at her.
“We are going to leave. Natalie will as well. She will give you thirty minutes to leave yourself, and if you don’t the police will be called. You don’t want any problems from us, do you? Then do as you’re told and get out.”
Anna is still sobbing, while Caitlin looks furious.
Her hands clench into fists. “You’re going to abandon your daughter, are you?”
“If this was through no fault of her own, I’d be helping without her having to ask. But she brought this upon herself. I’m sorry that sounds harsh, but when you take someone’s boyfriend away from them, rub it in the woman’s face, and try to auction her off before assaulting them, you have to deal with it alone. I’m not helping that.”
Joel takes my hand and leads me toward the door, nodding at Natalie. “Give them half an hour before you come home. That should give them enough time to leave.”
“They’d better,” Natalie grumbles as she follows us. “I’m not in the mood to deal with this shit.”
Neither am I. Especially when Anna’s sobbing is making my head hurt.
***
Joel
I don’t stop walking as Megan, Natalie and I leave the house. As Natalie goes to her car and gets in, Megan and I get into my car. I don’t look around as I pull away and drive off. My head is still pounding from all the screaming and my anger at Anna’s audacity is simmering away. She knew that I wouldn’t pay for anything. I made that very clear in the beginning, and she still tries to make me pay the bill.
I do feel bad for putting it back on my daughter, but she put herself in this position and hurt Megan. She made mistakes and behaved awfully, so she had to deal with it herself. Anna would understand eventually.
Maybe.
Neither Megan nor I speak as I drive, although I’m sure Megan is wondering where we’re going. For now, I don’t really know, either. I just want to find somewhere quiet to hide and get through this madness without losing my temper. Having Megan with me is helping me calm, just a little.
Finally, I stop driving by the beach. It’s busy today despite the cool weather, those who are braving the wind having fun it seems. I go to the least populated part of the beach where the small parking lot is deserted and pull up in the farthest space from the exit. Then I finally turn off the engine and stare out of the window at the beach. The waves are rolling, and they look turbulent here. It almost fits how I’m feeling right now.
“Joel?”
I look around. Megan is watching me, her expression concerned. I reach over and take her hand.
“I’m okay. I just need time to calm down.”
“Do you want me to do anything for you? Or do you just want me to sit here?” she asks.
I hadn’t planned on her doing anything to make me feel better. But now an idea is forming in my mind, and it’s more erotic than I anticipated.
I pull her closer. “Maybe you can do something for me.”
Megan accepts my kiss, shifting as close as the seat will allow her. I want her closer than that. Now that I’ve got her in my arms the anticipation is practically making my skin crawl. I can’t think of anything else.
She squeals as I shift her across the car and make her straddle my lap. She breaks the kiss and stares at me. “What are you doing?”
“What does it look like?” I grin at her.
“We’re in public! Someone could see us!”
