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A vein in my father’s temple pulses. “Do you know how much the twins’ soccer camp cost? Regan’s dance lessons? Maggie wants to study abroad in Italy next year. You’ll be in vet school.”
“I can take out loans or—”
“Cassia.” He stands and rounds the corner of his messy desk, taking the chair next to mine. “Honey, it’s important to me I’m able to provide for my family. I’m up for a huge promotion, and things should settle down a little bit soon. I love you kids more than anything else in the world. You’re my proudest accomplishment. Not all this.” He gestures around the big office. “Your mom and me…maybe I’ve used work as an excuse too many times. But when we spend time together, we fight or we sit in silence. That’s not how I want to spend the rest of my life, and I know your mom doesn’t either. People change. Relationships change. That’s just part of life.”
“That doesn’t mean you stop trying. It means you tryharder, Dad.”
“That’s always a nice idea. The reality is different. We’ve been together for a long time, your mom and me. We’re not happy together any longer. All we have in common now are you kids. And Iwillbe around to raise your siblings—and you, because you’ll be my baby girl even when you’re forty. I promise you that. This was a big decision, and it had been a long time coming. One I intended to be there to tell you.”
I nod, chewing furiously on my bottom lip.
“Does Elena have anything to do with this?”
My dad exhales, tugging at his tie to loosen the knot. “With the divorce? No. She’s a good friend and a trusted colleague. Is there a possibility we’ll have a different relationship in the future? I don’t know. Maybe. But my priority right now is you kids and work. That’s it. And I didn’t have an affair, if that’s what you’re really asking.”
“Mom isn’t a priority anymore?”
He sighs again, looking increasingly uncomfortable. “Of course she is. We’re getting divorced, though, Cassia. That means our feelings for each other have changed. Not our love for you kids.”
“How do you know they won’t change back?” I ask.
I hear the little kid my dad accused me of acting like in the tentative question. The innocent hope that things will always be okay.
“I think we’re way past that point, sweetheart.”
I blow out a long breath. “Will you be home for dinner?”
His eyes dart toward the stack of papers, and I know the answer.No.
“I should have asked…why aren’t you at school?”
“There’s a car wash at the animal shelter. It’s a fundraiser for the new kennels. I told Eileen I’d come back and help out. Holden and I drove down after we finished class for the day.”
“And how is Holden?”
Briefly, all I can see is bloody knuckles. I think part of me is still holding my breath after seeing the devastation on his face from finding out he wasn’t a match. Waiting for him to lash out again.
“He’s good. Busy with basketball, even though the season hasn’t even started. He’s taking the train to visit Sydney tomorrow.”
“He treats you well?”
I nod, my throat thick. I missed this with my dad, even if it’s a little awkward that the topic is my love life. It feels like those mornings before school when we’d talk about basketball and he’d ask about my grades.
“The best.”
My dad nods. “Good.”
“Well, I—” I clear my throat and stand, glancing at the stack of papers. “I’ll let you get back to work. Thanks for…talking.”
Halfway to the door, I hear him call my name.
I glance back. “Yeah.”
“I’ll be home for dinner, honey.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, battling the bizarre urge to cry. It’s not aneverything will be okayoryour mom and I are getting back together, but it’s something. And even if it doesn’t change the outcome, I’ll get to eat dinner with my entire family—minus Maggie—for the first time in a while.
“Okay. See you at home, Dad.”
