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“You’re already making her a partner! I’ve had to claw for every inch of what I’ve earned. How can you do this? Haven’t you learned a damn thing from your past?”
“You’ve earned everything you have, Michael. Both you and Matthew. No one denies that. But everything you have is because of what I’ve built with my blood and sweat since you were little. I’ve done everything, everything I could to create a business you could be proud of.”
The intense repulsion I had for him was almost physical. “How could I be proud to be tied to a cheater. Why would I believe anything you say to me?”
“Those are some crude accusations,Son. I get that you’re taken aback, but you should watch your tone and choose your words carefully. I am still your boss. Regardless of our relationship, you will show me some respect.”
“You want respect? Of course,” I laughed menacingly. “You, the very man who cheated on Mom, would demand respect. Like you showed her respect?”
“That’s enough!” he roared, leaping to his feet, hands pressed to the top of his desk, anger flashing in his eyes. “You will not speak to me that way!”
“Michael, stop it!” Matthew yelled. “What the hell are you doing?”
“Stay out of this, Matthew. I’m doing what I should’ve done years ago.” I glared at him, then turned back to my father. “Right, Dad? Why don’t we just have it out, right here and now, once and for all? You cheated on Mom. You’ve never admitted it. Don’t you want to come clean? It’ll probably feel good to do somethingrespectfulfor once.” I shoved his words back in his face. He straightened himself, his back rigid, his face red, his lips pressed together. “You’re nothing but a manipulative liar,” I finished.
“He never cheated on Elyse!” Stephanie shouted, then slapped a hand over her mouth, realizing her mistake in stepping into our family feud.
My father silenced her with a touch of his hand. Her eyes welled with tears. “Oh, Allan. I’m so sorry.”
A myriad of emotions crossed my father’s face—irritation, disappointment, sorrow, guilt. But he remained mute, sitting down with a heavy sigh.
Matthew met my eyes, his own wide with shock. Like he’d never in a million years imagine that I’d have the balls to say what I did. “Why would you say that?” His disbelief and dumbfounded expression astounded me. Was he seriously this delusional, in this much denial?
“Because it’s true.” I looked at my father. “Admit it. For once in your life, admit your faults,” I demanded.
My father remained silent. Stephanie’s hand on his shoulder created a united front.
“How could you say that?” Matthew pulled at me. “Dad didn’t cheat on Mom. She—” He stopped himself, seeming to have misgivings about what he was going to say.
“She what?” I sneered.
My brother looked lost, his eyes darting from my father to me. “Michael, I thought you knew . . . Mom cheated on Dad, not the other way around.”
I sneered at him. “You would say that, wouldn’t you? You would take his side. Figures.” They were both liars. Joined in harmony ever since our parents’ divorce. I would never be part of the inner circle. I’d always be an outsider.
“Clearly, you don’t know the truth, hiding your head up your ass, like you always do,” my brother snarled.
“Give me a break, Matthew. You have to take his side. You’re his favorite. His pride and joy. The golden child who can do no wrong.”
His lips lifted into a sneer. “What the hell? Are you kidding me? You’re his favorite! Always getting what you want!”
“What I want? I wanted to be in Florida! He gave it to you!”
“I don’t even want to be there!” he yelled back. “I wanted to be here in New York. But you got that gig. Well, until San Diego. But still.”
“Boys! Boys!” Stephanie screamed out. “Stop it! Going at each other like this, at each other’s throats, will not solve anything. You’re family, for god’s sake.”
Suddenly, something clicked in my brain. In all these years, I’d never actually asked either my mother or my father about the divorce. I just remembered my mother calling him a liar from time to time when she was ranting and thought I wasn’t listening. I’d just assumed. “Is what they said true, Dad?”
He sat heavy in his chair, closed his eyes, and exhaled a deep breath. He slowly opened his eyes, brought his hand to his mouth, drew it away. “I’ve never spoken ill about your mother. At least, I’ve tried my best not to.”
“No, you haven’t,” I agreed. “You’ve never really said much about her. But I guess that’s normal, considering. I need to know, Dad. I need to know the truth.”
He sighed again. “I’ve never wanted to come between you and your mother. Either of you,” he said, looking at Matthew too. “I hope you both know that. But, yes, Michael, it’s true.”
I felt like I’d been sucker punched. All this time. All these years, I’d been blaming my father for us not being a family. “Why does Matthew know this and I don’t? Why’d you tell him?”
“I didn’t tell him. Not until he confronted me one night several years back. But I made him swear to keep it to himself because I didn’t want things to get worse between you and me. You idolize your mother. I didn’t want you to think I was trying to sabotage your relationship with her. Maybe it was foolish. Maybe I should’ve talked to both of you together. But at the time, I thought I was doing the best thing for you, and for Matthew.”
