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“What are you doing here, Dad? How did you know where I was?”
“I know Mom goes to Cleveland on a regular basis, and I checked her car. She puts your postcode into the SATNAV.”
I make a mental note to tell Grandma that she needs to keep a closer eye on her car keys.
“That explains how you know where I live, but what about here? Did you follow me?”
“I did. I arrived in time to see you leave.” Dad looks a little sheepish, hands shoved into his pockets. “I spent a good couple of hours sitting in my car, bracing myself to come and see you. It’s been agonizing.”
“Well, it’s going to be agonizing now, because you’re going back to where you came from,” I snap.
“Elle…”
“No, Dad. I cut off contact with you for a good reason. Actually, two good reasons. I’m not getting back in contact with you for anything. Certainly not for my daughter, and definitely not for me.”
Dad looks upset about this. I don’t really care. He didn’t care when he went off in the middle of Mom’s funeral to get married to his side piece, so why should I care about him now?
“Please, Elle…” Dad hesitates. “I want to talk to you. Just talk. Is that too much to ask?”
“What about?”
“It’s delicate. I don’t really want to do that in the middle of a parking lot.” He gives me a pleading look. “Please, can we go elsewhere and talk?”
I don’t want to go anywhere, especially not with Amy. But he looks desperate about wanting to talk to me.
If I give him a few minutes of what he wants, maybe he’ll leave me alone properly.
“How long are you in Cleveland?” I ask. “Is this a flying visit or are you staying somewhere?”
“Today it’s a flying visit, but I can come back another time.” Dad now looks hopeful. “You’ll see me, then?”
“I’ll organize a date and time through Grandma. You can get details from her.”
“I can’t have your number again?”
I shake my head.
“I don’t trust you, Dad. I don’t feel comfortable giving you my number.”
“But I’m your father!”
“And you betrayed Mom and broke my trust. You want to get that back? You’re going to have to earn it.”
I think Dad wants to argue about that, but he backs down. He’s not completely lost all common sense.
“Okay. Fine. I’ll do that.”
“But I do have a condition.” I hold up a finger. “Megan is not to be part of this. I don’t want her anywhere near me or my daughter.”
Dad looks annoyed.
“She’s your stepmother, Elle.”
“Correction: she’s your wife. She’s not my stepmother, and I will never consider that homewrecker as part of the family. If you want to discuss something with me, I’ll entertain you, but if she’s coming with you, I will walk away and you’ll never be able to speak to me again.”
Dad stares at me.
“You would make me ditch my family because of that?” he demands. “I can’t do that.”
