“We’re supposed to be a family. Families make choices together about what’s best for everyone, not just for the one in charge.”
Her words seared the air between us. I had no idea what to say. “Listen, I-”
“You took me away from all my friends.” Her lips quivered for a moment, and then the dam broke. “My mom dies, and you make me leave everyone I know and move across the country, and all I ever wanted was a family like Cherise has-a mom and a dad-and when Mom met you, I thought maybe it would happen, just maybe I’d finally have someone to teach me the things dads are supposed to teach their daughters-I don’t know, like about life or guys or whatever and maybe come to my volleyball games and make me do my homework when I don’t want to and tell me I’m pretty sometimes and give me a hard time about my boyfriends and take a picture of me in my prom dress and then stand by my side one day when I get married…”
My heart was breaking, wrenching in half, but I felt powerless. “I never knew-”
By then tears were rolling down her cheeks. “You never asked!” Her voice was ripe with pain.
“I’m so sorry, Tessa, I-”
She grabbed the necklace box and threw it at my chest. The tourmaline necklace clattered to the floor. “You can keep your stupid necklace, Patrick!” She rose from the table. “You can’t buy my love!”
Tessa swept out of the room, and I sat there, stunned, suspended in time. A cold silence swallowed the room.
Go to her. Tell her you’re sorry. Do something!
I stood up and started for her room. Stopped with one foot in the hallway.
Wait. You need to give her some space. Right now that’s what she needs… remember? Reach out to her slowly… That way she knows you’re not going to hurt her.
Maybe I could drive over to the federal building, retrieve the rest of my things, and then come back to straighten things out. I didn’t want to push her, pressure her. I wanted to respect her, show her I really did care.
I slipped into the master bedroom, grabbed my wallet, and then plugged Ralph’s cell phone in so that when he picked it up later it would be charged. As I passed Officers Muncey and Stilton on my way through the dining room, Patricia Muncey asked what was up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” I mumbled, preferring not to explain what was really up.
The black cat nearly tripped me as it jumped out of the way when I threw open the front door. Once outside, I had to turn my collar up against the freezing rain that had begun to splinter through the dark morning clouds.
I climbed into the car and headed to the federal building. All around me the day seemed soaked with the foretaste of death.