Page 73 of Loyal
“I wish I could make it better for you, but you know even if I had stayed with your father, things wouldn’t be happy. I wouldn’t be happy.”
She shakes her head. “What does happiness matter? You were married. You took vows. Then you decided to break them. Now you are dating some teenager who wears a vest and rides a motorcycle. Honestly, it makes you look desperate. It makes me look like the daughter of a fool. You’re happy, though, so I’m supposed to be happy for you, right? Who cares how it blew up my life?”
“That’s not what I’m saying. As for the vows, I took those when I was sixteen years old and eight months pregnant. I was coerced into it by being told that if I didn’t marry your father that I would be living in sin and that I wouldn’t be able to support you. Every decision in my life up until the divorce I made for you. I’m sorry that it finally came to the point whereI couldn’t stay anymore. I wish I could have pushed it all down and pretended everything was all right. You would be blissfully happy and ignorant, and I would still be stuck in a loveless relationship, wondering when life was going to end,” I say, being fully honest with her for the first time in my life.
She looks over at me, sadness in her eyes. “Was Dad really that bad?”
“I don’t want to bad-talk him. He is still your father, but he wasn’t a good match for me. He wanted someone to put on his shelf so he could take her down whenever he needed. I wanted a partner who shared everything with me. We weren’t compatible. I am truly sorry I stayed as long as I did. If I had left sooner, maybe you would have been able to see what a good relationship looks like.”
She snorts. “If you had left sooner, your boyfriend would have been illegal.”
“That was uncalled for,” I snap at her.
“No, it’s the truth. I’m tired of this. Can you just ground me or whatever you are planning to do and get it over with? I’d like to go home now.”
I shake my head, feeling hopeless. I have no idea how to help her. How to get through to her.
“Yeah, baby. Let’s go home.”
I keep looking at my phone waiting for an update. I am so close to asking Dex to trace Farrah’s phone.
I cannot believe she skipped school. It’s like the girl is lashing out for no other reason than to make her mom’s life hell. I knowBilly is asking her to do it, but I can’t believe Farrah would go along with it. What kind of greedy child do you have to be to purposely hurt the woman who raised you?
Sami is such a caring person. She doesn’t deserve this.
“What has you frowning at your phone?” Viv asks as she comes over to the end of the bar I’m sitting at.
“Farrah, Sami’s daughter, skipped school. I asked if she wanted me to help, but she said no. I’m waiting on an update.”
Viv nods. “It’s hard because you want to be there for Sami and care for Farrah, but it’s also not your place.”
“Exactly. Farrah doesn’t like me much, so that doesn’t help. It’s just that I take two steps forward and then I feel like the universe pushes us four steps back. I can’t gain traction, and it makes me wonder when Sami is going to decide I’m not worth all of this trouble,” I admit.
“Sami is worth it?” she asks.
“Absolutely. I could weather any storm for her. Farrah too. I know she hates me, but I want to be at least a friend for her. I know she’s too old to view me as another parental figure, but I don’t want her to hate me.”
“How old is she again?” Viv asks.
“Seventeen.”
“Ouch. That’s a hard age. You are basically trying to win an adult over. I know Sami mentioned issues with the ex. As long as those exist, Farrah is going to see you through her father’s eyes. I’m not sure she will ever grow to like you. The question is, is that a deal breaker?”
I shake my head. “Not for me, but it might be for Sami. I won’t come between her and her daughter any more than I already have. To be honest, they were having issues before I came into the picture. Her daughter wants the perfect family she thought she had. She has no idea that it was all a lie. If I have to wait for Billy to approve of me, it will never happen. He is apiece of shit who thinks he owns Sami. He will never let her go willingly.”
Viv nods, a flash of understanding in her eyes. “I understand that. All you can do is be there for her. She knows you would be there by her side looking for Farrah. You told her as such. She declined because she feels she needs to deal with this herself. She will update you, and things will be fine. Every relationship has its storm. It’s all about how you shelter yourself from it to come out on the other side. I think you and Sami have what it takes to get through this.”
“Thanks, Viv. That means a lot. Will you be riding any storms in your future?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Not any time soon. I’m enjoying actually living for once. I’m not ready to tie down the hatches.”
Footsteps have us both turning to look. Dex comes out with a tablet in his hand.
When Viv sees him, her cheeks redden.
“Maybe you are more ready than you think,” I murmur.
“Dex doesn’t see me. He’s obsessed with germs and his computer. I’m dirty. I would taint him,” she admits softly.
