by S. L. Scott
“It’s easy to stand in your shoes when there’s nothing to lose, Mr. Ryder. I love my wife and would never want anything bad to happen to her either. I suppose you feel strongly for my daughter, but will she always feel as strongly about you when you are struggling to get by? How will you support her?”
“I will do everything I can for her, but she wants independence as well. She wants to work after graduation. She wants to do a lot of stuff with her life, and I’ll be there supporting her instead of suppressing her.” He looked her father straight in the eyes and lowered his voice, deep and confident. “I’ll take whatever part of her life she’s willing to share with me because I love her that much. And if . . . if she decides she needs or wants her old life and to move back in with you, I’ll support her decision on that, too. But until that day, I will cherish every second I get the honor of spending with her.” William smirked. “I have to warn you, though. I’m not going away anytime soon. I’d like her to be on good terms with your family. I think family’s important, but your fate rests in Evie’s hands, not mine.”
“That’s a good point you’ve brought up. Family. Your parents have been married twenty-six years. Your dad has had the same blue-collar job for the entire time. Yes, he’s moved up in the ranks, but his pay is still measly—”
“He makes a good living, and he has a family that loves and respects him. Don’t drag my family into this.” It pissed William off that he had dug up information on his family.
“I want to make sure if Evie chooses . . .” He stopped to signal around the room again, “…this, that she’ll be taken care of.”
“She’s my top priority. I can’t guarantee her millions, or that I’ll be rich at all, but I can guarantee her she will never feel a lack of love from me and after that bastard is dealt with, she’ll never live in fear again.” William took a defensive stance and crossed his arms, standing and waiting for what Richard would throw at him next.
Something turned in that instant. The tone of the conversation changed. Richard Wright’s expression changed almost as if he believed William.
Opening his wallet, Richard pulled two one-hundred dollar bills out and set them on the desk. “My daughter apparently loves you, my other daughter raves you’re a good person, my wife misses her daughter, and she wants us to make amends. So I’m here. William, I hope it’s all right if I call you that?” He offered his hand. As William hesitantly shook it, Richard added, “I needed to see her living arrangements with my own eyes. I’m not thrilled with this set up, but my daughter seems to be and I care about her despite what you choose to believe.” He took a breath as regret colored his expression. “I don’t apologize for my actions or decisions. I never have, which is why I’ve been successful, but I didn’t believe my daughters. I took Mr. Whitney’s word over my own children and not only did they have to pay the price, especially Everleigh, but now I am. I’ve lost her trust.” Richard gulped. “So to repair my relationship with her, I will apologize to her and I want you to know that Mr. Whitney won’t come near her again.”
“How can you promise that? I’ve been by her side as much as possible and I can’t promise that. She lives in fear of him. He threatened to take her if she didn’t come back.”
“I’m handling Mr. Whitney. That’s all you need to know.”
Richard Wright’s words sounded so final, that for a brief second an image of that bastard with cement blocks being dumped into the Hudson came to William’s mind.
“Please stay true to your word and take care of Everleigh.” Richard pointed to the money on the desk. “And take her out for a decent meal.”
William nodded and opened the door for him. Her father stopped just outside the door. “Everleigh knows where to find me if she ever needs, well, if she ever needs anything. Thank you for your time.”
* * *
Lying on the bed holding a plastic cup on his chest, William watched as Evie came through the front door an hour later. Their eyes met, and she instantly knew something was wrong. He didn’t greet her as he normally did or even say hello, so she set her purse down and noticed the whiskey bottle on the floor next to the bed. She couldn’t gauge his mood and his silence made her nervous. She walked to the bed and sat down next to him. Holding the cup to her nose to verify its contents, she asked. “Are we celebrating?”
He took the cup from her and emptied the remaining drops into his mouth. Looking around the room, she searched for clues, hesitant to ask straight out what was wrong. She saw two one-hundred dollar bills on the desk, which was odd and stood out. Directing her eyes to his face, she pushed the hair off his forehead. “You want to talk about it?”
“I need to know if something bad happens—”
“We’ll handle it together.”
“If something happens to me, you won’t go back to him. I could never rest in peace if you went back to him. I’m sorry I can’t give you more and I don’t have a bigger apartment with a proper sized bed in it, and you have to eat apples instead of tartlets and other fancy French foods.”
Evie’s mouth dropped open as she realized the base of all of William’s fears. Rest in peace? Back to Tom? “I would never go back to him, ever, William. I don’t need anything else. Only you. I love this twin bed and now wonder how I slept in a queen all alone for so many years. This place is my home. It’s what I picture when I think of the word home. And, did you ever think that maybe I like noodles and fruit?”
“I don’t want to be a phase. I don’t want to be a novelty.”
She stopped breathing while he spoke, but through her own pain she could clearly see his. With a need and no thought behind hit, she straddled his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and leaning her forehead against his. She whispered, “Where did this come from?” She sighed. “I love you, William. You are not a phase. You are my life. Don’t ever cheapen my feelings for you.”
He took her face in his hands and kissed her. Their eyes watered as their lips parted. “I will love you, forever, Evie. I will do my best to make our life together happy.”
“I know you will,” she said without hesitation. They kissed again. “I will too,” she quickly added, but then rested her head on his chest, so he couldn’t see her face.
“I know it’s hard for you sometimes, maybe all the time to open up, but I need you to open up for me.” He stroked her cheek with his hand. “I need to know what you’re thinking, how you feel.”
When she lifted her head, a tear slid down her cheek. “I’ve been locked inside myself for years. I don’t mean to keep anything from you. I try to show you when the words don’t come. I don’t want to lose you. I’m scared I will.”
“You won’t lose me. Trust me, Evie. Please trust me.”
“I do, or I wouldn’t be here. I’m here because I want to be, because I want to be with you.” Feeling the weight of the scales of her heart tipping to the side of love, she chose to love him openly and freely, to trust him and to not keep anymore secrets. She kissed his lips, soft and gentle, a promise to trust in him and their love. “So why are you drinking?”
Now it was William’s turn to look away, his gaze distant. “Your dad showed up.”
She sat upright, still straddling him, but staring down at him.
He sat up with his hands on her hips as if she would fly away at what he had to say. “He stopped by to talk to me. You know, ‘a protective father making sure his eldest daughter is being looked after properly’ kind of check-up.”
“He called you a phase, didn’t he?” She gulped, glancing over at the money.
“He was surprised you hadn’t moved back home yet, if that’s what you mean.”
“I am home. As long as I’m with you, I’m home. Don’t—”
“He knows you’re working.”
“Don’t let him ever make you doubt what we have together—”
“I don’t.”
“Ever, William! Don’t let them taint us. Don’t let them ruin us.”
He cocked an eyebrow
up at her and smirked. He loved when she got feisty and it reassured his soul to witness her strength and passion about them. To spite all odds against them, he had no more doubts. “I won’t. Never.”
Like every night they fell asleep together, they were wrapped up in each other—solid in love and content in happiness.
The next morning after saying good-bye, they went their separate directions—William went to the university and Evie went to work her shift at Bean There. At two o’clock, the bell chimed on the coffee shop door causing Evie to look up to see her mother walking through the doorway. Her parents had been on her mind ever since William mentioned them last night, but she didn’t expect a visit. She smiled, deep down happy to see her.
Her mother looked so excited to see Everleigh, but nervous to approach.
Tracy could see the resemblance and felt the instant awkwardness between them. “Take fifteen if you want.”
Evie took off her apron and went to her mom, glad she was there, and took her by the hand to lead her to a table outside.
“Hello, I’ve missed you,” Kitty Wright said in a soft and loving tone as they sat down.
Although Evie was glad to see her, the pain she held inside bubbled to the surface. “I want to tell you I’ve missed you, but you weren’t involved in my life enough before to be missed.”
Kitty could see the anger in her daughter’s eyes. “Everleigh, I came to apologize to you.”
“I don’t need your apology.” She leaned across the table and looked her straight in the eyes. “You don’t get to choose when we make up or even if we do. I do. That’s my choice. I make my decisions now.”
The pain of Everleigh’s tone flashed across her mother’s face. She looked down at her purse in her lap and then back up. “I deserve everything you’re saying to me and worse. I . . . I didn’t know and I know that’s not an excu—”
“No, it’s not. I tried to tell you and Dad, and I was dismissed as if I was insignificant to you. I pleaded to you that day on campus to listen to me.”
“We weren’t disregarding you. We were caught up in—”
“Honestly, Mother, I don’t give a damn what you were caught in.”
Her mother stood up. “Maybe I shouldn’t have come. Audrey warned me you might be hostile.”
“Hostile? This is hostile? I’m sorry if you’re uncomfortable hearing the truth. That truth is my reality and I was uncomfortable living it. This was my life that you, Dad, and Tom were destroying. You all made me believe I owed you something, like my happiness wasn’t worth as much as money or your happiness.”
Kitty sat back down, listening to her daughter. When Evie looked at her for answers, her mom said, “Audrey told us everything Tom did to you. We don’t deserve your trust or your forgiveness, although, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want it.”
Evie wasn’t open-minded to her parents, it felt too soon for that, but she wasn’t closed-hearted either. She dropped her head into her hands and closed her eyes. After a long, deep breath she exhaled, and looked up. “I don’t know if I can forgive you for what you put me through. You hurt me when you took his side over mine.”
Her mother reached across the table and placed her hand on top of Evie’s. “I understand. We failed you in many ways. I’m sorry. If I knew . . .” Kitty started crying. She couldn’t face her daughter, her shame overwhelming her delicate features. “I’m so sorry, Everleigh.” She stood up abruptly and dabbed at the corner of her eyes with her knuckles. Her daughter had been through hell and no amount of apologies would change that. “I’ll do whatever it takes to have you in my life again and I’ll be a better mother because you deserve one. You were always a beautiful light in my eyes that we somehow managed to dim by surrounding you with darkness. I’m truly sorry. I should go. I know your break is almost over.”
Evie stood up not knowing what to do, or think, or say. The feelings and words she had wanted to share with her mother for so long came rushing out. “I’m in love with William. One day, I’m going to marry him. He makes me that happy.”
An inkling of hope bloomed, and Kitty smiled, trying to be there for her daughter now. “Tell me more about him. Tell me about your William.”
Evie looked out at the street then back again. “I love him. I know he’s the one I’m supposed to be with.”
“Would you consider bringing him to dinner? Maybe Sunday. We would like to get to know him better.”
Evie looked at the sincerity in her mother’s eyes, and replied, “I’ll ask him.”
Her mother glanced at her watch, looking disappointed. “Your fifteen minutes is up, but I need you to know our home is always your home and you’re both welcome there anytime, Everleigh.”
Evie was sad they didn’t get to discuss more due to the time restraints. “Thank you.” She grabbed her mother and pulled her into a tight embrace. “We’ll be there for dinner. Thank you.”
Kitty Wright cried, but spoke through her tears. “I apologize we didn’t help you when you needed us. I’m so very sorry, Everleigh.”
They hugged one more time while professing their apologies and love for each other. When Evie returned to work, she smiled, feeling like she finally had the support she always craved from her family.
Chapter 33
Evie and William walked hand-in-hand into the lobby of her parents building fifteen minutes earlier than they were expected for dinner.
Walter smiled while holding the door wide open for the young couple. “It’s a pleasure to see you both again.”
“Thank you,” she said, feeling sentimental in his presence. She released William and grabbed the doorman into a tight hug. “Thank you so much.”
“I’m just an old softie.” He embraced her back. “Don’t get me started.”
She let him go and laughed as a tear slipped down her cheek. William handed her a tissue he took from the table in the lobby. With an arm around her shoulders, he said, “She’s been a bit emotional all day. It’s a big deal for us to be here.”
“William, I’m glad to see you again and not sneaking around like before, walking in escorting Miss Wright the proper way.” Walter was teasing William, but the message was clear.
The two men shook hands, and William said, “She’s right. We have a lot to thank you for. You’re a good man, Walter.”
“No thanks necessary.” Walter pushed the elevator button for them and smiled. “You take care of her, all right?”
“It’ll be my pleasure.”
Four minutes later, William was starting to sweat as they stood outside the Wright’s residence. He gulped and ran his hand through his hair.
“It’s all good now. No worries. Okay, baby,” Evie whispered while squeezing his hand in reassurance.
The door opened, and it was Evie’s father. Her mouth dropped open in surprise as he greeted them warmly, shaking William’s hands, and hugging his daughter. “You answered the door?” she asked as he held her.
“I was excited to see you.” When they separated, he looked Evie over. “You look well. Life is good?”
Evie hadn’t seen her father like this in years. He was smiling and actually looked younger to her with his happy expression.
Evie turned, her guard not down all the way and took William by the hand again, pulling him to her. “Life is very good. Thank you.”
“Well, come in. Come in.” Richard stepped to the side to let them enter the apartment. “I don’t know what’s keeping your mother. Maybe you can check on her. William and I can have a drink and a chat.”
Evie looked at William, silently checking to make sure he would be all right. He nodded and she kissed him on the lips then disappeared down the hall, leaving the two men alone.
Richard walked over to the antique cherry buffet table by the window and turned over two crystal glasses. He held up a decanter. “Whiskey, right?”
“Nothing too fancy. The Tennessee kind is good with me.”
Richard chuckled under his breath as he poured the two drinks
. William may not have much money, but he had pride and that was currently on full display. Richard handed him a glass and said a toast. “To Everleigh.”
“To Evie.” William challenged with a smile.
Richard grinned while looking at his drink then looked back up at the young man in front of him. “Tell me how she’s really doing, please.”
“Her life has changed a lot, but she’s happy.”
“She looks happy. I can see it in her eyes. It’s as if there’s life back in them. It’s nice to see the change.”
William took another swig of his drink, choosing not to say anything and let Richard lead the conversation.
“It’s ironic that as a parent you think you’re doing things the best you can. Come to find out that you suck as a parent. This whole situation has been a real eye-opener.” Richard sat down in one of the wingback chairs, his face taking on a more somber expression. “I can already tell you’re a better man than I ever was. What you’ve done for my daughter, for my family, it’s more than most would do. I didn’t even know she had a friend at school and come to find out her deceiving us and Tom would be the very thing that saved her life.”
“She would have left him on her own. She was going to. Evie’s stronger than you give her credit for. She survived.”
“Yes, I’m slowly finding out more details of what she was living through because of us. I thought that union would solidify our family and get the Wright name the respect it deserves. I put a heavy burden on her at a young age, but I was blinded by so many things at the expense of Everleigh.” He huffed as if he was annoyed. “I’m trying to say thank you and apologize. I’m not good with either, I guess.”
William leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. “I appreciate that, but as I said last week, you owe her the apologies, not me.”
