Total pages in book: 76
Estimated words: 73191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 73191 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 366(@200wpm)___ 293(@250wpm)___ 244(@300wpm)
“I left him,” I tell her.
“Okay, yeah, I get that. But what made you finally leave him?”
What was it that finally pushed me over the edge? I think it was a bit of everything. Finally seeing myself, realizing I was more than what he thought I could be, that I deserved to have more in life than just being a wife who barely survived, is the biggest reason.
I smile at Savannah and say, “We didn’t love each other. I think I stayed partially for the fact that he was all I had after our mother died.”
She hangs her head and wrings her hands in her lap as she says, “I’m sorry you felt that way. And I’m sorry I was such a shit sister.”
“It wasn’t on you,” I remind her. “And I’m doing good now.” I place my hand over hers and give a gentle squeeze.
We order room service and talk most of the night. I told her about Cody, how we stopped kissing and touching each other ages ago, and that it was bound to happen. She confessed that she never liked him but was thankful for his help when she needed it.
I say nothing on that subject.
Savannah asks me about my father. I told her that I had hired a private investigator, and when he found him, I searched for him on Facebook. He has two other kids—teenagers, possibly even adults now. I have a brother and sister that I knew nothing about.
That kind of hurts.
The following two days, we explored the city.
And by the weekend, it was finally time to meet my father.
When I walk into the restaurant, I see a man who looks so familiar to me, even though I’ve never met him. My sister is waiting at the hotel. I told her I wanted to do this alone, and at first, she was unsure, but I felt it was just something I had to do.
“Elizabeth?” he says, standing as I approach his table. He’s dressed in a very elegant suit and is the only man sitting by himself. “You look so much like her,” he adds, and my heart hurts a little when he says that. My mother had no family and hardly any friends. Those friends she did have disappeared after I got with Cody, so to hear that I look like her warms something inside of me.
“It’s just Lissie. Everyone calls me Lissie,” I tell him.
He nods and waves for me to sit.
I pull out a seat and put my bag in my lap nervously. My cell dings and I clutch it in one hand as I grip my bag with the other.
“It’s nice to meet you.” He sounds a bit nervous, his voice slightly wavering as he fidgets with his hands on the table.
“To be honest, I didn’t even know who you were until recently,” I tell him. “She never spoke of you.” He scratches his cheek, and I notice his short stubble is graying, but he looks good. I would guess he’s in his late forties, but I know he’s in his fifties.
“I have two other children,” he blurts, which I already knew thanks to stalking him on social media due to the PI that found him. “I told them about you, and they would like to meet you if you’re up for that.” My thumb swipes up and down my bag strap. “My wife is also excited to meet you,” he adds.
“Why did you never reach out?” I ask.
He sighs. “I was scared. Your mother was a lot like a roller coaster. And while I was on the ride, I enjoyed it. But when I got off and back to real life… well, that was different.” I look at him, confused.
“My wife was angry at me for years, so I stayed away. She knew I sent your mother money but never really said much else, and, to be honest, I was afraid if I brought you up to her again, she would want to leave me, as it would remind her of the mistake I made.” I hone in on only one word “mistake,” and he notices me bristle. “I don’t think of you as a mistake, Lissie. My judgment was the mistake.” I suck in a breath and nod.
“A few years back, I tried to reach out to you, but your husband told me to stay away, that you never wanted to know me, and that if I ever contacted you, he would call the police and put a restraining order on me.” He takes a breath. “I didn’t want to fuck up your life more than I already did.”
What he says about Cody shocks me. Why did I never know about this? I would not have turned him away. I needed someone other than Cody.
Though I am partly to blame for that, let’s face it, so I can’t be angry.