Chapter 67

The week away from school for Sloane and the few days Graham and I took off work were supposed to be a time for relaxation and bonding, but instead, it felt like we were walking on eggshells in our own home. Graham suggested we take a few days off to help ease Sloane into our new reality. I had hoped we could spend quality time together as a family. Unfortunately, Sloane's icy demeanor made it clear that she wanted nothing to do with us.

She hated us.

Sloane's reaction to catching us was immediate and visceral. I honestly thought she would be ready to talk after a few hours, but she fled to her friend Beth's house. I figured she would talk to her friend, feel better, and then come home so we could talk things out. The first day turned into two nights spent at Beth's house. When she finally did come home, she gave us the silent treatment.

No matter what I tried, I couldn't seem to break through the barrier she had erected between us. I cooked her favorite meals, offered to watch movies together, even tried to engage her in conversation about school or her friends. But each attempt was met with a stony silence or a curt dismissal.

Graham was doing his best as well, but she had iced him out. We stayed busy, unpacking and settling in, but I knew it was weighing on him as well. Our happy home had turned into a nightmare.

As we sat down for breakfast on the second day of Sloane's silent treatment, tension hung in the air. Sloane emerged from her room. Her expression was guarded as she took her seat at the table.

"Did you want to have a pool party this weekend?" I asked. "Graham and I talked about it and we think it would be nice for all of your friends to see your new house."

"No."

I exchanged a worried glance with Graham. It wasn't getting better. I hated this. I wasn't used to her icing me out. How had we ended up here, estranged from the one person who meant the world to us both?

"We could schedule for another weekend if you'd like," Graham said.

Sloane shook her head, not meeting our eyes. "You guys aren't going to make this better by throwing a stupid pool party."

"Sloane, I get you're upset, but you need to be respectful," Graham said firmly.

She pushed her plate away and stood up, leaving the room in silence. It was as if she was trying to cut herself out of our lives, and we had no idea how to reach her. We sat at the table for a few moments, staring at the untouched food. Neither of us knew what to say or do next.

"Well this is going really well," I muttered. "No matter how hard we try, she has put up impenetrable walls.

"We'll figure this out," he said.

I nodded, trying to swallow past the lump in my throat. "I hope so," I whispered, feeling the weight of Sloane's absence like a physical ache in my chest.

"We need to stop pushing. She's not going anywhere. The more we ask, the more it feeds this tantrum, and yes, it's a tantrum. She's acting like an adult but not. Aren't you supposed to tell them to use their words?"

I chuckled. "When they're three."

"Well, she can use her words. I refuse to accept we did anything wrong."

"You're going to have to be the tough one," I sighed. "She knows she can hurt me with the silent treatment. I'll roll over and show my soft underbelly."

"I won't," he said. "Not about this."

While we were cleaning up the breakfast mess, Sloane came into the kitchen. I felt a glimmer of hope. I thought she might actually be ready to talk to us.

"Yes?" I asked.

"Can I go to Beth's?" Sloane asked.

I wanted to protest, to beg her to stay and talk things out with us, but the fight had drained me of my resolve. "Sure," I replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. "I'll take you."

"Beth's parents are coming to get me," she muttered.

"Okay, but you'll need to be home for dinner," I said, trying to remember I was the parent in this situation.

She rolled her eyes. "Fine."

She stomped away, going outside to wait for her friend.

Graham's hand found mine, offering silent support in the face of our daughter's silent rebellion. "It's going to be fine. I was going to go to the gym, but maybe you and I can go shopping for the kitchen. You said you wanted to get a new set of pots and pans."

"No, you go ahead," she said.

He looked uncomfortable. "Maybe you should call Holly, take your mind off things for a bit."

"That's a good idea." I nodded. "I need to get out of here for a bit, clear my head."

"Good plan." He smiled and dropped a kiss on my lips before going up to his room. The worst part about all of this was the fact we were still essentially grounded from each other. We didn't want to upset Sloane any more by sleeping in the same room. So, our secret was out and we still couldn't be together like we wanted to.

I reached for my phone to call Holly, praying she was free. She was still at work, but we made plans to meet for lunch in an hour. It would be a welcome distraction, a chance to escape the suffocating weight of Sloane's silence for a little while.

I went upstairs to get ready. I planned on talking to her about Sloane, but I also wanted to check in with her about this guy, Ben. In the few texts we had exchanged over the last couple of weeks, she had told me she was still seeing the guy. Six dates seemed like a significant milestone for Holly. I wanted to hear all the details. It would serve as a nice distraction for my own problems.

"I'm going," I said to Graham.

He had just pulled on his workout shirt, flashing those gorgeous abs I loved so much. "You're going to have lunch with Holly?"

"Yes."

He put his hands on my hips, looking into my eyes. "Good. Try not to worry about Sloane. This is teenage drama. It will pass."

"I hope so," I sighed. "How long will you be gone?"

"A few hours." He shrugged. "You?"

"Same." I nodded. "I already texted Sloane and let her know we were both going into the city for a bit. I offered to take her but you can probably guess how that went."

He chuckled. "Don't worry about it. Go have some you time."

"I love you," I said, going up on my toes to kiss him.

"I love you."

The drive into the city was beautiful, lifting some of the fog from me. I left my car with the valet and went into the restaurant to wait for Holly.

She arrived a few minutes later, looking stunning in a flowy sundress. We hugged and ordered iced teas. No business lunch today, although I could have used a drink.

"I wasn't expecting to hear from you this week," she said.

"I needed a break."

"Uh oh, marital bliss isn't working out?" she teased.

"We aren't married, but before we get to that, tell me about your man. How's the love life?"

Holly's eyes lit up and she launched into a lively recounting of her budding romance with Ben. I listened, genuinely happy for her as she described the butterflies in her stomach and the way Ben made her feel like she was walking on air. I knew that feeling very well. I still got it with Graham.

"It's crazy,," she confessed, her voice tinged with awe. "I've never felt like this before. I mean, you know me. I'm usually more of a love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of person. But there's just something about Ben."

"I have to meet this guy," I said. "Maybe we can do a dinner at my house or a backyard barbecue. Graham bought this fancy grill that he's been dying to use."

"I'm sure Ben would love that," she said. "We'll have to find a day that works for all of us."

"At this rate, I think you might be getting married before I do." I laughed.

"I don't know about that," she said. "How are things going in the new house? I'm really surprised you're here. I would have thought you would want to nest."

"I would have loved to do that, but my daughter isn't talking to me."

"Why? I thought she wanted to move?"

"She kind of caught us," I said with a grimace.

"Uh oh." She laughed. "But why isn't she talking to you? She has to know how the birds and the bees work. She wouldn't be here if mommy and daddy hadn't done the nasty."

I burst out laughing, shaking my head. "The problem is she didn't think we were doing it now."

"Oh, man, I don't know how to handle that one. Poor Sloane. It's a tricky situation, and I think the only thing to do is let her figure it out on her own. Teenagers can be so dramatic."

I nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I've been trying to give her space and let her figure things out. It's hard, though, because I just want her to be happy and not hold on to this grudge. But I suppose that's what comes with being a parent. But she's giving us the silent treatment. You know how much I hate that. It's driving me crazy."

"I get it, Izzy," she replied. "But you have to talk to her. Tell her the truth. Maybe if you explain why you two adults decided to keep your relationship private, she might understand."

"We did try," I said. "But you sound like Graham. I think he's a little affronted he has to explain himself to a kid."

"I don't blame him," she said.

"What do I do?" I groaned.

"Sit her down and explain everything. She might be mad at first, but she loves you. She'll come around. She loves Graham. I would think she would be happy to be getting the traditional family unit. Isn't that what all kids want?"

I nodded, sighing heavily. "You're right. I'll give it a try. But you know how stubborn teenagers can be. I'm not sure if it'll help."

"It has to be worth a shot," Holly assured me. "Just try to be honest and open with her. Teach her that communication is key in any relationship. I don't think you did anything wrong. You shouldn't have to apologize for falling in love."

"I couldn't agree more." I sighed, grateful for her support. "I just want to do the right thing for Sloane. She means the world to me."

"I know and she knows that, too. It's tough, but you've got to have faith. And in the end, she'll appreciate the honesty."

"I hope so," I said.

We ordered our lunches and another round of tea.

"So tell me more about your new house," Holly said. "Is it everything you hoped for?"

I told her about the new furniture and the beautiful kitchen. I did my best to sound upbeat, but deep down, I couldn't shake off the worry and sadness over Sloane's situation.