Chapter 71

The next morning, I woke up feeling less drained than the last few days. Sloane's anger had taken a toll on me, and I was ready for things to go back to normal. The first day in the house had been so fun. It had felt like we were embarking on a new journey. It all felt so right.And then bam, I got busted sneaking out of a boy's room like a teenager.

I supposed it could have been worse. She could have caught me with my pants down. No amount of therapy would erase that image from my baby girl's mind.

They would be spending the day together, and I prayed Sloane and Graham were able to cement the bond between them. Then Sloane wouldn't be worried she was going to lose her father if something happened and Graham and I couldn't be together. She needed to know nothing would interfere with their relationship.

But like he said, it would be a choice. If we both chose to stay together, then nothing should be able to tear us apart.

I rolled over and checked the time. Graham and Sloane had left about thirty minutes ago. He told me to stay in bed and rest. He knew how stressed out this stuff with Sloane had been making me. Last night at dinner, she'd loosened up a bit, but there was no guarantee she wouldn't snap right back into her sulking.

I got out of bed and went downstairs. There was coffee in the pot and all the windows were open, letting sunshine and fresh breeze pour in. I sat at the kitchen table with a steaming cup of coffee, feeling intensely grateful. Graham always seemed to know just what to do to ease my worries.

When my phone buzzed I looked at the screen and immediately cringed. It was my father. I declined the call. I thought I would talk to him again once things settled, but I couldn't forgive him for what he had done.

Intentionally keeping Sloane from her father was monstrous.

"I'm done with you," I typed, my fingers trembling slightly. "Do not contact me anymore."

With that message sent, my defiance mingled with sadness. Cutting ties with my father was a decision I had agonized over for weeks, but at that moment, it felt like the only choice I had left. I could never trust him again. He hurt me, but more importantly, he hurt Sloane and Graham.

I wasn't even going to ask Graham to try and forgive him. My father was lucky Graham didn't knock his lights out for such a dirty move.

Sipping my coffee slowly, I couldn't shake off the heaviness in my heart. The silence in the house felt suffocating. Thankfully, Holly arrived later that afternoon to spend the day with me. It would be her first time seeing the house. I was anxious to show her. I was proud of the home we had chosen.

"So, how's it feel to be officially moved in?" Holly asked, her eyes scanning her surroundings with interest.

I shrugged, forcing a smile. "It's different," I admitted. "But in a good way, I think."

Holly nodded, understanding flickering in her gaze. "Change can be tough, but it's also exciting," she remarked, her tone hopeful. "Your commute to the city is going to be a bitch. But that pool looks inviting as hell."

I laughed. "Yes, but in reality, the commute isn't that much longer. We don't have to deal with all of the traffic."

"Good point."

"Guess who called me this morning," I said.

She raised an eyebrow. "Oprah?"

"My dad."

Holly's expression turned grave. "Why couldn't it have been Oprah?"

I shook my head. "Because life gives with one hand and takes with the other."

"What did that old shit bag want?" Holly asked.

"I don't know and I don't care."

Holly reached out and squeezed my hand in a silent show of support. "You did the right thing. You don't need that kind of toxicity in your life. There's meddling like a concerned parent and then there's tearing a family apart. His own flesh and blood."

"I know. I hate that I can't have a relationship with him anymore. I lost my dad the day he told me he paid Graham to leave me. I honestly probably could have forgiven him for hurting me, but a lot of the drama we're dealing with is because of what he did. Sloane is hurting because she doesn't know what to trust. It's such a mess and it all goes back to what he did back then."

"I'm sorry," she said. "That doesn't even begin to cover it, but I am."

"Thanks."

"So, where are Sloane and Graham?"

"Out. Together. They are having a father-daughter day."

She glanced at me. "Are we happy about that?"

I shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be? I had her the day before. We went shopping and had a good time."

"Are things better between you?"

"Telling the truth helped," I said, bitterness seeping into my voice. "But it didn't fix everything. Sloane's still kind of angry with me, but not with Graham. I guess it's good she's talking to one of us."

Holly frowned, her expression sympathetic. "Give her time," she advised gently. "She's just processing everything, and she'll come around eventually."

"She is worried I'm going to push Graham away," I said. "She wanted to make it clear she blames me for not having him in her life."

Holly's eyes widened in surprise at my words. "That's a lot of weight for a young girl to carry," she murmured. "But she'll come to understand that you're only trying to protect her and do what's best for her."

I nodded, grateful for her reassurance. "I hope so. I just want her to be happy and feel safe."

"And she will, eventually," Holly said with conviction. "You and Graham are doing everything you can to give her that stability, and she'll see that. Some day. Hopefully before she's out of high school."

"I hope so."

"Let's go for a walk," she said. "I want to see this very exclusive neighborhood you live in. Maybe I'll buy a house out here when I grow up."

I laughed. "You mean you and Ben will buy a house."

"Maybe," she teased.

"I need to meet this guy," I said. "When are you two going to come for dinner?"

"You've been in the house for like a day." She shrugged, hesitant. "I wasn't expecting a dinner invite so soon."

"Stop it," I chided. "Don't you dare start getting cold feet now. I know you like him. We can double date now! It'll be fun."

While we were walking, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out and saw it was a message from Graham. I opened it to find an image of Graham and Sloane at a concert. It was a boy band Sloane had been talking about for months.

"Wow," I murmured.

"What is it?" Holly asked.

Sloane's first concert—a milestone we were supposed to experience together. We'd bonded over music countless times, and I'd always imagined sharing this special moment with her. But now, it seemed that dream had been shattered, replaced by a stark reminder of the growing distance between us. Red rage clouded my vision.

I forced a tight smile as I typed out a reply to Graham's message, my fingers shaking. Hope you both have fun at Sloane's first concert.

He replied. Are you kidding? We're having so much fun!

I wrote back. It's her FIRST concert.

Is everything okay?Graham texted back.

I hesitated, unsure of how to reply. I was pissed and hurt and couldn't stop myself. It doesn't matter if it is or isn't. It's done now.

I put my phone back in my pocket. When it buzzed again, I didn't bother reading the message.

"What was that about?" Holly asked.

I shook my head, trying to push down the surge of emotions threatening to spill over. "It's nothing," I said, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace.

"It's something. What was that angry texting?"

I took a deep breath, the anger and hurt still boiling. "It was a picture of Graham and Sloane at her first concert. The exact concert I told her I would take her to. It hurts, you know? That's something we were supposed to share, something special between us."

Holly's expression softened with understanding. "I'm sorry," she said. "I know how much this meant to you."

"Sloane knew how much this meant to me, too, and she did it anyway." I shook my head in disbelief.

"She's just a teenager," she reminded me gently. "She didn't realize how much it would hurt you."

I couldn't shake the feeling that Sloane's actions had been deliberate, calculated to inflict maximum pain. "No, she did it on purpose," I said. "She wanted to hurt me. This was her getting back at me."

"Isadora, don't make this about you. They're just having a nice time together. And how many firsts did Graham miss? You can let him have one."

Her words landed like a slap to the face, jolting me out of my self-pity and forcing me to confront the uncomfortable truth. "Maybe," I sighed. "And I need to remember that Sloane is struggling too, in her own way."

"Do you think Graham knew?"

"Probably not, but he could have told me what they were doing."

"You guys are going to have to start talking," she said. "You've been Sloane's only parent for fourteen years. You have to share these moments with her father now."

I nodded. She was right. "I'll talk to him," I decided. "We need to communicate better for Sloane's sake."

Holly smiled at me. "That's the spirit. It's not easy, but it's the right thing to do. You could have gone to that concert, too. Maybe if you would just sleep in the same bed with the man, you could discuss these things after a little slap and tickle."

I shook my head. "I'm pretty sure this was intentional. Sloane has been talking about it for months. She knew I was going to take her."

"She's a snotty teen doing snotty teen things," Holly reasoned. "Try not to hold it against her. When we're young and dumb we can be impulsive. Teens don't always think about consequences or deeper meanings. Like, sometimes they don't use condoms or tell the man they love he's a father."

I narrowed my eyes at her. "Okay, you don't have to rub it in. I was a dumbass teen at one point."

Holly laughed and nodded. "We all were. When she's older and has her own kids, she's going to realize how messed up this was."

"Yeah, I remember going shopping for my prom dress with my friends. My mom was crushed I didn't go with her. I didn't get it then, but I do now."

"Exactly," she said. "She loves you and just didn't really understand how deep that cut would be. You're so sensitive these days, like a big old marshmallow."

We walked back to the house and Holly had to leave. She had another big date with Ben.

"Are you going to be okay?" Holly asked. "I can reschedule. Mr. Sugar Dick will understand."

I groaned. "Oh, dear lord, please tell me that's not what you call him."

"Not to his face." She grinned. "Hey, you want to know why I call him that?"

I shook my head and sighed. "Because he's got a sweet dick?"

"Exactly!" she said. "This is why we're besties. And that's why I will happily stay here with you."

"I'm fine," I said. "They'll be home late, so I'm going to take advantage of that big tub and read a book. It'll be nice to have a quiet night with no music blaring and doors slamming."

"Alright but call if you need me. You know where I'll be." She waggled her brows at me.

I waved her away. "Have fun. Don't get any tattoos."

Holly left and I made my way to the bathroom, eager for a moment of solitude and relaxation. I started the bath and lit a few candles before going to the wine fridge to get a bottle of something red. I poured a generous glass and went back upstairs.

The warm water around me was soothing. I let my thoughts drift away, focusing on the gentle sounds of water and the rich taste of wine. It was a rare moment of peace.

After a long bath, I went to bed. Initially, I thought I would wait up for them, but I changed my mind. I wasn't quite ready to face them. Anger simmered just beneath the surface as I tossed and turned, unable to escape the image of them together. I'd spent years caring for Sloane, nurturing our bond through shared experiences and late-night conversations about our favorite songs. And yet, in one fleeting moment, it seemed that Graham had usurped my place in her life, effortlessly stepping into the role of the doting parent.

A bitter tear slipped down my cheek as I grappled with the unfairness of it all. I knew Graham hadn't intentionally excluded me from Sloane's first concert, but that didn't ease the sting of betrayal that gnawed at my soul. In Sloane's eyes, I was the one who'd failed to prioritize her happiness above all else.

She looked at me and saw the person that kept her from knowing her father at all. It wouldn't hurt so bad if it wasn't true. There were so many times I could have reached out to him. If I could go back and do it over, I would have. My pride got in the way.

I thought he didn't want me. He had abandoned me like trash. I didn't want him to think I was trying to trap him with a baby. I had figured, if he didn't want me, I didn't need him. And I hadn't, mostly.

But Sloane had needed him. My decision had been selfish and stupid and I hated that I made that choice.