But that doesn’t mean Dorrine isn’t being nefarious.
“Just tell me why we’re here.”
Father pushes off the table, goes to the back door, opens it, and calls, “It’s time.”
“Time for what?”
“In order for our conversation to continue, we need to talk about the past.”
Before I can reply, Dorrine comes through the back door and bats her stupid eyelashes at me.
“Hello, Sam. It’s good to see you again.”
Why did I think that for once, my father and I could talk without her present?
“You’ve won. Just tell me what you’ve decided. I won’t put up a fuss.”
“Sit down,” Father instructs.
He sits at the head of the table. Dorrine sits to his left. I sit to his right, across from her.
For once, I don’t look at her defiantly, because I know I’ve been bested.
Father begins with, “Over the last few years, I’ve been impressed with your drive, Samantha. Your business is flourishing, and I see that you’ve taken on an assistant, though I wish you would have run that by me first.”
“It wasmybusiness. I didn’t think I needed to.”
“You didn’t, but as your father, I like thinking that you look to me for advice.”
“I wouldn’t ask for the advice of someone so easily influenced.”
“Are you referring to how I drove away your mother?” Dorrine asks bluntly.
“At least now you’re not denying it.”
“I know this will be hard for you to believe, but Dorrine had nothing to do with your mother leaving,” Father says.
Glaring daggers at Dorrine, I snap, “Bullshit—you were supposed to be her friend—her best friend—and then you weaseled your way into their marriage.”
“You’re right. We were friends, but your mother left the relationship long before I got with your father.”
“Bullshit! My mother told me everything!”
“Sam, your mother never wanted to marry me,” Father says, looking distraught. “Her family was struggling, and they thought that if she married me, I’d save them if they went under. To be honest, I would have, but the moment your mother got pregnant, she ran away, thinking she could use you as leverage to extort me.”
“That’s…that’s not what happened!” I shake my head in disgust. “I remember living with you all under one roof! You’re trying to gaslight me into believing that my mother is the enemy because of her!” My finger trembles as I point to Dorrine.
“In a way, you’re right about Dorrine. Your mom left, and it was Dorrine who came to me and told me of your mother’s plot. So yes, she did sour my feelings toward your mother, but only because she told me the truth.”
“How did you know it was the truth?” I challenge.
“Because your mother straight up laughed in my face when she told me she’d do whatever she wanted on my dime, or I’d never get to see you again.”
A sick feeling twists in my gut because something deep inside of me tells me he’s not lying. And that’s terrifying.
“What did you do?”
“I offered her an exorbitant amount of money to divorce me, giving me custody of you. She even agreed to live with me during your younger years, though we were free to see other people. Eventually, she got bored and left, but she still visited you, until she didn’t.”
