“Wanda, that dress is lovely,” Marjorie complimented.
Xavier’s mother gave her a funny look. “Thank you.”
“Sweetie, I’m going to go speak to John for a minute,” my father told Marjorie.
“I need to go to the bathroom; excuse me,” Wanda commented, and before I could even acknowledge her, she was strutting off.
Marjorie looked at me and shrugged. We made idle chit-chat for a little while before Xavier rejoined us and introduced me to a few more people.
“I have to go to the bathroom. I’ll be right back,” I whispered to Xavier.
“Hurry back.”
I headed down the long hallway to the bathroom. Instead of the main bathroom, I knew of a more private bathroom that was up one floor. I headed up the back steps and through a door to the bathroom that was thankfully empty. I used the toilet and then went to the sink to wash my hands and check my makeup.
After pulling out a blotting towelette from my bag, I blotted my face, reapplied another coat of the nude lipstick I was wearing, and headed to the door. As soon as I opened it, I heard voices that seemed familiar, but were hushed. There seemed to be tension between whomever was talking, so, not wanting to interrupt or make them aware of my presence, I just stood by the cracked-open door, hoping they would leave soon.
“You never told him about us, did you?” A male whisper sounded, and a chill ran down my spine.
“Of course not!” the female answered, and I felt bile rise in my throat. I knew these two people, but I continued to hope against hope that they weren’t who I thought they were.
“Xavier doesn’t need to find out about this. He likes Chanel.”
I closed my eyes and began to tremble.
“I don’t need anyone finding out, either. Chanel would hate me even more.”
“I doubt that’s even possible,” I stated coldly, stepping out into the hallway.
My father and Wanda turned to me, eyes wide. I looked at Wanda first, unable to look at my father. Her head was downcast; shame etched into every line of her body.
“Chanel, you weren’t supposed to hear that,” my father started.
“I bet,” I laughed, almost maniacally. “I mean, what man wants his daughter to overhear his mistress tell him her son likes his daughter? Wait, did I even get that right? This is a confusing scenario. And what about Marjorie, your wife? Does she know about you two?”
“No! There’s nothing to know,” Wanda nearly shouted. “Not anymore,” she added.
“Anymore?”
My father looked as if he might take the attitude that he didn’t have to answer to anyone. That was often the attitude he took when my mother questioned his whereabouts when he’d come home in the middle of the night.
His chest heaved. “What happened between Wanda and me was years ago, before Marjorie.” He sounded unusually ashamed.
“Years ago? So, while you were married to Mom?” I looked between them, Wanda’s shoulders sagged, and I knew the answer. I shook my head, alarming both of them when I began laughing again.
“This is just great,” I continued to laugh.
“Chanel, I’m sorry,” Wanda apologized.
“For what?” I asked between laughs. “For having more of my father’s attention than I ever had in my life?”
“Is that why you told me to ‘be careful’ of Xavier?” I looked to my father, putting air quotes aroundbe careful. “Not out of any concern for me, but because you didn’t want your little secret exposed? Wow.” I was looking at my father with all the disgust I had in my heart.
“What?”
I looked up to see Xavier standing at the end of the hall, his face a mask of confusion and anger.
“What the hell did you just say?” he asked me, but looking between my father and his mother.
