“No,” he grunts, lifting his glass. “I’m not fucking around this time. I’ve let you and your mother dictate how this is going to go for far too long.” He glances to his left. “And look where that left us.”
Us? Like my life has anything to do with his. And… he’s referring to Emma. “I love her, Dad.” I surprise myself with those words. I certainly haven’t said them to Emma. Not yet. But I mean them. I love Emma Perkins. More than anything.
He slams the glass down onto the table and some of the golden fluid sloshes out over the side. “And that right there is precisely why it’s time to go.”
“Dad—”
“Do you think she’ll stick around if she knows you’ve got nothing, Eli?”
Yes.
“Eli?”
I turn to see Emma approach the table with Mom in tow. She’s pale as a ghost. I quickly stand. “What’s wrong?”
“Um.” She looks over at my dad, then at me.
Mom’s got her hand on Emma’s shoulder as she says to me, “Honey. You need to go.”
I grasp Emma’s jacket from the back of her chair, then pick up her bag. “Right. Let’s go.” Reaching for her hand, she places hers in mine.
“I’m sorry, Mrs. and, erm, Mr. Baxter.”
“Go on, honey. Don’t worry,” my mom says with a reassuring smile.
I lead Emma out the door of the restaurant and the second we’re on the sidewalk, she bursts into tears. “Oh, Eli. She’s been arrested.”
I don’t even have to ask who she’s talking about. “Where?”
“Here. In Madison. Mom called. She wants me to bail her out.”
“Okay. Do you know where she is?” There’s more than one police station in town.
“Yes.” With her phone in hand, she holds up the address. Between snobs, she adds, “Sh-She’s transferring the bail money into my account.”
“Good. Okay. Let’s go.”
* * *
We’re askedto take a seat in the lobby of the police station. I stand to get Emma a cup of coffee from one of those machines in the lobby. I’m sure it tastes like shit, but I think she needs something. As soon as I’m far enough away, I check my phone. I felt it vibrate long after we left the restaurant. Pulling it from my pocket, I see Dad’s text.
Dad:Her sister’s a whore? Jesus. Good job, Eli. Way to pick ’em. Now more important than ever to get you to New York away from that trash.
Mom must’ve told him what’s going on. No doubt he insisted he know. But he’s right about one thing. Amber was arrested in Madison for prostitution. The rest of his statement is pure bullshit.
