“I’m Mrs. Collins to you, missy.”
Marlow pouts. “Then a man came around, delivering more documents that looked almost identical, except...except the names were changed.”
“What were the names?” I grind my teeth, hardly able to get the words out because I know where this is going, but need to hear it from them.
Dad chokes out, “Starkowsky and Collins.”
“You’d better explain or you’re going to feel like a football after it’s been in play for an entire season.”
“Chase, don’t threaten your father,” Mom says softly and then more sternly adds, “Rhett, explain, or you’re going to feel the wrath of a wife after forty years of marriage who suddenly finds her trust broken.”
“Alright. Alright. I’ll explain.” Dad takes a deep breath. “After Cap passed away, I found some incriminating evidence. Not against him, but against Starkowsky—before he was commissioner. It turned out he’d been bribing players.”
“But you told me that Cap did it.” I pace, needing to diffuse some of my anger.
“Right, because what did I stand to gain if I revealed that Starkowsky did it?” Dad asks.
I shrug and then as quickly as my mother had done before, I understand. “Your business is in trouble. You realized if you swapped out the names—Starkowsky for Collins, making it look like Cap had done the deed—you could use it as leverage to get some of the inheritance money to save your business.” The taste in my mouth is bitter. That explains why Starky never liked Cap, and by extension, me, because my grandfather knew what he’d done.
Head in his hands, my father adds, “I had the same guy who added the marriage stipulation to the will doctor those documents.”
“Oh, Rhett, you didn’t?” Mom says with disbelief.
“And I found out.” Marlow cocks her shoulder proudly.
“So this was a double blackmail?” My tone is flat with disgust.
“You don’t care about my son, Marlow?” Mom’s tone matches mine. It’s more of a rhetorical question than anything.
“Of course she doesn’t. She has Joe. She just saw an opportunity and couldn’t bear to let Pippa be happy.” I scrub my hand down my face because if anything, she’s the superhero of this story, yet I lost her.
“What can I say, old habits die hard,” Marlow says. “Perfect Pippa had always been easy to tease and taunt, especially after I found out you liked her. If you must know, I wrote the sonnet, Chase, because I liked you and she stole your attention away.”
“That didn’t give you the right to torment her.”
I can’t even look at her or my father.
My mother draws up to her full height. “Young lady, I was once told that ‘Grace is giving someone what they do not deserve.’ I cannot bear the thought of you under my roof for a second longer, but I will not turn you out in the night. Go upstairs and leave first thing in the morning. You and your sister are not welcome in our homes or our lives.”
Good riddance.
“Rhett, I’m disappointed. Hurt,” Mom starts.
“I’m sorry, dear.”
I grunt. “I’ll need some time before I can find the grace that Mom affords.” I stomp upstairs because now I have to figure out how to win Pippa back.
What would Cap do? Cap would tell me to take the ball and run. Not to stop until I score a touchdown. It ain’t over ‘til I win.But right now, that looks like listening to my heart, listening to God. I send up a prayer, seeking guidance, because this play isn’t one I’ve used before.
38
PIPPA
Iowe the Uber driver more than the massive tip I left because they arrived at the house in record time. I had them bring me to a car rental place and then got a room at Noble Oak Motel, except the letterAis missing, so the glowing sign just said Noble Ok. It was the only nearby place with a vacancy. It’s musty and the bedding is somehow damp, but I survive the night.
The next morning, I drive back to Boston in the rental car, away from the drama and away from love. Yet, I feel like I forgot something. Left an important item behind.
I’m not sure what my next steps are aside from following through with my commitments at Blancbourg. Then I’ll probably have to find a new job. Not only did Chase and I kiss while I was still his coach, but I’ve also made a mess of things and probably need a clean break and a fresh start.
