“And say what? That your son-in-law paid a short visit and then left with his wife?”
“You’re divorced now. You have no right to take Winnie with you,” Melissa says calmly.
I just laugh. “I didn’t sign shit, so from where I’m standing, we’re still married.” I look at Winnie, and try to silently encourage her to speak if she wants to.
“You don’t have a right to keep me here, either,” she says to her mom, her blue eyes turbulent. “No one has the right to control me—to make my decisions for me. Not my husband, and certainly not you.” Her voice is stronger now. “When I leave this house, it will be becauseIwant to.”
“We’ll bury him in scandal. His family, too. They’ll never know peace again.” Melissa’s voice is sharper now, and she’s giving me an assessing look.
“You can try,” I shrug, and give her another pleasant smile. I turn to look at my wife, who is smiling at me, color now back in her cheeks. “Should we get going?”
“Yes, definitely. I just need to get my things from upstairs.” She leans in and kisses me on the cheek.
As Winnie crosses the room to make her way upstairs, her father reaches out and catches her by the arm, hauling her towards him. I try to stop him, but I’m a step behind her.
“Don’t think you can leave so easily, girl.”
I watch as Winnie shrinks in front of my eyes, all of her happiness draining out of her, as her father’s hand presses into her arm.
“Take your hands off of her, right now,” I grit out. “Or I will end you. Right here. In your own fucking home. And I’ll enjoy it, too.”
“Leave her be, Richard,” Melissa says softly.
I pull Winnie towards me and her father lets go, something like shame crossing his face. And then it’s replaced by anger once more, as if he doesn’t have it in him to feel truly guilty for causing his own daughter harm. It makes me sick.
Winnie and Candice go upstairs to get her bags together, and I stay in the living room, monitoring Melissa and Richard. I’mnot sure what they could do at this point, but they’re snakes, and they’re desperate. I wouldn’t put it past her dad from trying to physically stop us from leaving.
“Jesus Winnie, do you have to travel with all your clothes, all of the time?” Candice mutters. “I mean they basically kidnapped you and you still took all of this?” A suitcase thuds on the stairs, and I can’t help but chuckle. My wife doesn’t pack light. Ever.
“I thought I’d be here for a long time,” Winnie says, her voice breathy. “I need my clothes!”
“Yeah, yeah.”
Once they’re downstairs, they set the suitcases by the front door. I walk over to them and grab Winnie’s hand in mine. She took her wig off and there’s a spark in her eyes—she looks like herself again.
“Any last words?” I ask.
She faces her parents and says, “This is the last time you’ll ever see me, or hear from me. And I wish I could say that I’ll miss you, but I know that I won’t. In fact, I’ll hardly ever think of you. And if you ever find yourself wondering why your only daughter has forgotten you existed, just remember, you did this to yourselves.”
And then she turns on her heel, opens the door, and walks out into the sunshine.
46
WINNIE
Candice drivesus straight to the airport from my parents’ house. She’ll take a flight back to Montana soon, and Jonah and I will go to New York City, where the Morning Joe is filmed. I’m still in shock, and reeling from the final confrontation with my parents. But more than that, I’m happy. Happy to be out of my parents’ house. Happy to be back with Jonah.
I give Candice a long hug in front of her gate.
“Thank you so much for coming to get me,” I say into her neck.
“I’ll always have your back, Win. You know that.” My best friend steps back and looks at me with an assessing eye. “That fake tan is really, really orange. I hope you can scrub it off by tomorrow morning.”
I laugh. “Oh my God, you’re so right. I cannot go on TV looking like this. Why can’t my mother ever choose a flattering shade?” I hold out my streaky hand and we look at it together.
“It’s so bad,” she giggles.
“I’m really grateful you were assigned as my pen pal all those years ago,” I tell her. “Really, really grateful.”
