“So you were the product of an affair.”
Aurora jabs me with her elbow, and I wince as I push her away. My father, when he answers me, sounds more curt than I expect—the only indication that he doesn’t feel as blasé as he sounds. “If you want to put it that way, sure.”
All right. It was an insensitive question.
“Sorry,” I mutter.
“No matter.” But his words are still short. “If there’s nothing else?”
“Nothing else,” I say with a sigh.
“I hope you’re not lounging about. Get a job if you’re not going to work with me. Contribute to society. Don’t be a burden.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” I say. “Bye?—”
But the line goes dead as my father hangs up.
“Welp,” I say under my breath as I hang up too, tossing the phone past Aurora and onto the cushion beside her. “There’s that, I guess.”
We sit in silence for a second, a pocket of time that stretches long. I’m only startled out of my wandering thoughts when I feel a light touch on my back—the gentle patting of a small, warm hand.
I glance over at Aurora with interest. “What are you doing?”
She clears her throat, her gaze shifting away from mine. “I don’t know. Consoling you, I guess.”
I raise my eyebrows, and her uncomfortable expression turns into one of defensiveness.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she says. “I just thought—” She breaks off, swallowing, and then smooths her face into something more normal. “It’s sort of sad, that’s all. But if you’re not?—”
“I am,” I say quickly as she tries to pull her hand away. I reach around my shoulder and grab her wrist—gently, because I’m not a caveman—and say, “I am. I’m devastated. Pat my back some more.”
She arches one brow at me, her eyes skeptical. “I didn’t peg you as the type to beg for scraps of affection.”
“I’m not, normally,” I admit. “I don’t see the point. But this is a special moment of emotional weakness.” Then I let go of her wrist and tap my own back. “I need consoling. See?”
And although she snorts, her lips twitch too. “You’re clearly just fine.”
It’s not entirely true, but I don’t correct her. She reaches out and places her hand on my back anyway, her touch gentle even though her expression isn’t. It only lasts for a few seconds; then she pulls her arm back and lets it fall to her side.
“I’m stopping now. You’re perfectly okay.”
“You know, I think you’re meaner to me than you are to other people. I could be torn up about this sordid family secret. My heart could be breaking.”
Another snort. “Is it?”
“Well…no,” I admit, although it’s more complicated than a yes or a no. “Not really.”
She nods with satisfaction.
“I’m not even sure I’m surprised,” I go on, “given my dad’s…”
But I don’t finish the sentence. I don’t know how. Given his…entire person? His whole personality? His relationship history?
“My dad is a good boss, isn’t he?” I say.
“I’ve never dealt with him,” Aurora says as her shoulders twitch into a little shrug. “Just Denice.” After a brief pause, she adds, “And you, I guess. But I’ve never noticed any problems. And probably more tellingly, the company is doing well.”
I nod. “Yeah. I think he’s a good boss. He lives and breathes work. But he’s maybe an iffy father, and he was a horrible husband.” Then, as another idea occurs to me, I find myself saying, “He might be a good grandfather. I hope he is.”
