Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
E ssie sat alone on the porch with her coffee, feeling a kind of dread she hadn’t felt since Carlos had passed. Frank had gone to bed mad last night. Not at her, thank God, but at Sophie.
That anger was earned. Frank had watched more of Sophie’s videos than Essie had, and the end result was that he was flying to Miami later today to have a sit-down conversation with his daughter.
Sophie didn’t know he was coming. Essie was afraid for the young woman. She was about to be confronted with the truth. There was nothing Sophie could say or do at this point to defend herself.
It was all there on TikTok in living color.
Essie had no idea what Frank was going to do, other than talk. But he was a man of action. He would give Sophie some kind of ultimatum, that much Essie was sure of.
But the dread wasn’t coming from any of that. It was coming from the thought of how Sophie would retaliate. That seemed inevitable. She would defy her father, just like she had in the past, and she would lash out at Essie.
Sophie would make this all about Essie. She would blame Essie for ruining her life in a brand-new way. What would stop her? What could Frank possibly do to prevent it from happening?
Take her money away? That would just make Sophie rage. And she would do it live and online.
Essie tipped her head back, trying to breathe and think through this. Maybe she should ask Frank not to go.
But that meant Sophie got a free pass for this awful behavior. It meant that Sophie, essentially, had won.
Essie didn’t love that. It would only empower the young woman. Make her think she was in the right.
She wasn’t. Obviously.
Essie drank her coffee and wished she had the answer to all of this. She’d prayed about it. Now she was wondering if this was a turn-the-cheek moment or a table-flipping moment. She had a feeling she knew what the Queen Bees would say.
But it was so complicated. She loved Frank and she wanted him to have a good relationship with his daughter. If only Sophie could be more like Chad. More accepting. More understanding. Less focused on herself. Employed.
But Sophie only saw the world in her terms, and when something didn’t align, it wasn’t worth her time. She’d made that clear early on when she hadn’t come to the wedding. It hadn’t met with her approval; therefore, she hadn’t bothered. In fact, she’d made sure she was doing something else.
What a brat. Honestly, Essie couldn’t imagine that the late, great Stacia would have approved of her daughter’s behavior. And if she would have, then how had Frank ever been attracted to such a woman?
The more Essie thought about it, the worse she felt.
Sounds filtered through from the house. She got up and went inside. Frank was in the kitchen, in his bathrobe, pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“How did you sleep?” She was almost afraid to hear his answer.
He turned, cup in hand. He was bleary-eyed, hair tousled from sleep. He shook his head. “Not well. I am so upset by all of this.”
She nodded, feeling tears building and her throat tightening. “Me, too,” she managed.
“I’m sorry. I feel like I’ve let you down. I’m embarrassed by Sophie and her actions. I don’t condone anything she’s said or done. I’m absolutely infuriated by it. And by the way she’s putting herself out there.”
“I know,” Essie whispered, mollified by his words. “I don’t blame you one bit.”
“Well, you should. I’m her father. I’m half of the team that raised her.
” He drank his coffee. “I don’t know what to do with that girl.
She’s an adult. Clearly, she has the free will to make her own decisions.
But I don’t have to like them. And I have the free will to react how I see fit. Actions have consequences.”
Essie nodded again. “What are you going to do?”
He sighed. “That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” He leaned against the counter. “There’s really only one thing Sophie responds to.”
Essie had a feeling she knew where this was going.
“Money.” Frank heaved the word out like it was painful to say. “The problem is, taking away her allowance is going to make things worse. At least temporarily.”
Essie nodded, grateful her husband understood the problem so well. “I think so, too.”
He frowned into his coffee. “That part is my fault. The kids were destroyed when their mom died. I thought some financial support would make things easier on them. Let them deal with their grief without the worry of money to add to it. Chad was already working and turned down the money.”
Essie hadn’t known that.
“But Sophie was finishing up her last year of college. Of course she took it.”
“What did she get her degree in?”
Frank’s frown deepened. “She never finished. It would have been in art history.”
Essie seized on the opportunity. “You know some gallery owners, don’t you? Could you reach out to them? Maybe get Sophie a job with one of them? Having an offer like that at the ready might soften the blow of losing her allowance.”
Frank blinked. “That’s a great idea.” He smiled for the first time that morning. “In case I haven’t mentioned it lately, you are a brilliant woman.”
She smiled, too. “Thank you. I want good things for Sophie. I mean that.”
“I know you do.” He sighed. “I wish Stacia had been more like you. Less concerned about things and more focused on substance. Sophie might not have turned out this way.”
Essie’s brows lifted slightly. This was the first time he’d ever said anything like that about his late wife.
He scrubbed his hand over his face. “I guess I should shower and pack a small bag. The car will be here in a few hours to take me the airport.”
“What would you like for breakfast?”
He put his coffee down and held his hands out to her. “Come here.”
She went to him, taking his hands and letting him pull her in close.
He wrapped his arms around her and rested his chin on her head. “I will make this right. I promise.”
“I know. I’m sorry you have to deal with this.”
He kissed her forehead. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me. You know that?”
She didn’t really know what to say. “I love you, too. But you still haven’t answered my question.”
“About breakfast?”
She nodded.
“What are you having?”
She hadn’t planned on having anything because she’d had no appetite. Now maybe she could eat a little something. “Scrambled eggs and toast?”
“Sounds perfect. Thank you.”
“I’ll have it ready when you get out of the shower.”
He kissed her, then took his cup into the bathroom with him.
She got the eggs and bread out and started heating a pan with a big knob of butter in it. She got out her whisk and was about to crack the eggs, but as soon as she heard the water come on, she reached for her phone and sent a text to her daughter.
Frank is flying to Miami to speak to Sophie. No idea what he’s going to say but he’s ending her allowance. I think.
Liliana’s reply came quickly. That’s not going to be well received.
I know. No idea what will happen next.
I’ll be monitoring her TT. The first sign of a response and I’ll text you.
Thank you. Love you. Pray for Frank.
Love you too. I will.
Essie got to work cracking eggs. Some of her appetite had come back since talking to Frank. The pit of dread in her stomach wasn’t nearly as bad. But that sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop remained.
Her phone vibrated. She cracked the last egg, wiped her hands and checked the screen. Another text from Liliana.
You know, Mom, ultimately, who cares what Sophie says about you? Unless she’s actively trying to destroy your marriage, let her rage. I think people see her pettiness. I really do.
Thanks. Essie smiled. Her daughter made a good point. Sophie’s snide little digs hurt, but Essie could also choose to ignore them. And Sophie. At least until a holiday forced them into proximity. She grimaced, thinking about Thanksgiving again. That conversation with Frank needed to happen soon.
Liliana answered. But also, if you want to start a TT of your own, let me know and I will set you up. You’d kill. Just saying.
Essie laughed. I think I’m good.
I bet you’d be great at it.
Maybe. She had yet to tell her daughter about Paige and the Queen Bees. Maybe after breakfast and Frank was out the door, she’d call Liliana and fill her in more thoroughly. She had to make potato salad today, too.
She whisked the eggs until they were silky smooth. The butter in the pan was melted, but her mind went elsewhere for a moment. Should she start her own TikTok? Not without good reason. And what would that reason be?
She tipped the eggs into the pan, trading her whisk for a spatula.
Maybe to show Sophie that her father was very happy and that their life together was good. Would that make any difference?
Essie stirred the eggs. It was something worth thinking about. And maybe worth having a little conversation with Paige about, too.