33. Copping to it
33 COPPING TO IT
Daphne
Cal dropped me at home for the first time—babying me as I stepped into the foyer. This morning, my entire body ached from my unceremonious booting off a cagey flight animal. It wasn’t the first time I’d come off a horse by a long stretch—but it was the worst yet. Getting old was a bitch.
Mum rushed in, frightened at my disheveled appearance.
“Oh, my goodness, Daphne Eugenia! What happened!?”
“I fell off a horse and got a little banged up. I’m okay. Or I will be.”
Standing there, I prayed she didn’t ask me why I was in a pair of scraped-up breeches and one of Cal’s shirts. My breeches got a run through the washer last night, mostly removing the stains, but my polo was toast.
“What do you mean?”
“I went on a ride with a friend and came off,” I said. “I have a couple of bruised ribs. Other than that, I’m okay.”
“Bruised ribs? Oh my God!”
I braced, as she hadn’t yet acknowledged Cal’s presence. Her eyes flitted from me to him, and I winced internally. If I were Mum, I’d have questions . I’d want to know what was going on. While I’d feared this moment, I knew it was time to come clean. I couldn’t love Cal in any meaningful, good way without at least telling Mum. I lived with her. She was owed an explanation.
“How did you get roped into this, Cal?” Mum laughed. “Last I heard, you hated horses.”
“I still do—especially now,” Cal chuckled nervously. “It was Chloe’s horse. I took care of her following the incident. My whole family feels terrible, Lady Danna.”
“Darling, why were you with Chloe on her horse?” Danna asked.
“She… invited me out.” I looked at Cal with trepidation.
“Well, Cal, thank you for taking care of her. I’ll take it from here. I feel bad for you getting roped into this. You must have better things to do.”
“Not really. It’s a Sunday. Even I get to take a day off sometimes.” He shifted, looking at me.
It was now or never.
Breathing as deeply as my ribs allowed, I choked, “He’s sort of obligated?—”
“Because of Chloe’s mad horse?”
I could have let it go and laughed it off, but I’d deny everything.
“No,” I said sternly. “Because we’ve been seeing each other. This is the guy.”
“The one you went on the pill for?” Mum stammered. “The… the man you’ve been spending all your free time with?”
“Yes,” I answered.
Mum glared at Cal. “You know better!”
“I, I’m sorry?—”
“You better be. If David were here, he’d still knock you down. Daphne? You could have any woman—a grown woman your age?—”
“With all due respect, Lady Danna, Daphne is—and has been—a full-grown woman. I’ve never done anything to hurt her—nor would I!”
“And you’d just risk everything with this scandal following her?” Mum groaned. “I love her. She’s my daughter. I know her heart is good, and Chandler is a twat.”
Where did that come from ? My mother’s colorful language surprised me.
“But the press… your supporters? Would they be so kind?”
“I don’t know. I also… I don’t care.”
They wouldn’t. Cal could deny it. He lied to himself that this would be fine, but he already had enough public scrutiny to sink him. Perhaps if he wasn’t so charming and good at rhetoric, it would have. Until my divorce was settled, and he was further into his term, we weren’t going public. It wasn’t to protect me. It was for his own good.
“You should. You gave up a very lucrative position as David’s first choice replacement?—”
“He what?”
I stared past my mother, spying Davey. Fists balled, he strode in.
“Nothing.” Mum shook her head, trying to cover her tracks.
“No, you said Dad asked Cal to be his replacement. His first choice! Did you or did you not?”
“I… that is the past, Davey?—”
“I wasn’t his first choice,” Cal said.
“So, I was? Then why ask. I accepted.” Davey didn’t buy it.
“Your sister was,” Cal sighed. “Then me. Then you.”
Davey flew forward, knocking me down in an attempt to punch Cal. I ignored the scowl, sobbing in pain. The cold marble was a cruel reminder of my fragility. I could barely breathe.
Suddenly, everyone turned. The idiot men stopped.
Mum bent to comfort me. “See what you did? See what everyone’s childish behavior did!?”
The men stood silent, afraid to say or do anything. Finally, Cal dropped and helped me sit.
“Are you alright?” He glared at Davey.
“Can everyone just fucking stop?” I demanded. “I’m in tatters. Cal has done nothing wrong, and Davey has the fragile ego I’ve come to expect.”
“Says Dad’s favorite child!”
“Yeah, well, maybe he had a fucking point since you are running the thing into the ground!”
I didn’t know where I found my voice, but I didn’t expect to see it on my mother’s foyer while in great pain.
“Davey, your head is anywhere but with the retail side. You’re focused on the football team, e-commerce, and anything but the store.”
“You can say that, but at least I’m willing to try with it! Dad wasn’t. He was about to sell the damn thing!”
“What… is that true?” Cal asked, bewildered.
“He went back and forth over it. It’s been bleeding money. The new president he hired had a lot of success?—”
“In a value business,” Cal sighed. “In discount stores for middle-class people. Delphine’s has never been chasing that customer.”
“Well, whenever I try—it’s pointless!” Davey shook his head. He dropped to the floor with the rest of us. “I… I am holding onto all of it by a thread, Daphne. You sniping at me?—”
“I’m not sniping. You gave me a position I’m not qualified for to placate me! You treat me like a child. I’m not, Davey! I’m good at business. I have ideas about how to fix it. I’ve poured over the financials. I have a proposal and the votes on the board to make it work… not that you care.”
“I don’t think you have enough. I don’t even know what to do. I know you’re smart and talented. I have spent my entire life trying to outperform you.” His voice lowered. “I thought for once I had. I thought Dad finally saw it.”
Instead of anger, I felt compassion. “And I thought he always loved you more.”
“He didn’t. I’m sorry if you felt that way, Daphne.”
* * *
Cal
“Your father loved you all. Stop fighting!” Danna said, annoyed. “This is ridiculous. Davey, you must listen to Daphne and let her have a stake in the company. You’re convinced you know best—blinded that you don’t always know what is good. Your father was a brilliant man, but in the end—the last few years—his acumen failed him. I think he saw it. He resigned himself to it, hoping new blood would spark change. He felt he lost his biggest sounding board and reverted inward. Even before the cancer took over, he was like this.”
“His biggest sounding board?” Daphne asked.
“Cal,” Danna said. “Calvin, I know you were always there for him, but as you grew your business and built massive buildings, he realized his silly questions probably distracted you. Then you ran for mayor, and he gave up. He didn’t have a clue how he fit in with you anymore. The apprentice became the master and felt ridiculous monopolizing your time.”
Davey and Daphne appraised me as I fought tears. Daphne looked ready to comfort me, even as she sat in pain. I felt terrible for everyone. I’d wounded Danna by sleeping with Daphne. I insulted Davey by existing. Davey’s righteous anger hurt Daphne in more ways than one. Even David’s memory seemed insulted.
Voice soft, I said, “I always thought he pulled back because he was sick, and that is a hard pill to swallow. I didn’t ever think he was being silly. I owe him so much. I hate that he felt that way and never said it.”
“You know how Dad was,” Daphne said. “Sweet to a fault, but always wanting to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders.”
“Now we must,” Davey groaned.
“We—all of us,” Daphne reminded. “Not you. Not Mum. All of us—together.”
“Yeah, with Cal Markham to ride in and buy us out, right?” Davey’s words cut deep.
“Why the fuck would I do that?” I chuckled.
“Because you could.”
“I’m flattered you think I care so much. I don’t make unwise business decisions for companies with bleeding balance sheets. There is still time to save it. I suspect Daphne’s plans might make it worth the investment. However, as it stands today, I’d not buy it.”
“Well, then fucking buy the retail ops and make Daphne President or whatever.” His tone was more exhausted than dismissive.
Davey knew he was outhorsed but felt compelled to hold it together as the new patriarch. I knew how he felt. My mom was a single mother from the beginning until I started college. No one was there for me. But unlike Davey—still a boy in many ways—I grew into it and liked being that point person. Davey had never done this before. Daphne or David had been there to lift him when he tripped.
“Well, he’d be stupid to do that,” Daphne said. “One, because it’s a massive conflict of interest, and I have to pull a bunch of permits if I get my way. Two, we’re sleeping together, and the press would have a fucking field day.”
Davey glared at her, then me. “Now, why the fuck would he do something as stupid as sleeping with you, Daphne?”
“Because I love her.” I gently rubbed Daphne’s shoulders. “Because I’m stupid—not stupid enough to buy your retail holdings, mind you.”
Daphne snickered.
“I didn’t realize… it was serious,” Mum said. “Just like that?—”
“Love is stupid, and I don’t make the rules. For once, I’d like to admit I have no grand plans. The only roadmap I have is for the company. My life is… disastrous at times, but I am trying to choose happiness. Beyond Cal, it’s just the business. And if I can throw myself into it, I know we can make it work. Davey, let’s save it—together. Please!”
Davey softened. “You’re right. We have to save it. Dad only contemplated selling it when he realized he’d leave me with this mess. And I guess he never thought I could manage it. Fuck! That’s a kick in the teeth.”
“I’m sorry,” Daphne said. “You’re doing a good job with almost anything else.”
“Yeah, sure,” Davey sighed. “I don’t have a passion for a dying business.”
“It doesn’t have to be, though. Can you just let me try?”
“I need to fire someone,” Davey sighed. “The board will have to approve?—”
“We’ll soon have enough votes,” Daphne said. “This is how things began. Cal was… he helped connect me to some important people. I know the girls won’t stand in our way. Derrick will do whatever we need him to.”
“Cal was meddling to take me out?”
“That wasn’t my goal,” I said. “My goal was to help you all save the store.”
“And get in Daphne’s pants?”
“That didn’t play into it,” I said. “Not in the least.”
“No, she’s just a fringe benefit?”
“Stop talking about her like she isn’t here!” Danna’s sharp voice vibrated through the entry. “Your sister deserves respect. I am not pleased as punch about her and Cal running around behind our backs, but he is right about the business. And if he loves Daphne, who am I to judge?”
“They’ve been together for, like, what? A fucking month?”
“Your father and I fell in love in a matter of days . It was wild, too soon, and he proposed a month after we met. We just knew.”
“You are crazy,” Daphne giggled. “That’s insane, Mum!”
“It was the best choice I ever made. I got the love of my life and six beautiful children. I wish we’d had more time. Your father wasn’t perfect. And in the end, I think he made some bad choices out of fear. But who is perfect?”
“He was perfect for us,” Daphne whimpered, now in tears. “Fuck. Grief sucks! Why can’t he be here?”
“I know,” I said. “I’m sorry. I miss him every day. I know it’s nothing like the rest of you, but… he is missed.”
* * *
Daphne
“Should we get you up and put you to bed?” Mum asked.
“I need to get off the floor for sure,” I agreed.
“C’mon,” Cal rose to his knees.
“Cal, I will break your back.”
“You most certainly won’t,” Cal chuckled. “I had to carry you around all day yesterday, with Chloe threatening to end me if I dropped you.”
“What exactly happened?” Davey asked.
“She has some bruised ribs,” Cal answered. “From Chloe’s horse doing something known as teleportation.”
“So, down I went. I’ll heal,” I assured.
Cal hoisted me with strong arms. I didn’t think he’d drop me. I trusted he could manage it. I could walk, but I’d rather he babied me a bit. I’d never had a man dote over me. Cal was the first to wait on me hand and foot. Last night, watching him take care of Laurie and me, I felt better than I had in years. Physically, I was a wreck. Emotionally, I was home.
“Where am I headed?” Cal asked.
“Her room—same room as ever,” Mum said.
“Apologies, but I have no idea where that is,” Cal said.
“I can direct you,” I said.
Cal climbed the stairs, not complaining that I was the most awkward sack of potatoes he ever carried. I pointed him around before we finally entered my childhood bedroom, where he tucked me into bed. Davey stayed downstairs, not getting involved. Mum hung around, annoying me. I wanted Cal to kiss me and tell me everything was alright. I didn’t want him to do that before her.
Cal stood back, letting Mum dote.
“You sure you’re alright? Has he fed you anything?”
“He’s kept me fed and watered,” I promised. “But I’d like to sleep a little.”
“Okay, well, I will leave you. I’ll check on you in a bit.”
She gave me an embarrassing kiss on the forehead and departed. Cal took in the bedroom.
“It is weird being in here. Just say it,” I said.
“It’s very, very weird,” Cal laughed, sitting on the bed. “But I’m just glad you are okay. I am so sorry for the scuffle and everything?—”
“I love you. I know you didn’t do that to hurt me. Davey didn’t either. Men are just stupid.”
“True.”
“I want you to stay out of the drama from here on out, okay?” I asked. “With family. Spare yourself.”
“Baby, your drama is my drama.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want that, though. Your life is neat and easy. I’d rather keep things separate than feel guilt for dragging you into my mess.”
He squeezed my hand. “My ex dropped her baby at my house last night. That’s drama. We all got shit. We’re grown-ups with grown-up problems. There is no woman on earth I could date without baggage—at least not someone age-appropriate. Although, according to Lady Danna, that’s debatable.”
“They had a huge age gap, so she’s full of shit,” I snickered. “Ignore Mum.”
“I will. I will stay out of the business. That’s for you—and Chloe. She has it covered. She’ll do well.”
“Do you trust Davey?” I asked. “I don’t know if I do.”
“He’s hurt, Daphne. What I saw there was a man full of pride—I’d know—who was in deep pain over the loss of his father. He has always felt like he played second fiddle. And while I cannot fault your father for it since I love you, you have always been his favorite. He’d deny it, but that is just facts, princess.”
Cal brushed my cheek. “Try to trust him. But, for now, get some rest. Tomorrow we’ll have plenty of fuckery to combat.”
“Don’t remind me,” I said.