Chapter 35 #2
Richard went on to describe their whirlwind romance.
From his side, it sounded more like she was the one who swept him off his feet, his goofy smile making it clear that he’d been gone for her.
Still, he thought maybe it was just a fling, that Meg would meet someone younger, more handsome, more available, and break up with him.
It didn’t happen, and the day he realized he was falling for her, he told her about his wife.
By then, they’d finally filed, but he knew it would be months if not years before they were able to fully untangle all their assets.
Mom forgave him—too easily, he said—and told him she was willing to wait.
So they carried on their relationship. By that point, his soon-to-be ex-wife was seeing someone, too, and Richard, thinking it would be okay, brought Mom to a few smaller gatherings, meant for close friends.
Friends he’d cut off after the way they’d treated her.
Only the McCormicks had welcomed Mom with open arms.
My face heated, thinking how quick I’d been to damn them alongside Richard, assuming the absolute worst.
Richard said he’d been shocked when Mom got pregnant, because they’d been so careful, and he didn’t react well. He told her he needed a few days to sit with the news, a choice he deeply regretted.
“It took me a day,” he said, “to pull my head out of my ass and realize I’d be the luckiest man on the planet to have a child with that incredible woman.
” He waved a hand, gesturing toward the room.
“I put down a deposit on this place on day two, because Meg loved this neighborhood so much. I spent day three trying to pick out the perfect engagement ring because I knew I wanted to marry her as soon as I was legally able to.”
His grin was rueful. “I called her on day four, but her phone had been disconnected and her apartment was empty. That was the moment I realized how badly I’d messed up.
How badly I’d been messing up. But it was too late.
She’d waited for me for so long, I just assumed she’d wait a few more days, and that was my mistake.
I’ll never forgive myself for taking her kindness for granted. ”
I almost begged him to stop talking, not sure how much more I could endure.
So much of his story aligned with my mother’s, but where they diverged was what broke me.
Mom had lied to me my entire life. This man wasn’t responsible for her downfall.
She was. She was the reason I grew up the way I did, why we endured such hardships.
How could she have possibly thought that was the better choice?
It made me wonder if she’d ever questioned her decision, was ever tempted to return to the city to find Richard.
Why the fuck didn’t you? I wanted to scream at her. If she had, she might have lived. If she had, I might have grown into a different person. A better person. A man deserving of someone as incredible as Stella.
Instead I was a shell, empty now that my misguided vengeance plan had disintegrated.
Richard blinked and seemed to come back to himself.
“I tried to find you both. For years. And while I knew about Meg’s childhood, it wasn’t until after she left that I realized she’d never even told me the name of the town she was raised in.
Another selfish mistake on my part. I should have asked.
I should have begged for every single piece of information she was willing to give me. ”
His words mirrored my own feelings of regret toward Stella, and I untangled our hands so I could wrap my arm around her shoulders, just to remind myself that she was still here, and, unlike Richard, I’d been granted a second chance.
“What . . .” his voice broke, and he coughed to clear it. “What happened? After she left?”
Funny, after all the years I’d spent wanting to ruin this man, now that I had my chance, I couldn’t do it.
With everything he’d confessed, I realized the truth would ruin him, learning that Mom had turned him into a villain with the hope it would keep us apart.
It was the only cruel thing she had ever done, and it must have gutted her.
Why, Mom? I wondered again and again, knowing I would never get an answer.
Instead, for the first time in memory, I chose kindness.
“You weren’t why she left. Or at least, not the whole reason.
Mostly, she wanted me to have a normal childhood, because she thought growing up with wealth might negatively impact my development.
She returned home and continued to waitress until she got sick, raising me as best she could. ”
Richard rubbed a hand over his face. “Did she ever get married? Have more children?”
I shook my head. “No. I don’t think she ever really got over you.”
He swore and stood, his hands on his hips as he took a few steps away, trying to compose himself.
“I’m sorry,” he said after a minute. “You should know, I never got over her, either. It’s why I don’t really date.
Why I stayed in this brownstone all these years.
I kept hoping that maybe one day I would find you both and make everything right, or at least get the chance to meet you and apologize to your mother. ”
“She would have taken you back,” I said, knowing it was the truth. Guessing it was the reason she’d forced herself to stay away.
Richard returned to his seat. “How are you? How was your childhood? What was your favorite subject in school? I want to know everything.” He shook his head.
“Sorry. I’m not trying to overwhelm you.
It’s just that I’ve been looking for you for so long, and this is all very surreal.
Let’s start with an easy question. How long have you known I’m your father? ”
“Since the beginning,” I told him. “But I didn’t think you wanted to meet me.”
“Well, I think I’ve cleared that up, at least.”
I nodded, my heart in my throat. Yes, he’d certainly done that.
He glanced from me to Stella. “Wait. How do you two know each other?”
I opened my mouth to fabricate some answer, but Stella beat me to it.
“He came into my tattoo parlor one night and convinced me to bring him to a few parties. And no, at the time, I didn’t know he was your son. I just found out last night.”
Richard frowned. “So you two aren’t together?”
Stella and I spoke at the same time. “It’s complicated.”
He lifted his hands. “Understood. Sorry for prying. I’m just trying to wrap my head around all of this.”
“I’m sorry for the deception,” I said, realizing I meant it.
“How long have you lived in the city?” Richard asked.
“Four years,” I told him.
We spent the next two hours together, answering each other’s questions.
I didn’t outright lie, but I did skirt the truth about my childhood and how hard Mom’s life had been after she left him.
Unfortunately, Richard wasn’t an idiot, and though he didn’t come right out and say it, I could tell he knew there was more to the story than I was letting on.
I struggled to process the conversation.
It was too unexpected, too unreal. All my life, I’d hated this man, and here he was, leaned forward in his seat, laser-focused on me, actively listening, wanting to know everything he could and seeming like he was more than ready to accept whatever role in my life I was willing to offer.
It made me feel like an even bigger bastard.
Because I didn’t deserve his acceptance or faith.
Up until yesterday, I’d been hell-bent on destroying him.
“Can I visit Meg sometime?” he asked. “I’d like to pay my respects and say goodbye.”
“Yes, absolutely,” I told him, because it was clear that Stella wasn’t the only person I needed to make amends with.
“Would you . . . like to come?” He grimaced. “Sorry, if this is awkward.”
“It’s not. And I can take you to her. Help you break the ice.”
He smiled, lines creasing the corners of his eyes. “Thanks, it’s been a while since we’ve spoken.” His smile slipped, and he dropped his head into his hands. “Oh, god. Meg.”
His shoulders shook with a silent sob, and Stella shot me a heartbroken look and crossed over to him, sinking down on the arm of the chair as she hugged him.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, her eyes welling up.
I stayed where I was, not wanting to intrude on his grief. Yes, I was his son, but I had no right after what I’d almost done to him.
Nothing was settled before we left—everything was still too new, too raw. But Richard and I did make plans to meet at Mom’s gravesite in the coming week, and I was sure we’d talk more then.
Afterward, I drove Stella back to her shop.
“Can I stay?” I asked. “With you, I mean. Just for the night. I, uh, don’t really want to be alone right now.”
“Yes,” she said.
I sighed in relief. “I’ll go park the car.”
“Okay.” She opened her door to get out but paused, turning back to me. “I’m proud of you for how you handled that. For how kind you were to Richard.”
“Thank you. It felt like the right thing to do.”
She leaned over, gave me a brief kiss, and slipped into the night.