CHAPTER 14 – SAFE HARBOR #3
“Eliza’s thinking perfectly straight,” I say. “She’s made her choice.”
He’s about to explode, but then his voice breaks. “Nancy’s a mess. She hasn’t slept. She blames herself, you know? She thinks she drove Eliza to this with all her nagging about going back to school, life, and other random shit.”
I’m ready for anger, but not for the sudden collapse. “Tell Nancy it’s not her fault. Tell her Eliza is safe, and she’s happy. I swear I’ll never let anything happen to her.”
He shakes his head, eyes glossing over. “She was our little girl. You remember? She used to play in your backyard. She—” He stops, can’t say it. “Just let me talk to her. Please.”
I hesitate, then nod. “I’ll ask. But if she says no, you respect that.”
He’s silent, rage and heartbreak warping his face.
I go inside, find Eliza perched on the bottom stair, knees hugged to her chest. She looks up, cheeks streaked with tears.
“Your dad wants to talk to you,” I say. “Only if you want to.”
She’s shaking, but after a second, she stands up, pulls my flannel tighter around her, and wipes her face.
“I want you with me,” she says.
“Always.”
We step out onto the porch together. Gerald’s standing by an azalea bush, trying to get his breathing under control.
Eliza approaches, but hangs back, half-shielded by me.
“Dad,” she says, voice wobbling.
He turns, and his whole face goes raw. “Baby girl…”
“I’m not a baby,” she says, stronger this time. “I’m twenty-one. I make my own choices. I know you don’t like it, but Jack makes me happy. He treats me like an adult. He respects me.”
Gerald shakes his head, disbelief leaking out of every pore. “He’s old enough to be your father—”
“Yeah, we know. We’ve talked about it a hundred times. But age is just a number, and this isn’t some weird thing. I love him. And he loves me.”
Gerald’s shoulders slump, all the fight draining out. “What about your mom? She’s wrecked. She thinks you’re gone for good.”
Eliza blinks hard, but doesn’t back down.
“I’m not gone. I just needed to get away.
You guys never trusted me, not really. Not when it mattered, and yes, I kept a lot from you as a result.
I wasn’t just working at the law firm, as you now know.
I picked up a second job camming because I felt stifled living under your roof.
I needed to get out, and that takes money. ”
Gerald looks at the ground, scuffing the concrete with his heel.
“All that for money?” he asks.
Eliza takes a step forward, her hand seeking mine. “No, but at first it was for the salary. You know I was thinking about going back to school, and tuition is crazy these days. So that’s why I decided to cam, and it took off from there. That’s why.”
Gerald’s jaw flexes. “Shit. I want to hate you for this. Both of you.”
I squeeze Eliza’s hand. “You don’t have to forgive me, G. But I’m not going anywhere.”
Eliza nods and adds, “I love you, Dad. I always will. But I’m not coming home. Not now.”
He takes a long, shaky breath, then looks at me with something like surrender.
“Take care of her,” he says. “Or I’ll fucking kill you.”
I nod. “Always.”
He turns to Eliza, voice soft. “Call your mother. Just let Nancy know you’re alive, okay? She’s hurting real bad too.”
Eliza nods, tears flowing again, but she doesn’t speak.
Gerald stumbles back to his car. He fumbles the keys, gets in, and peels out of the driveway, too fast, just like always.
The porch is suddenly quiet. The stars are out, sharp and cold overhead.
Eliza leans into me, breathing hard, and for the first time since last night, her body relaxes. The fight’s over, at least for now.
“You okay?” I ask.
She shakes her head. “Not really. But I will be.”
We stand there, side by side, until her shivering stops. I put my strong arm around her, anchor her in place.
“My dad really hates you,” she says, but there’s a smile tucked in there.
I grin. “It’ll pass. He’s hated me before.”
She laughs, wet and ragged. “Really?”
I shrug. “I’ve known Gerald for more than twenty years. We’ve both given each other reason to hate each other multiple times over that time period, and now is another one of those instances. But this too will pass, sweetheart, because you’re impossible not to love.”
Eliza presses her face to my chest, and I feel the shake of her laughter, the way her arms wrap around my ribs.
“You’re so realistic,” she says, but she’s smiling.
I hold her close, feeling the last of the old world burn away, making room for the new.
“It’s the soldier in me, sweetheart. He’s always there.”
“And I love him,” Eliza whispers, looking up at me so innocent and pure that I can’t help but kiss that pouty mouth. “I adore that man.”
My heart swoops and I want to ravish the young woman, but Eliza’s stomach growls and I know I have to feed her. Sure enough, when we head into the kitchen, the onions are still on the cutting board, the meat defrosting in the sink, but none of that really matters.
Right now, it’s just me and this gorgeous girl, and the absolute certainty that together, we can survive anything.