Chapter 32
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
“Are you prepared to back that up, though?” I sincerely ask my friend.
I lean the phone between my face and shoulder as I take in the view of town through the large window in my living room.
Tinsley is upstairs in one of her physical therapy sessions, and I wanted to make sure to take the time this morning to check in with her brother.
Wells is planning on calling their mother with an offer she would be foolish to refuse.
After Wells changed Tinsley’s phone number on Christmas Day—an oversight that we should have done when Rick put Tinsley in the hospital—Bridget has been agitated, to say the least. Bridget has always had a drinking problem, but Wells insisted she wasn’t like this before their father died.
Michael Sinclair passed away from a heart attack just before Wells turned twelve, so he has actual memories of his father and what life was like as a family of four, whereas Tinsley wasn’t even two years old when he passed and doesn’t remember the man at all.
Their father was a healthy man in the prime of his life, and it’s caused Wells to be overly cautious when it comes to heart health.
It’s always bothered Wells because his dad was an avid runner, and he has more questions than answers when it comes to his dad’s death.
It’s also shaped how Wells works in life—he does not like unanswered questions.
It helps that he’s a genius so he usually can find them, so when he’s told there isn’t an answer to one, or if he feels like there’s a missing puzzle piece, it drives my friend mad.
And he feels like there is more than one missing puzzle piece when it comes to his father’s death—like how quickly his mother moved on.
Rick and Michael were business partners, but Wells doesn’t remember Rick being around their family a lot when he was growing up—that is, until Bridget and Rick started dating and quickly married, less than a year after Michael’s death.
Wells has admitted to me more than once over the years that he suspects his mother and Rick’s relationship started prior to his dad’s passing, but he doesn’t have any solid proof.
It would be easy to encourage my friend to just wash his hands of his mother and walk away, but I also get it—that’s his mom.
We’ve talked about this at great length, and I support the decision he made.
Today, he is calling his mother, hoping to reach her somewhat sober if he calls her before noon, and offer a path to building a relationship again.
In order to have a financial or emotional relationship, Bridget will need to agree to quit drinking and go to a world-class rehab facility that Wells will fully fund.
She will also need to agree to divorce Rick.
If Bridget is not willing to leave Rick and get sober, Wells is no longer willing to entertain any sort of relationship with his mother, including financial.
We suspect Rick has siphoned off substantial amounts of Tinsley’s fortune over the years—conservative estimates without knowing all the details have projections upward of over two-hundred and fifty million dollars.
However, Rick thought he would always have access to Tinsley’s money, so he and Bridget have exorbitant costs to maintain their lifestyles and even the deepest well can run dry if you drain it too quickly.
I’ve also found that the greediest people always want more, regardless of what they already have—it’s never enough.
“Yeah, I have to be, if only for the fact that she knew Rick was hurting Tinsley and she didn’t try to stop him.
Our mother could’ve called and told me, and I would have put a stop to it years ago, but she didn’t.
Her silence is the same as her approval in my eyes.
I can blame the alcohol up to a point, but she has to choose to put her kids first.” Wells already sounds dejected and he hasn’t even had the conversation yet.
“And if she doesn’t do that?” I know the answer; I just need to make sure my friend is willing to enforce the boundary for not only Tinsley’s well-being, but for his own mental health too.
“If she chooses Rick over us, then I’m done. I already had Daphne draft papers that will remove her from anything that I have her named in, whether my trust or even the dividends from some of my investments I’ve been more than generous with over the years.”
“I’m proud of you, man. It’s not an easy choice or situation, but I think you’re doing what’s best for both you and Tinsley.
No matter what happens, I have your back.
If it gets ugly and insults start flying, just be sure to consider the source, alright?
” Bridget has historically acted exceptionally vicious when backed into a corner, and from what I know of her over the years and the stories, I don’t expect her to roll over and play ball.
This ultimatum has the potential to be an emotionally charged conversation, to say the least. I don’t expect her to choose her kids, but I do expect her to go down in a vitriol of flames and anger.
“Let me know how it goes, no matter what.”
“Thanks, man. I appreciate you and I know you’ve got our backs. I think you’re walking proof that sometimes family is something you’re born into, and sometimes it’s something you find and choose along the way.”
“It’s my honor, Wells.”
“It’s mutual. Alright, I’ll be in touch.”
We disconnect as the elevator chimes and my girl walks into my home.
She looks tired, but sometimes those physical therapy sessions are intense for her both physically and emotionally.
She started working with Cami on finding her breath when her anxiety flares up, which is different work than the specialists helping her strengthen her diaphragm and heal from her injuries.
Cami mentioned that their work is more emotional than physical, but there’s still a connection.
When Cami left with us after Rick showed up at Java Jive last week, it shifted something in Cami and Tinsley’s relationship.
I’m thrilled to see the two of them build a friendship; they both could use a solid friend.
“How was today?”
Tinsley shrugs as she walks around the back of the couch to come and sit next to me. “It was good, I think. I can tell things are healing but it’s still not back to normal. It will take time, but I’m not the best at being patient.”
I extend my arm over the back of the couch and she takes the invitation to snuggle into my side.
She’s been seeking out physical touch more and more, and I’m more than happy to hold her anytime, anywhere.
In addition to her own healing and trauma, Dahlia seems to only have bad news when she calls or texts Tinsley with an update.
Four days ago, Dahlia let her know that there is still no improvement in Fiona’s brain function, and now, Fiona’s kidneys, liver, and lungs are all starting to fail as well.
The sepsis continues to ravage her body, and the multi-organ failure was just another layer of unwanted terrible news.
“I need to talk to you about something.” Her body stiffens slightly as she says this, but the way she’s pulling at the hem of her sweatshirt makes me think she’s anxious about whatever is going on.
I kiss her forehead. “What’s on your mind, Red?”
“I … Damn, I don’t even know how to explain this.
I should’ve talked to you about this weeks ago, but I was hoping it would end up working out, but now …
now, I think I need to loop you in.” She takes a deep breath—as deep as she can right now anyway—before continuing, “Okay, so you know how Fiona and I are really good friends, right? Like before I had her and Allie in my life, I didn’t really have any other friends I could trust, and I take their trust very seriously. ”
I hum but let her continue without interruption.
“So, Fiona swore me to secrecy about something, and until now, I’ve kept my word. But I have some legitimate concerns, and I think the situation allows for an exception when it comes to my vow of secrecy.”
I slowly run my hand up and down her arm while she talks, a small attempt to soothe whatever she is anxious to tell me. She has my full attention as she continues.
“Fiona and Dahlia didn’t have it easy growing up, and at times, Dahlia was more of a mother figure than their own mother, who was inconsistent at best growing up.
I think she and Bridget are card carrying members of the same shitty moms club.
It was really hard on Dahlia to be put in a position like that at a really young age, so she’s always made it clear she didn’t want to be a mother.
Plus, she’s extremely focused on her goals of helping professional athletes with anxiety issues, and she’s really good at her job, even though she isn’t done with her schooling. ”
I’m not sure why we’re talking about Fiona’s sister right now, but I stay quiet.
“Fiona has actually paid for most of Dahlia’s schooling. She felt like it was the least she could do for everything Dahlia has done—and is doing—for her.”
“And what is Dahlia doing for Fiona? Or at least, what was she doing before the accident?” We know that for the last almost three weeks, Dahlia has not left Fiona’s side in the hospital.
Tinsley takes a deep breath. “Did you know that Daphne Cromwell has done some personal work for Fiona too?”
“I think I vaguely was aware Daphne was helping her with something about making some amendments to her trust,” I admit.
Tinsley nods. “Yeah, she did. So, almost two years ago, Fiona started the process of IVF. She’s wanted to be a mother her entire life, and she decided to do it on her own terms, instead of waiting for it to be the right time or find the right guy.”
Two years?
“She did the egg harvesting, picking a donor, freezing the embryos, all of it. The number of people aware of what she was doing or what she wanted is exceptionally limited.”