Sins of the Father

by Angela Benson

  Josette nodded. She understood. “Before Michael told him.”

  “You know your husband, don’t you?”

  She smiled a little. “It seems we both do.”

  “Look,” Rebecca said. “Let’s talk woman-to-woman for a minute. Isaac’s feeling lonely and betrayed right now and he’s wondering if he made a mistake by marrying me. And you’re probably feeling the same way. Michael lied to you about a lot of stuff, I know, and you’re wondering if you made the right choice when you chose him.”

  Josette looked way, blinking back tears. Rebecca had read her very well.

  “We have two very different marriages here,” Rebecca said. “I’m not interested in swapping partners and I don’t think you are either, not really. You’re angry with Michael just like Isaac is angry with me. I only ask that you don’t let the anger make you do something you’ll regret. You and Isaac don’t have a future together, any more than Michael and I do.”

  Josette looked down at her fingers. “Did you love Michael?”

  Rebecca shook her head. “No. Michael and I had more of a business relationship, though there was a time when I had hoped there would be more. Michael didn’t want more, at least not with me. The sex was something that just happened. It didn’t mean anything beyond physical release to either of us.”

  That there was no love between Rebecca and Michael didn’t ease Josette’s pain. Michael had still betrayed their marriage vows.

  “Because I love Isaac, you’re in a position to hurt me, to do to me what I did to you by sleeping with Michael after he married you. I can’t hurt you the same way because Michael doesn’t care about me and I don’t care about him. So you have the upper hand. I want my marriage to work, Josette. I love Isaac, but he’s never going to believe that if you’re always hanging around him.”

  “I’m not trying to take Isaac from you.”

  “You don’t have to try. I’m sure you’ve noticed that Isaac is a caretaker. He knows you’re hurting and he wants to stop it. That can easily lead to something else, especially when you’re always in his face reminding him of what monsters Michael and I are.”

  It was Josette’s turn to give a nervous laugh. “This conversation is certainly not what I expected when I walked through your door.”

  Rebecca laughed, this time genuinely. “You were going to scratch my eyes out?”

  Now Josette gave a real laugh. “After I cussed you out and told you to stay away from my husband.”

  “I really am sorry for what I did, Josette. I can only imagine how hearing about it makes you feel. I get sick to my stomach every time I think of something happening between you and Isaac. We women have to be better to each other than we are. I was wrong.”

  Josette thought of her baby and this woman who would be her baby’s aunt. “I forgive you,” she told Rebecca, surprising herself. “Life’s too short, and I’m having a baby who’s going to be your niece, if you can believe that.”

  Rebecca laughed. “Think we can get on an episode of The Maury Show?”

  Josette chuckled, having thought something similar. “Saralyn would shoot us both before she’d let that happen.”

  Both women were silent for a few moments. Rebecca spoke first. “What are we going to do about our husbands, Josette?”

  Josette rubbed her belly. “I have no idea, but we have to do something. More than anything, I want peace in this family.”

  Chapter Fifty-Two

  Leah sat at the desk in her cramped office at the community college and tried unsuccessfully to concentrate on the student paper she was grading. Her mind kept wandering to Abraham’s impending visit. She had turned down his initial request to meet him at the mansion, insulted that he thought for even a moment that she’d come to his home. Abraham was a selfish man who always thought of himself first.

  She picked up the pages of the student paper and turned her chair toward the window, hoping a new direction would help her concentration. She began reading again, but was back to thinking about Abraham before she finished the page. She’d always known he was selfish, had accepted it as a character trait rather than a character flaw. And that was her character flaw: making excuses for him and putting up with his unacceptable behavior. Why? Love, of course. Or rather, what she’d thought was love.

  Now that she knew a different kind of love, the kind that held her in esteem, that put her first, she knew that what she’d had with Abraham wasn’t love. She’d loved what they could have been together, and he’d loved that she loved him. She couldn’t blame him. Not many men would pass up the adulation she had heaped on Abraham.

  “Sorry I’m late.”

  She turned, tossing aside her thoughts, and saw him standing in her doorway. His eyes seemed tired and for a moment she felt guilty for having him make the trek over instead of going to his home. Brushing her guilt aside, she pointed to the straight-back chair near her desk. “Have a seat,” she said. “What was so important that we couldn’t discuss it over the phone? You look like you should be resting.”

  He sat, crossing one leg over the other. “I feel better than I look,” he said, with a smile meant to disarm.

  As she observed him now, she realized nothing had changed. He had more money, but the arrogance and self-assurance had always been there. It was just a bit more polished. “I assume this visit is about Michael or Deborah.”

  He nodded. “It’s odd, isn’t it? After all these years, we’re being parents to our children.”

  “Correction,” Leah said, her voice tight. “I’ve always been a parent to our children. You’re the one who’s new to the game.”

  He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward. “I worded it wrong,” he said, “but you know what I mean.”

  She shook her head. “Not really. The children you refer to are adults. It’s not like we’re discussing finding a place in the family budget for fees for Michael to join the basketball team or getting help for Deborah’s struggles with math. They needed parenting then, Abraham. I’m not sure they need it now.”

  He sat back in his chair. “Well, it seems I can’t do anything right these days.”

  Leah didn’t say anything. It wasn’t her job to make Abraham Martin feel better. She’d covered for him too long, only to find out that he had given her and her children little to no thought over the years. Saralyn had opened her eyes to how things really were. She didn’t think she’d ever see Abraham the same way again.

  He sighed. “I wanted to talk to you about Michael and MEEG…” He paused. “I know we talked about giving him a seat on the board immediately, but that move is going to take a bit more finesse than I had expected.”

  “What does that mean? Isn’t MEEG your company?”

  “It’s more complicated than that.”

  Leah nodded. “I see,” she said, and she did. Apparently, Abraham was getting push-back from Saralyn. Leah had to give it to her. Saralyn took care of business.

  “I don’t think you do understand,” Abraham said. “It’s going to happen, but it’ll take a bit more time.”

  Leah sneered at him. “What’s more time when Michael has waited thirty years?” She inclined her head toward the door. “If that’s it…”

  “You have to understand, Leah,” he said. “I’m going to do right by him, but I need more time.”

  Leah slammed the sheets of paper in her hand on the desk. “I understand, all right,” she said. “I understand that my children stand with you where they’ve always stood—nowhere. We would have been better off if you’d continued to ignore us. All I asked was for you not to hurt them. Why didn’t you get your house in order before you reached out to them? Why did you make promises that you can’t keep?”

  “I’m keeping my promises to them, Leah,” he said. “I had reservations about Michael from the start, if you’ll remember.”

  “I remember, all right,” she said. “I remember how I went along with that initial plan because it was easiest for you and I was so happy you’d finally decided to e
mbrace your kids. After thirty years I was still putting you and your concerns ahead of my kids. I should have sued you for child support from day one. If I had, we wouldn’t be in this situation now.”

  Abraham sat looking at her, his eyes wide with surprise. He obviously hadn’t expected her outburst. “Look,” he pleaded, “I’m sorry about the past, but I can’t do anything about it.”

  Leah laughed at him, laughed to keep from crying. “You still don’t get it, do you? This is not about you. This is about me not doing what was right by my kids. This is about me not putting my kids first.” She took a deep breath. “I let guilt keep me from doing the right thing.”

  “What are you talking about?” Abraham asked. “What guilt?”

  “Guilt about a miscarriage. I got out of your life and kept my children hidden and deprived because of the guilt I felt about Saralyn’s miscarriage.”

  “We shared that guilt, Leah.”

  She took a deep breath, not wanting his words to sway her. “I’ll talk to Deborah and Michael about your change in plans,” she said.

  “I’d like for us to talk to them together,” he offered.

  She shook her head. “This is between me and my kids. We can talk to them together after I talk to them alone, if they’re interested.”

  “But it’ll be better if we do it together.”

  She lifted a brow. “Better for whom? You? Certainly not them.”

  “They’re my children, too.”

  “I’m glad that finally means something to you, but it doesn’t mean to you what it does to me. You know, I’m learning a lot from you and Saralyn. You’ve always known what I’m only now learning—take care of yourself and your children first. Do you know that Saralyn offered me money to get us out of your lives? Did you put her up to it?”

  “Of course I didn’t put her up to it. I didn’t even know about it. I can’t control her. She even offered Michael money. I was appalled.”

  That witch. “Look, I think we’ve said all we need to say. I know where you and your family stand, and you know that I stand—fully with my kids. Now if you don’t mind, I’ve got papers to grade.”

  He looked at her a long minute, and Leah thought he was going to say something more. Instead he got up. “You’ll call me after you talk to them? I really want them to hear my side.”

  Without looking up, she said, “If they want to talk to you, you’ll be the first to know.”

  Chapter Fifty-Three

  Since Michael’s secretary wasn’t at her desk, Deborah went directly to his office and made herself comfortable by stretching out on the sofa in the corner. This office was more familiar to her than her own, and she felt much more comfortable here at Thomas Management Group than she did at MEEG. Here, the furniture was serviceable—more IKEA than the custom Fulbright designs found at MEEG—and as a result more casual. Though she appreciated what Abraham was trying to do for her, and for Michael, sometimes she felt so out of place at MEEG she had to leave the building. Today was one of those days. She had considered going to visit her mother out at the community college, but her brother’s office was much closer.

  “What’s this? Sleeping Beauty come to visit?”

  Deborah’s eyes snapped open and she sat up on the couch. “You scared me,” she said, her hand to her chest. “You need to give a person warning before you startle them out of a deep sleep.”

  Michael raised a brow. “You’re joking, right?”

  “No, I’m not joking,” she said as he came toward her.

  He took a seat next to her and put his feet up on the coffee table in front of the couch. “It must be nice,” he said, “to be able to sneak away from the job and grab a few z’s. Is that one of the perks of being the boss’s daughter?”

  She punched him on the arm. “Please. I’m not at the perks stage yet. I love the work but there’s something about the MEEG Building that intimidates the heck out of me. Do you think I’ll ever get used to all that…that richness?”

  Michael chuckled. “Sure. I know I would. And it wouldn’t take me long, either. I can’t believe you aren’t soaking it up. Your digs over there are a hundred times better than at your old job.”

  “Make that a million times better. I’m thinking it’s too rich for me. I can’t quite get comfortable.”

  “Hang in there, sis. You’ll get used to it.”

  “I’d get used to it quicker if you were there with me. Any formal news yet about the board position?”

  He shook his head. “I’m not holding my breath.”

  “You should give Abraham more credit. He’s trying, Michael.”

  He tapped her on her nose. “A family can only have one flaming optimist, and that’s you.”

  “That doesn’t mean you have to be a flaming pessimist.”

  He laughed. “Yes, it does.”

  She punched him again. “What am I going to do with you?”

  He lowered his feet to the floor. “I’m hungry. Now that you’re the head of a big-time production company, you can treat me.”

  “I’m game,” she said. “How about Sylvia’s?”

  “Sylvia’s? With a fat check like yours, you ought to be taking me to The Sundial at the top of the Peachtree. You’ve got to start thinking big, sis, as fits your new station in life.”

  Now she laughed. “You’re so full of it, Michael.”

  He tried to charm her with his trademark grin. “But you love me anyway.”

  She frowned. “Only because you’re my brother. You’d better be glad of that.”

  “I am,” he said. “You can work a brother’s nerve sometimes, but you’re an all right sister.”

  “I’ll try not to let all that praise go to my head.” She got up. “Where do you want to go for lunch? And be serious this time.”

  He looked at his watch. “You can pick the place. I just need a few minutes to make a phone call.”

  “No problem,” she said. “I need to make a stop at the ladies’ room before we go anyway.”

  “I’ll be ready when you get back.”

  Nodding, she headed for the door. She stopped abruptly when she met Alan as he entered the outer office. “What are you doing here?” she asked.

  He smiled at her. “The same reason you’re here, I’d guess. To see your brother.”

  “About what?” she asked. “Does this have anything to do with Michael’s position on the board?”

  He took her elbow and turned her back toward Michael’s office. “I wanted to tell him first,” Alan told her, “but I guess I’ll have to tell you together.”

  Deborah knew it was bad news.

  Michael put the phone down when they entered his office. “Alan,” he said. “What brings you by?”

  “MEEG business,” the attorney said. “Why don’t we all sit?”

  Michael sat in his desk chair, while Alan and Deborah sat in the visitor’s chairs in front of the desk.

  “I think I know what’s coming,” Michael said.

  Alan glanced at Deborah before turning back to Michael. “Abraham has asked me to withdraw your board seat.”

  “He can’t do that,” Deborah said. “He said he would go along with what Mama and I decided.”

  Alan turned to her. “The seat is not withdrawn for good,” he told her. “Just for the time being.”

  “Why would he do this?” she asked. “And why wouldn’t he tell us himself?”

  “I’m not here in an official capacity, Deborah. I came to give Michael a heads-up. I’m sure Abraham plans to tell both of you. I probably shouldn’t have put myself in the middle of it, but I felt Michael needed to know sooner rather than later.”

  Deborah appreciated his thoughtfulness. That was the kind of man Alan was, she thought.

  “Thanks, man,” Michael said. His face was shuttered to hide his emotions from Alan, but he couldn’t hide them from her. He was angry and hurt. The anger she expected and could deal with. The hurt was new. She wanted to hug her brother but knew he wouldn’t apprecia
te it with Alan present.

  “Deborah was about to take me to lunch,” Michael said to Alan. “You’re welcome to join us.”

  “I’ll have to take a rain check,” he said, standing up. “I have a lot of unfinished business on my desk.” He shook hands with Michael and smiled at her. Then he left the office.

  “I’m sorry, Michael,” she said. “I’m definitely going to have a few words with Abraham about this.”

  He shook his head. “No you’re not. MEEG is Abraham’s company and he can do what he wants with it.”

  She slid to the edge of her chair. “But—”

  He cut her off with a raised palm. “If Abraham comes to you, fine, but don’t you go to him, not on my behalf.”

  She slumped back in her chair. “How can I continue to work there after this?” she asked.

  He came around and sat on the edge of the desk facing her. “You stay because you enjoy the work. In the process, you build your résumé and keep active in your network. That way, if Abraham changes his mind about you, you will already have the experience and the exposure to move on to something better. It’s a great opportunity, sis. You have to make the best of it.”

  “How can I? I’m not even sure I trust Abraham. He could come in tomorrow and give me my walking papers.”

  “He could, but I don’t think he will. He’s already given you a job and a seat on the board. Alan didn’t say anything about him withdrawing yours, just mine. Face it, sis, I’m not exactly on the man’s fan list. He has to have reservations about me. He’d be a fool not to. And Abraham Martin is a lot of things, but fool is not one of them.”

  She eyed him skeptically, wondering if the hurt she’d read in his expression had been something else altogether. “You sure are taking this well,” she said. “Where is the Michael Thomas who had a knockdown, drag-out fight with Isaac Martin in the MEEG boardroom?”

  He grinned at her. “He’s remembering his mother’s home training.” He stood. “I have my own ways of dealing with Abraham Martin. For now, let’s forget him and enjoy lunch. He’ll get his when the time is right.”