Page 109 of It Continues With A Maybe

David brought another cup of coffee right away, then disappeared into the house.

“I heard my grandson is at your place.”

“He was still sleeping when we left for work. I don’t know if he’s still there,” Seth said. “Where would you like me to send him?”

“I’m leaning toward letting Hugh figure that out for himself.”

“So you’re dumping him on Clary, then.”

Edward turned to him with a small smile. “Do you know that Hugh used to bully Clary when they were in school?”

“You knew and did nothing?”

“I didn’t know. She never complained. None of the teachers or even the principal told me.” Edward took a sip of his coffee, then turned to look out at the Bay. “Despite what you may think, I don’t know everything that goes on. Loyalties and sides are always changing, being bought and exchanged all the time.” He shook his head. “I didn’t know until she punched him, and when I did find out, I made the principal expel Hugh.” He laughed softly. “But a month later, Clary was calling and demanding that I find out where Hugh was and get him back in school.”

“He bombards her with calls to curse her out, then comes crawling to her when he has nowhere else to go.”

Edward frowned. “Hugh’s been harassing Clary? I warned him specifically not to do that.”

“I suppose he knew Clary probably wouldn’t tell on him over that.”

“Or he just can’t control his tantrums. That seems to be endemic in my descendants.” Edward sighed. “How is she doing? It seems she’s finally starting to get to work.”

“There were obstacles she had to maneuver around.”

“I know. I would’ve helped, but Giulia has issues with me helping Clary. And we’ve come to an agreement that she gets to make the final decisions about Clary’s life.” The old man shrugged a shoulder. “Can’t say I have much of an argument when you see how my own children and grandchildren turned out.”

“Perhaps they wouldn’t have become monsters if you had taken the time to actually discipline them instead of outsourcing your responsibilities.”

Edward nodded slowly. “Should haves. Would haves. Could haves,” he said. “I made choices, and I have to live with them.”

Seth hated the guilt growing within him, especially when he knew Edward had only outsourced the duty of taking care of his children because he wanted to take care of his wife. If Seth were in the same position, would he do the same?

Probably.

But he would have his brothers to help him.

“Sometimes, I wonder if my children would all be like Clary if I had let Giulia raise them instead of hiring help.” Edward’s chest rose.

“You seem to care very much about Clary.”

“All for selfish reasons, I assure you.”

That Seth could believe—easily. “I’d like to know why.” Because he wanted to know if he should be wary.

Clary would never think to guard herself against her old man. But if he had to, Seth would protect her from him too.

Edward Eolenfeld stared out at the Bay. “Clary gave me back the love of my life.”

Seth frowned.

“Because of her, I got to spend many more years with someone I thought I’d lost.”

“I don’t understand.” From what Seth had heard from Holly, the old man was exceptionally devoted to his wife. They had never separated. Wherever he went for business, he brought his wife along.

“May, my wife, had a weak constitution. Her health only got worse after giving birth, but she insisted on a large family. That had always been her dream.” He sighed heavily. “But as her health and strength deteriorated, she was depressed about not being able to spend time with the children. And children being children, they would run off and play on their own. She felt abandoned; her dreams of a large happy family shattered. And that just drove her deeper into depression.

“There was nothing I could do except watch as depression chipped away at May’s soul.” Edward grew silent for a moment. “Until Clary came along.” His lips curled, and he reached for his mug of coffee. “She has this innate ... compass that seems to direct her to those who need help. When she was young, she’d sit beside May and talk to her for hours. She’d ask May to read to her and listen to May tell her about all the places we’d been.”

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