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Conrad looks up at me. “What does that mean?”
I glare at Ellie. “It means, she doesn’t know any better.” I take hold of my son’s hand. “Come on, sweetheart. I think it’s time for us to leave.”
I expect Will to come after me as I march across the lawn, but Ashton is the one who follows me to my car. “Don’t let Ellie upset you. She’s just jealous. She’s been shamelessly chasing after my brother since Tracy died.”
“I’m not worried about Ellie. But I feel awful for causing a scene,” I say opening the back door for Conrad to climb in.
I spot Will in the crowd as we drive off. He’s distanced himself from Ellie and is now conversing with a group of dads. My throat swells as I drive away from Marsh Point. I’m a newcomer to town. Everyone here has known each other all their lives. Something tells me I will never fit in.
TWENTY-TWO
WILL
Against my better judgment, I take Ashton’s suggestion and invite Dad and May May to stay for hamburgers after the party. I keep a close eye on my father and May May as we eat. They are like an old married couple. When she fusses at him about his table manners, he grumbles but complies to appease her.
Not only was May May my mother’s closest friend, she was our surrogate mother during our formative years. While Dad and May May were devoted to my mother, I was not surprised when I recently learned they had a brief affair a long time ago. It happened during the height of my parents’ troubled marriage, shortly after May May’s husband passed away from a sudden heart attack. They were two close friends comforting each other through difficult times.
Now that my mother is gone, they are free to be together. May May appears to be a positive influence on Dad. He seems more lively, more outgoing, and much happier.
After the dishes are put away, Ashton volunteers to bathe the girls, my cue to have the dreaded conversation with our father.
He’s gathering up his things to leave when I say, “Dad, if you can spare another minute, I have something I need to talk to you about.”
“Sure thing, son.” Setting down his belongings, he removes his felt fedora and takes his accustomed seat at the head of the table.
When May May tries to slip unnoticed out of the kitchen, I say, “Please stay, May May. This involves you too.”
She stops in her tracks and turns back around. “All right, then. Can I interest anyone in a cup of tea? Sounds like we may need one.”
Dad and I both decline her offer.
I sit down next to Dad, and as soon as May May joins us with her steaming mug of tea, we begin.
“You sound serious, son. What’s this about?” Dad asks with concern etched on his face.
I lace my fingers together on the table. “I’ve been in counseling.”
Dad places his hand over mine. “That’s good, son. You’ve suffered a tragic loss. You should seek counseling.”
“This is about more than Tracy’s death, Dad. I’ve been coping with some anger issues. Anger issues that stem from my youth. From Bert’s accident.”
Dad retracts his hand. “Oh. I see.”
“Do you think I was drunk that night, Dad? That I was responsible for Bert’s death?” I watch Dad’s face, anticipating his response.
His pained expression appears genuine, but his words are not what I want to hear. “Plenty of witnesses claimed you were.”
“I don’t care what those witnesses claim. They wanted to blame someone, and I was their scapegoat. I told you I was sober. I’d never been in trouble for drinking before. Why did you believe them over me?”
Dad hangs his head. “Kids make mistakes. We loved you despite what you might have done.”
I bang my fist on the table, startling both them and me. “I did nothing wrong. Bert was the one who was drunk. When I tried to make him go home, he came after me. We wrestled, and he fell into the rotten railing. It easily could’ve been me who died that night.”
Dad and May May exchange a look I can’t interpret. “Your parents did the best they could in a difficult situation,” May May says.
“Including paying Bert’s parents hundreds of thousands of dollars to go away?”
She gives her head a solemn nod. “It seemed a small price to pay for your freedom.”
