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Glancing out at the ocean I stood for a moment warring what to disclose, but I knew if I did that it would have been breaking Tricia’s confidence, and I wasn’t prepared to do that.
“Can I ask you for patience?” I asked, and Billie’s jaw dropped. It was clear she had found it hard to talk to me in the first place and I knew she felt I was blowing her off.
“Patience? My daughter is not yet four years old, James, she’s your flesh and blood through your brother. Don’t you want to protect her from being hurt?”
“Absolutely,” I replied, quickly. “Do you trust me, Billie?”
“You have to ask me that?”
“No, I don’t, so I’m asking you to do this. Tricia is working through some heavy stuff right now.”
“Stuff? What stuff? And what could possibly make a grown woman sideline a child the way she has.”
“She’s not sidelining her,” I snapped. I sighed when I saw how devastated Billie looked and I could see she thought I wasn’t on her side, or Brynn’s for that matter. “Look, I know it’s hard for you to understand why she’d behave this way. I can’t betray a trust, but believe me when I tell you, I will talk to her about this. To be honest, I don’t think Tricia knows she’s doing anything wrong.”
“If you won’t talk to her, I will,” she snapped, untying her sarong and tying it tighter again.
“You know, Billie, I think that would be a very good thing, for both of you,” I agreed. “You’re best friends and you shouldn’t be afraid to confront her if something is bothering you.”
“I came to you because the kids are always around us and getting time isn’t easy, but how she’s behaved today has pissed me off. That’s why I’m standing here in front of you right now. I don’t know if I can continue to tolerate being hospitable toward her when she’s hurting my daughter.”
“Billie,” I said, stepping closer and placing my hand on her upper arm to sooth her. “If Tricia knew how upset Brynn was, it would cut her up. I’ll talk to her, but please can you do this another day?”
“Speak to who about what another day?” Tricia asked, climbing the last couple of steps to the upper deck. Turning to look at her, I watched her eyes flick from mine to my hand that rested on Billie’s arm and I pulled it away.
“It’s nothing—” I started.
“Brynn—” she said at the same time.
Narrowing her eyes, Tricia stared suspiciously toward me until I blinked. “Fine. I was trying to help, but I guess as Billie has forced my hand, I’ll leave you two ladies to talk.”
It had been my intention to protect Tricia’s secret, but I sensed if I had pushed more it would have ended in conflict one way or another. As Tricia had already decided she was ready to confront her mom about her past, I figured it only right she should also face the consequences of her bias about Brynn.
