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She nibbles her lip, still obviously feeling guilty, but eventually launches onto another subject. “So much has been going on here since you left. Did you hear about Karl’s new verdict? I’m sure that made you mad.”
“It did,” I assure her.
“And you won’t even believe what’s going on with that cabaret, Bar Rouge! Apparently Roxanne––”
“Owns the cabaret. Yes, I know,” I interpose, rolling my eyes. “I was just in Capri, Tati, not on another planet.”
She looks abashed, rocking her glass back and forth on the table. “Yeah, sorry. So… you never really said how Capri was. How are Roxanne and Andries now that all that Bar Rouge stuff has come to light?”
My friend tries to keep her tone casual, but there is a stiffness to her shoulders and an intense focus in her eyes that tells me this is what Tati wants to know most of all. I have a sinking feeling about what this realization means.
“Tati…” I sigh, leaning forward to touch her hand and, as my eyes meet hers, I say, “Andries really loves Roxanne, and even with all of this stuff going on with Bar Rouge, he’s going to stand by his bride no matter what. You need to let go of this crush you have on him. It’s only going to hurt you in the long run.”
“I know you’re right.” Her voice is small and barely audible, and her face falls as she comes to terms with the truth of it. “It’s just so hard for me to see what Andries could see in a former escort and now the current owner of a cabaret that is in shambles. Roxanne isn’t the type of woman he was supposed to end up with. It was supposed to be someone like…someone like––”
“Someone like you?” I finish for her, and Tati nods, her gaze dropping to her lap. “Look, you know better than most that I did not approve of their relationship at all, but spending more time with the two of them has made me realize that sometimes love doesn’t have a rational answer. They are in love, and that’s the end of it for Andries, public perception be damned.”
“I know it’s silly to still feel so strongly for your brother, especially since it was only ever just a crush, but I can’t help it. The closer the wedding gets, the sadder I become.” Her gaze shifts behind me to the large window overlooking the city, and she exhales slowly. “I just wish things were different.”
My annoyance with her tattling to my brother fades as I see the genuine regret on Tatianna’s face, so I close the small space between us on the couch and take her hands in mine. When she looks back at me, I smile reassuringly. “There is going to be someone so much better suited for you out there Tati, I promise. Plus, Andries is a broody bore sometimes.”
Tatianna blinks a few times and then laughs. Feeling lighter than before I visited, I join her, happy to have reached an equilibrium with my friend.
Tatianna has brought out some biscuits that we’re enjoying with some tea when my phone rings. It’s been a long day, and I don’t necessarily want to talk to anyone else, but the chance that it might be my brother with news is too significant.
To my dismay, it’s my father’s name on my phone screen, and as much as I’d like to ignore him, I can’t. Either I face him now, or dread it for days until he finally forces me to talk to him. After a deep inhale to ground myself, I answer.
“Hey, Dad. How are you?”
“Good to hear your voice, dear. I assume the flight went well and that you made it home safely?” His voice is clipped; not necessarily unhappy, but distant.
“Yeah… sorry I didn’t call sooner. There were some, uh, difficulties when we landed and I’ve just worked it out and now I’m at Tatianna’s place. It’s been a busy day.”
“Difficulties, you say?” he chuckles, and it makes me frown, causing me to think he knows exactly what I’m referring to. “That doesn’t surprise me at all. But that’s not why I’m calling. We’re all missing you at home, why don’t you come over? We can have a casual dinner and catch up on our respective trips.”
I wrinkle my nose at the idea, but even as much as I just want to go to my place here in Amsterdam, I know I should take the invitation. I need Dad to trust me if I have any hope of convincing him to turn on Karl and fire him, and this is the perfect chance to get started. He’ll be in a good mood from the trip, and relaxed.
“Okay, sure. I just have to go back and get my car–-”
“Nonsense. You must be tired from all this traveling, a driver will pick you up from Tatiana’s and bring you here.”
I hate when he does this, but I can’t really complain about seeing my family again. “Great. I’ll be waiting.”
When the driver arrives, I bid Tatiana farewell after finishing my coffee, promising that we’ll get together again soon, and head out as soon as the driver arrives. Inside the car, I slip off my sandals and run my hands through my hair, trying to relax since the ride is going to be a long one. I wish Dan was with me… I’ve gotten so used to having him by my side that it’s exceedingly strange to be alone.
A few minutes pass, and then I receive a text. As if drawn in by my thoughts about him, he’s texting me a picture of his bed with the caption,You should be here.
It makes me smile, so I snap a picture of the empty seat next to me and reply,No, you should be here!
I still prefer the bed,he texts back,but what are you up to right now?
I’m on my way back home to the estate,I type.Dad already called me.
It takes him a little longer to reply this time, but when he does, it just says,Damn, good luck!
Thanks. I’m definitely going to need it.
21
