“That’s pretty much how it works out,” I said, pushing my hair behind my ears so I could pick up Ford and hold him. I needed his sweet baby smell to calm the uproar that was now controlling my gut. “Dad, if Worth doesn’t cooperate with him, we could all be in danger. If Worth does cooperate with him, it will be illegal and will definitely, at the least, ruin us. I told Worth that we should hold off doing anything. That we should just appear to cooperate but not really get involved.”
“I’m not sure if that’s possible,” Dad said, picking up the mugs and rinsing them at the sink while I rocked my son. “That would be walking a fine line, to be sure. Are you going to tell your mother?” His face was creased in a deep frown, but he tried to hide it from me by looking out the kitchen window. I noticed for the first time how lined his face had become. The sunlight was exposing his age.
“Dad, are you okay?” I asked, concerned.
“Sure, right as rain,” he assured me.
I wasn’t so convinced. “You look tired.” My heart was heavy. Worth and I had exposed my mother’s infidelity, triggering their divorce. Perhaps it would have been kinder to keep him innocent of what she’d done.
“Well, things are different, Auggie, I can’t lie to you. I do talk to her from time to time. I check in to make sure she’s doing okay. Even though I enacted the terms of the prenuptial, I still don’t want her to suffer. After all, she was my wife for a great many years and I loved her. Still do, as a matter of fact, although that may be difficult for you to accept.”
“Isn’t up to me to judge that, Dad. Whatever you and Mother have between you is your business. You’ve never told me what to do, and I won’t do that to you, either. I know I haven’t been out to see you much, but with the baby, well, I’m sure you understand.”
“You didn’t answer me,” he said. “I asked if you’re you going to tell your mother about all this?
“Should I? I mean, not me personally. She’s not too happy with me and I certainly don’t care whether she’s mad or not. But you could tell her, Dad, if you’re still talking to her.”
He lifted a shoulder. “What difference would it make?”
“Well, Linc knows she’s alive and living around here somewhere. It’s only a matter of time until he tries to look her up. I think I’d much rather he find her cooperating with us rather than wanting to kill us, if you get my drift.”
“How in the hell did this happen?” he lamented. “You never did anything to deserve this mess, Auggie. Not you or Worth. And here you are, the ones in the greatest danger.”
“We’ll be fine, Dad. Worth has a security system being installed right now and there will be someone watching the house day and night. I’m a little worried about you. He’s liable to come around here looking for Mother,” I pointed out.
He bristled and stood straighter. “I’m not afraid of him, Auggie. This doesn’t involve me, one way or another. If you want me to talk to your mother about it, I will. Don’t expect her to run to your side to hold your hand, though. She never was very good at that sort of thing.”
“I get that, Dad. She set the mood for our relationship my entire life. I’m only sorry that she betrayed you.”
Dad chuckled, but it was not a humorous sound. “Some people are just made that way. How about Worth’s mother?”
I thought it curious that he asked about her, although I knew they’d had dinner together a few times. I’d thought it was more of a shared grief, but perhaps it was more than that.
“I’m leaving that up to Worth, and you’d better do the same.”
“I think that’s wise, Auggie. She’s been through a lot and she’s not as strong as the rest of us. Let Worth tell her in his own way, but don’t let it go too long. You don’t want that guy showing up at her condo uninvited,” he cautioned and I had to agree.
We visited for a while, talking about the upcoming yearling sales. Dad said he thought he might buy one, thinking it would give him something to do. I told him to keep an eye out for me, although my barns weren’t completely ready yet. “I’m on a day by day basis right now,” I shared and he nodded.
Ford woke up and immediately made it known that his diaper needed changing and he was starving. Dad stepped out of the kitchen so I could tend the crying baby. As I nestled my son to my breast, a knock came at the kitchen door. I looked up to see Linc standing there, his face peering through the window at me feeding Ford. “Dad!” I shouted as I quickly covered myself.
Within moments, Dad was in the doorway. “What is it?”
I nodded toward the door and Dad looked at me, then at the eyes of the man outside. I sat frozen to the spot but didn’t need to say anything. Dad knew who it was. He went and opened the door. “Help you?” he asked, pretending ignorance.
“Hi there. Hello, Auggie,” Linc acknowledged me. “Didn’t expect to see you here and certainly not like that,” he snickered, indicating my still partially exposed breast.
I nodded and rose, clutching the baby and my blouse tight against me. I left the kitchen but lurked in the dining room where I could overhear the conversation.
“I’m looking for my mother, Caren Langford,” I heard Linc say, his voice as rude and obnoxious as the night before. “Since Auggie’s here, I’m guessing I’ve got the right place. You Mr. Langford?”
“Who are you?” Dad asked. He had evidently decided to play dumb and buy some time.
“I’m pretty sure you already know who I am,” Linc said, his voice holding no humor. “Is she here?”
“No.” Dad came right to the point.
“Do you know when she’ll be back?”
“She doesn’t live here,” Dad answered and I could tell by the location of voices that he hadn’t invited Linc inside.
“No shit? Well, now there’s an interesting development. Where can I find her?” he pressed.
“Don’t have any information for you. She doesn’t live here anymore.” Dad was curt.
“Like that, is it?” Linc asked in a voice filled with anger.
“It is. Good day,” Dad said, followed by the click of the door.
I finished up with Ford and came back into the kitchen. “That won’t be the end of it,” I said to Dad. He looked me straight in the eye and nodded in agreement.
***
I found Worth at home when I got there. “Where were you? I’ve been worried,” he said, coming to help me carry Ford into the house.
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes. “You have my cell number. What’s the big deal? I’m not going to be a prisoner, you know.”
“You’re right, but you can understand, under the circumstances.”
“He showed up again,” I said simply, walking into the foyer.
“What? Bill was still here when I got back,” he said, puzzled.
“Not here. I went to visit Dad and he showed up there, right at the kitchen door while I was nursing Ford.” There was no point in holding back that information. Worth would find out about it eventually, I knew.
“The bastard!” he shouted. “What did he want?”
“Mother.”
“Mother?”
“Yes, of course! My mother, his mother, our mother.”