“Actually, no. This is more of a personal call,” I said.
“Oh?”
“Yeah. So, I guess some magical deity must have intervened, because I just got off the phone with my father.”
“You what now?”
I giggled. “Yeah. Trust me, I’m still digesting it.”
“So, how did it go? What did you two talk about? Wait, are you even home yet?”
“No. I’m still in the parking garage. We’re actually about to meet at Ruth Chris’s to eat dinner.”
“Nice,” he said.
“I heard the sarcasm in that. To some of us, that is nice.”
“Just means I need to redefine ‘nice’ for you,” he said.
“I hear you grinning, Brett.”
“Good, because it’s a big one.”
“Anyway, he told me that if I wanted to bring someone along with me, I could.”
“You think that’s a good idea?” he asked.
“I do. I was wondering if you had the time to pull away from your desk to come with me,” I said.
“No. I don’t.”
“You don’t have the time, or you don’t want to come with me?”
“The latter.”
My eyebrows rose in shock. “Well, why not?”
“This is something you need to do alone first, Olivia.”
“And you think you have the capability of determining that for me?” I asked.
“Yes. I do. I know you better than anyone else, other than your mother. Possibly.”
“And Katie,” I said.
“I’d challenge even her on a few things.”
“She wouldn’t like that,” I said, smiling.
“Either way, you need to sit down with your father alone. You don’t need someone there to hold your hand or to direct the conversation in any way. If someone’s there, you have the possibility of editing yourself. And this type of scenario is a scenario where you don’t need to stay edited. You need to say what’s on your mind, and you don’t need anyone interfering with that.”
“So, you’re really not coming,” I said.
Brett chuckled. “No, I’m really not.”
“I mean, I guess I see where you’re coming from.”
“You’re going to do great. And if you want to talk after, you’ve got my cell number buried in your email somewhere. You also have my address. Use them as frequently or as little as you want.”
“I really appreciate it, Brett.”
“You’ve got this, Olive. You’re stronger than you think.”
I hung up the phone with him and cranked up my car. Time to go meet my biological father for dinner. I drove across town, trying to reel in my raging emotions and gather my thoughts. I did have a lot I wanted to say to him, but I wanted it to be succinct. Easy to understand. Easy to get out. I organized my thoughts as I pulled into the hotel parking lot, then made my way for the restaurant door.
“Name, please?” the hostess asked.
“Daniel Wilson,” I said.
“Right this way.”
My heart slammed against my chest. This was the moment. The time where I’d sit face-to-face with the man who’d walked out on me when I was seven years old. I didn’t think this time would come. I never thought I’d see that man again. And when we approached his table from behind, he turned around. And the color of his eyes took my breath away.
I had his eyes.
“Olivia,” he said, smiling.
He stood up and offered his hand, but I bypassed him. I turned to the hostess and asked for a glass of water, then went and sat in my seat. I left Daniel’s hand untouched. I didn’t want to shake the hand of the man that abandoned me. My mother. My damn brother. I sat down in my seat and put the menu in my face. When the waiter came back with my glass of water, I promptly ordered my food. This had been a bad idea. I couldn’t even look at the man.
I had his fucking eyes, for crying out loud.
“Filet mignon, six ounces, please. Medium rare, with steak fries and loaded mashed potatoes,” I said.
“That sounds good. I’ll have the same,” Daniel said.
The waiter took our menus, relieving me of the only barrier I had to put between the two of us.
“It’s really good to see you, Olivia,” he said.
“I wish I could say the same.”
“I know you’re upset, and you have every right to be. But I’m in this hotel for a while. I’m not going anywhere.”
“I’ll believe it when I see it,” I said.
“I know you must have a lot of things you want to say to me, but I just want to get in my apology.”
“Your what now?”
“My apology. I’m sorry, Olivia, for missing out on your life. I was a bad person back when you and your brother were younger. I didn’t want you or your mother or Mike to be part of it. I had a lot of issues, and your mother saw them. The two of us figured we would all be better off without my presence until I got better.”
“So, this is Mom’s fault,” I said.