Read Online Another Piece of My Heart by Jane Green - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Jane Green
Tags: Fiction, Contemporary Women
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codependency. You think it’s something to do with you, but it really isn’t. Detach with love. Let her do whatever she’s going to do and try not to focus on her. You’re here for Isabel and Greg, and you’re here to have a good time.”
“But look.” Andi gestures over to the far side of the field, where she can see Ethan talking to someone. Hanging off him, her arms around his neck, pulling him down, is Emily. “How can I ignore that? Now she’s going to spend all evening dragging him away from me. Not to mention the inappropriateness of a seventeen-year-old hanging off her father like he’s her lover.”
“It is a bit weird,” Drew interjects.
“No it’s not,” Topher says. “I mean, in our world it is, but Ethan feels constantly guilty about who Emily is, that the divorce might have caused this, and so he doesn’t say no. He doesn’t know whether this is appropriate or not, he just knows that this is what Emily does, and if he pushes her away, she’s going to think he doesn’t love her.”
“Can’t you say something to him?” Andi says.
“No.” Topher laughs. “I can’t triangulate. You could say something. Or … you could just let it go.”
* * *
“Hi, baby!” Ethan turns with delight as Andi walks over, Emily’s having wandered over to the fence to see the horses in the field. “What’s the matter?”
“I just … I need to wrap my head around Emily being here.”
“I get it,” he says. “But I’m so glad she’s here rather than at home. I just texted her mom. Brooke didn’t even know she wasn’t in the house. I worry about Sophia. I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “It makes me want to go back and change the custody agreement.”
“Sophia would tell us if things got bad,” Andi says. “Listen, I know we’ve talked about this before, but there were a couple of raised eyebrows about the way Emily was draping herself all over you just now.”
Ethan looks aghast. “ What? From who? It’s my daughter. ”
“Ethan, she was practically climbing on top of you.”
There is a silence during which a cloud passes over Ethan’s face. “Don’t start this again now,” he warns, his voice low and steady. “Just leave it alone.”
“Leave what alone?” Andi’s voice climbs. “Do you have any idea how inappropriate it is? She isn’t being your daughter when she hangs off your neck and nuzzles against you. She’s being your lover.”
“Oh, stop,” Ethan barks suddenly. “I’m fed up with hearing this. Frankly, I’m pretty disgusted that you would even think such a thing. She’s a kid. My kid. She’s just showing me affection.”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Andi snorts. “You have no idea how in-appropriate her behavior is. When you sit down and she curls up on your lap, nuzzling your neck … you think that’s cute, but it’s not cute, it’s inappropriate because she’s trying to replace me .” Andi stops, shocked at the whine in her voice, and turns away as Emily appears, standing squeezed up against Ethan and taking his hand.
“Daddy,” she sings in a little-girl voice. “Will you come and see the ponies with me?” She rests her head on his shoulder as she glares at Andi.
“In a minute,” he says, removing his hand and stepping aside as Emily’s eyes brim with hurt. “Andi and I are just finishing a discussion.”
Emily stands there, waiting.
“Emily, we need a moment.”
“Why? There’s nothing you can’t say in front of me.”
“Yes there is,” he says. “Please. Just give us a moment.”
“It’s always her,” Emily sneers. “You always choose her. Andi needs a moment, Andi needs me, Andi wants me to do something with her. You’ve become a terrible father. I used to love you, I used to be proud to call you my dad, but now it’s clear you hate me and Sophia, and you know what? We hate you, too.” Emily turns on her heel and storms off.
Ethan looks at Andi, his lips pressed together in a thin line,
“But look.” Andi gestures over to the far side of the field, where she can see Ethan talking to someone. Hanging off him, her arms around his neck, pulling him down, is Emily. “How can I ignore that? Now she’s going to spend all evening dragging him away from me. Not to mention the inappropriateness of a seventeen-year-old hanging off her father like he’s her lover.”
“It is a bit weird,” Drew interjects.
“No it’s not,” Topher says. “I mean, in our world it is, but Ethan feels constantly guilty about who Emily is, that the divorce might have caused this, and so he doesn’t say no. He doesn’t know whether this is appropriate or not, he just knows that this is what Emily does, and if he pushes her away, she’s going to think he doesn’t love her.”
“Can’t you say something to him?” Andi says.
“No.” Topher laughs. “I can’t triangulate. You could say something. Or … you could just let it go.”
* * *
“Hi, baby!” Ethan turns with delight as Andi walks over, Emily’s having wandered over to the fence to see the horses in the field. “What’s the matter?”
“I just … I need to wrap my head around Emily being here.”
“I get it,” he says. “But I’m so glad she’s here rather than at home. I just texted her mom. Brooke didn’t even know she wasn’t in the house. I worry about Sophia. I don’t know.” He shakes his head. “It makes me want to go back and change the custody agreement.”
“Sophia would tell us if things got bad,” Andi says. “Listen, I know we’ve talked about this before, but there were a couple of raised eyebrows about the way Emily was draping herself all over you just now.”
Ethan looks aghast. “ What? From who? It’s my daughter. ”
“Ethan, she was practically climbing on top of you.”
There is a silence during which a cloud passes over Ethan’s face. “Don’t start this again now,” he warns, his voice low and steady. “Just leave it alone.”
“Leave what alone?” Andi’s voice climbs. “Do you have any idea how inappropriate it is? She isn’t being your daughter when she hangs off your neck and nuzzles against you. She’s being your lover.”
“Oh, stop,” Ethan barks suddenly. “I’m fed up with hearing this. Frankly, I’m pretty disgusted that you would even think such a thing. She’s a kid. My kid. She’s just showing me affection.”
“Oh, for God’s sake,” Andi snorts. “You have no idea how in-appropriate her behavior is. When you sit down and she curls up on your lap, nuzzling your neck … you think that’s cute, but it’s not cute, it’s inappropriate because she’s trying to replace me .” Andi stops, shocked at the whine in her voice, and turns away as Emily appears, standing squeezed up against Ethan and taking his hand.
“Daddy,” she sings in a little-girl voice. “Will you come and see the ponies with me?” She rests her head on his shoulder as she glares at Andi.
“In a minute,” he says, removing his hand and stepping aside as Emily’s eyes brim with hurt. “Andi and I are just finishing a discussion.”
Emily stands there, waiting.
“Emily, we need a moment.”
“Why? There’s nothing you can’t say in front of me.”
“Yes there is,” he says. “Please. Just give us a moment.”
“It’s always her,” Emily sneers. “You always choose her. Andi needs a moment, Andi needs me, Andi wants me to do something with her. You’ve become a terrible father. I used to love you, I used to be proud to call you my dad, but now it’s clear you hate me and Sophia, and you know what? We hate you, too.” Emily turns on her heel and storms off.
Ethan looks at Andi, his lips pressed together in a thin line,
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