Read Online New Leaf by Catherine Anderson - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Catherine Anderson
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she didn’t often cry and felt embarrassed for letting him see her on the verge.
“When our daughter, Sarah, was born, his parents fell completely in love with her. Phillip pretended to love her, too, whenever his parents were around, but in between those visits, he barely came home often enough for Sarah to know him as daddy. He only showed up when his folks would be around, and then he played his role as a devoted family man to the hilt.”
“Where are you going with this, Taffeta?”
She gave him a pleading look. “I know it’s a long story, Barney, but please,
please
hear me out.”
Nodding reluctantly, Barney said, “Go for it. The evening’s still young. But I think we should order some food.”
Since his date didn’t seem interested in the menu, Barney perused the selections and ordered spaghetti and meatballs for them both. He ignored the wine selection and settled for drinking water. They both had to drive home, and the way this conversation was going so far, he’d need the clearest possible head. When the waitress left, Taffeta resumed telling her tale.
“I never lied to you, Barney. I’m divorced. I have a little girl. Phillip was granted custody. It was my plan to get Sarah back as soon as I could.”
He took a sip of water. As he set down his glass, he said, “So you were convicted of abusing your child.” It was a statement, not a question, andBarney felt sick to his stomach. He had been attracted to this gal,
deeply
attracted.
“Yes,” she confessed, “but I’m not guilty.”
That was what they all said, and Barney had been around that block too many times to fall for it. He kept his expression neutral.
“During my pregnancy, Phillip stopped bothering to hide his infidelities. He knew I wanted to provide stability for our daughter and wouldn’t leave him. I had no money of my own. I hadn’t finished my education. I couldn’t properly raise a child while waiting tables at a sports bar. And I honestly no longer cared who my husband slept with. I contented myself with being a homemaker and a mother. I figured I could stay in the marriage for Sarah’s sake.
“What I didn’t count on was Phillip developing an attachment to another woman. She was a blonde named Melanie who looked— Well, I know it sounds judgmental, but she looked like a hooker. I guess Phillip found her a lot more exciting than me, because he wanted out so he could marry her. Only that was sticky because he knew his father would stop cutting him big checks if he divorced me. Both his dad and mom liked me. In order to get out without pissing off his father, Phillip needed an inarguable reason.”
“I see,” Barney said, but in truth, he didn’t see anything clearly and felt as confused as hell.
“One night when Sarah was three, she got up after I’d put her down for the night, unfastened the safety gate on the upstairs landing, and fell down the condo stairs. She was bruised up and had a gash onher head that bled like anything. I was terrified. Ambulance response took fifteen to twenty minutes. I didn’t know scalp wounds often look worse than they actually are, and I knew she needed medical attention. I bundled her in a blanket and drove her to the hospital myself.
“I was frantic to get in touch with Phillip. I didn’t phone him often, but even so, he seldom answered my calls. He was always too busy bonking other women. Finally an ER receptionist called his cell number, and he answered when he saw the name of the hospital on the caller ID.”
She glanced away and saw the waitress coming with their food. She wiped under her eyes with her napkin and sat straighter on her stool. After their laden plates were placed on the table, Barney stared at his dinner, feeling as if he had swallowed a toddler’s building block that had stuck at the base of his throat. He wouldn’t be able to eat a bite.
When the waitress was once again out of earshot, Taffeta said, “I remember being so relieved that Phillip was
“When our daughter, Sarah, was born, his parents fell completely in love with her. Phillip pretended to love her, too, whenever his parents were around, but in between those visits, he barely came home often enough for Sarah to know him as daddy. He only showed up when his folks would be around, and then he played his role as a devoted family man to the hilt.”
“Where are you going with this, Taffeta?”
She gave him a pleading look. “I know it’s a long story, Barney, but please,
please
hear me out.”
Nodding reluctantly, Barney said, “Go for it. The evening’s still young. But I think we should order some food.”
Since his date didn’t seem interested in the menu, Barney perused the selections and ordered spaghetti and meatballs for them both. He ignored the wine selection and settled for drinking water. They both had to drive home, and the way this conversation was going so far, he’d need the clearest possible head. When the waitress left, Taffeta resumed telling her tale.
“I never lied to you, Barney. I’m divorced. I have a little girl. Phillip was granted custody. It was my plan to get Sarah back as soon as I could.”
He took a sip of water. As he set down his glass, he said, “So you were convicted of abusing your child.” It was a statement, not a question, andBarney felt sick to his stomach. He had been attracted to this gal,
deeply
attracted.
“Yes,” she confessed, “but I’m not guilty.”
That was what they all said, and Barney had been around that block too many times to fall for it. He kept his expression neutral.
“During my pregnancy, Phillip stopped bothering to hide his infidelities. He knew I wanted to provide stability for our daughter and wouldn’t leave him. I had no money of my own. I hadn’t finished my education. I couldn’t properly raise a child while waiting tables at a sports bar. And I honestly no longer cared who my husband slept with. I contented myself with being a homemaker and a mother. I figured I could stay in the marriage for Sarah’s sake.
“What I didn’t count on was Phillip developing an attachment to another woman. She was a blonde named Melanie who looked— Well, I know it sounds judgmental, but she looked like a hooker. I guess Phillip found her a lot more exciting than me, because he wanted out so he could marry her. Only that was sticky because he knew his father would stop cutting him big checks if he divorced me. Both his dad and mom liked me. In order to get out without pissing off his father, Phillip needed an inarguable reason.”
“I see,” Barney said, but in truth, he didn’t see anything clearly and felt as confused as hell.
“One night when Sarah was three, she got up after I’d put her down for the night, unfastened the safety gate on the upstairs landing, and fell down the condo stairs. She was bruised up and had a gash onher head that bled like anything. I was terrified. Ambulance response took fifteen to twenty minutes. I didn’t know scalp wounds often look worse than they actually are, and I knew she needed medical attention. I bundled her in a blanket and drove her to the hospital myself.
“I was frantic to get in touch with Phillip. I didn’t phone him often, but even so, he seldom answered my calls. He was always too busy bonking other women. Finally an ER receptionist called his cell number, and he answered when he saw the name of the hospital on the caller ID.”
She glanced away and saw the waitress coming with their food. She wiped under her eyes with her napkin and sat straighter on her stool. After their laden plates were placed on the table, Barney stared at his dinner, feeling as if he had swallowed a toddler’s building block that had stuck at the base of his throat. He wouldn’t be able to eat a bite.
When the waitress was once again out of earshot, Taffeta said, “I remember being so relieved that Phillip was
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