“They did more than ‘go out.’” Her dad waggled his eyebrows. “They were a hot item for almost two years. You couldn’t separate them with a crowbar.” He toasted the past and took a sip of the whiskey.
“Dad! I can’t believe this. How could you and John have remained friends?” Anger against her mother burned her stomach. The idea of Silvia choosing Johnny Dempsey over her perfect, wonderful father back then—beyond belief.
“We remained friends because I loved both of them. It’s hard to explain.”
She held out her empty glass. “Give me a refill and try. I feel like I entered the Twilight Zone.”
“Here’s the thing.” Bradley sighed and poured a finger of the Irish into her glass. “I knew Johnny had a wandering eye, and I held out hope Silvia would get fed up with him and give me a second look. It’s as simple as that.”
Marla puckered her lips and thought about that. “Are you sure you’re remembering correctly?”
“You think I’m ready for the funny farm?” His voice was tinged with annoyance. “Of course I remember. Need I remind you that you don’t always know everything?”
Contrition descended. “Sorry, Dad. It’s just…wow…Mom and Johnny. Who woulda thunk it? Not me. I can’t get my mind around it. Wow.” Sipping the whiskey, Marla eyed her father. His face wore a wistful smile. He looked old. When did her dad get old?
“That’s okay. And quit looking at me like I’ve got a foot in the grave. You’re not getting any younger yourself. When are you going to start living your own life and stop thinking the rest of us can’t take care of ourselves? Get a husband, I want some grandkids.”
Dadley had never spoken so plainly. Both her parents hinted that the time had come for her and Charlene to find husbands and settle into normal lives. At twenty-seven, they still had plenty of time. She had no interest in saddling herself with a husband and kids, and Char was too busy sampling every unmarried man within the city limits and beyond.
“I don’t want a husband and kids. I have other plans. Anyway, I want to know what happened between Silvia and John.”
Bradley stroked Skipper’s back and wrinkled his nose at her little dog. “Peeyew, Skipper farted. What have you been feeding him?”
“He had macaroni and cheese earlier and quit trying to change the subject.”
He picked up a magazine and fanned the air around Skipper. “John met Kathleen, fell flat on his ass in love, and showed Silvia the door.”
“Kathleen? Dwayne’s mother?”
“Mother to all three boys. Dylan, Dwayne, and Donovan.”
“John threw Mom over?” Her father’s story stunned her. Welcome to bizarro world, Marla.
“Yep, and I caught her. The rest is history.”
“Well, I suppose the good news is—she got over it.”
“She never got over it. She hated Kathleen, she hated every woman John dated after Kathleen left him, and she hates his current wife, Irene. But she never stopped loving Johnny.”
“Dad! What are you saying?”
“It is what it is, honey. I’ve always loved your mother and I always will. We’ve made a good life together, but today I finally laid down the law about her excluding them from our social life. John and Irene are my friends.”
How could this be? Her mother loved John Dempsey? “But, Dad, Mom loves you, I know she does.” Her tall, blond father had always been a Nordic prince in her mind. Harry and Barry got their coloring and handsomeness from Dad. John Dempsey came up short in the looks department with his muscular bulk and black curly hair. He couldn’t compare to Bradley Danaher’s male beauty.
“Yes, Silvia does love me. I waited for her. I never felt like I got the leftovers. We have a good life, a nice home, and four great children we’re both proud of.” He eyed her and pointed a finger in her face. “Don’t look at me like that. Since when do you believe in fairytales?”
“I watched Barbie Cinderella tonight with Amber, Dwayne’s little girl.” She sighed. “Was I ever a little girl, Dad?”
“Not for long, honey. You’ve been trying to manage this family since you were Amber’s age. There was nothing we could do to stop you. Still isn’t.”
“Am I that awful?” She wondered why she had such a driving need to manage everybody’s life. They were all capable of taking care of themselves.
“No. And quit feeling sorry for yourself. That’s not like you. We just wish you’d pay more attention to your own happiness.”
“I…”
“How’s things between you and Edwin?”
Marla rolled her head against the back of the chair and sighed. “Edwin.” She sighed again. “Poor Edwin. He died a while back and hasn’t realized it yet. I don’t know why I don’t stop seeing him. He’s more boring that watching glaciers melt.”
Bradley’s bark of laughter startled Skipper and he jumped off his lap.
“Your baby is glaring at me. He looks insulted.” He slapped his knee. “Come on, boy. Come on.”
Skipper sat and stared, then hopped on Marla’s lap. “What’s the matter, Skippy? Did that big bad man scare you?” She hugged and cuddled him, murmuring silly baby talk.
“My god, daughter. Why are you wasting all that gooey affection on a mutt? You need to find yourself a man. Somebody who’d treasure the woman you are.”
She waved a hand in dismissal. “Dad, did you know Dwayne Dempsey lost part of his left leg in Iraq?” Now why had she asked that out of the blue? She wasn’t interested in Dwayne Dempsey. No, she didn’t have a single ounce of interest in him! Not even half an ounce.
As if he’d read her mind, Bradley asked, “Are you interested in him? Now, there’s a man’s man, if you want my opinion. He’s somebody who’d appreciate a hardheaded woman like you. Why don’t you give Edwin the heave ho? Dwayne is a much better prospect.”
“Dad! What brought that on? I’m not the least bit interested in him in that way. I just wondered if you knew about his wound.” Dump
