She felt a chill. It was her father. But how? She had told no one she was here. How did he find out? And then she knew. She was escorted here last evening by the hotel’s manager, a friend of her father’s. Although he hadn’t mentioned her appearance, the look in the man’s eyes reflected his concern. Leana made him promise not to tell her father that she was here. She didn't want to deal with George and Elizabeth until the time was right. She had hoped the man would keep silent longer.
The pounding stopped and Leana heard what sounded like the jangling of keys beyond the locked door. She stood, glimpsed her reflection in the full-length mirror opposite her and turned away.
As she crossed the room, pain shot through her legs and lodged in her hips. Leana moved through it. She would not let her father see what Eric did to her.
Her back was to George when he stepped into the bedroom. There was a silence and Leana could feel George’s hesitation, sense the frown on his face as he glanced around the room.
Last night, she unpacked only one of her suitcases. The other two-and some clothes-cluttered the middle of the room.
“What’s going on?” he asked. “What is this?”
Leana was standing at one of the bedroom windows and, in the reflection of the glass, she could see George standing behind her, his hands on his hips. They were as alike as two separate people could ever hope to be. They shared the same blue eyes, the same black hair, the same stubborn temperament. She wondered now, as she often did, how two people so alike could never have grown close.
“Answer me,” George said. “What is this?”
“What does it look like?” she said. “I’ve moved out.”
“Mind telling me why?”
“I’m sure you’ve spoken with Celina. You tell me.”
“All right,” George said. “Your sister says you slept with Eric. She says you planned it so she would catch you two in bed together. Is that true?”
The tone of his voice said it was and Leana bristled. Couldn’t he at least have given her the benefit of the doubt?
“I asked if that was true.”
“As a matter of fact, it isn’t.”
“Which part?”
“Both parts.”
“I think you’d better explain yourself.”
Was it really so difficult for him to believe her? “There’s nothing to explain,” she said. “Eric and I did nothing. I didn’t set Celina up.”
“Bullshit,” George said. “Celina saw you two in bed together. She spoke to your friend from security. He identified you as the one who gave him that message. Now, admit it.”
She whirled on him. “I’ll admit nothing,” she said. “And I don’t give a shit who that man described. It wasn’t me.”
And then she saw the look of surprise on George’s face and realized what she had just done. In her anger, she had revealed what Eric had done to her.
For a moment, George could only stare. The bruises were dark and they crisscrossed Leana’s swollen face. Her upper lip was cut. Her tan had all but disappeared.
“Jesus Christ,” he said.
Leana turned away from him, suddenly angry with herself. How could she have been so stupid? How would she ever explain this to him?
“He did this to you, didn’t he?” George said.
Leana started to walk past him, toward the open door. As much as she wanted to, she could tell her father nothing. Eric’s threat was still fresh in her mind. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said.
“Yes, you do,” George said. As she passed, he grabbed her by the arm and twisted her around so they faced each other. “Tell me the truth. Eric did this, didn’t he?”
“You’re hurting me,” she said. She tried to release herself from him. “Are you going to rough me up too?”
He loosened his grip on her arm. “Just tell me the truth. Don’t lie to me.”
“So, I’m a liar now? Let go of my fucking arm.”
But George wouldn’t let go. “Why are you protecting that son of a bitch? Tell me what happened. What did he do to you?”
Leana wrenched her arm free and backed away from him. “He did nothing to me. All right? Nothing. Now, leave it alone.”
“Not until you tell me what happened.”
She looked at him incredulously. “What the hell do you care? You’ve never cared about me. You don’t even love me. Never have.”
“Oh, so it’s this again.”
“That’s right,” she said. “It’s this again. What an inconvenience it must be for you to hear the truth.”
“Your truth.”
“Whatever,” she said. “It’s always been Celina and you know it. But here’s the thing, Dad-it stops now. Stay the hell out of my life. I don’t want you in it. You bring me down.”
George flushed. “You’ve got a lot of nerve talking to me like that.”
“I could say the same for the way I was raised.”
“Right,” he said. “Everyone should have it as bad as you’ve had it, Leana. A nice home, the best clothes and schools. Everything you’ve ever had was the best that money could buy.”
“You and your fucking money,” she said. “Is that all you’re about? Who gives a shit about your money? It’s always been you that I wanted, not the damn home, clothes or schools. It’s never been any of that. All I ever wanted was your attention. Maybe a sign that I mattered to you. But you were never willing to give it to me. You were always too preoccupied with your business. And your money. And Celina. Let’s not forget her since she makes so much of it for you.”
George regarded his daughter for a moment. He felt angry and hurt, guilty and sad, and he knew it was because Leana was speaking the truth. He hadn't been a good father to her. Just a good provider-that’s it.
He left for the adjoining room. Nothing could be solved here now. The air was dirty. “I’m leaving,” he said.
Leana followed him to the door. “Good.”
“Don’t sound so happy,” George said. “You’re leaving, too.” He opened the door and Leana saw two uniformed bellhops waiting in the hall. It was clear by the embarrassment on their young faces that they heard most of the argument.
“Her luggage is in the bedroom,” George said to the men. He stepped aside so they could retrieve it and looked at Leana. She was standing with her back to a window, her arms folded, her head lifted just slightly too high. She paid no attention to the bellhops as they crossed in front of her. Her attention was on George.
“You have two options,” George said. “You can either have the luggage placed in your car and follow me home-where you belong-or you can hand over the keys to your car, the key to this room and have the luggage brought to the lobby, because you’re not staying here. If you want to be on your own, Leana, then you’ll have to do it on your own-not with my help. The decision’s yours.”
Without hesitation, Leana turned to the table beside her and reached for her purse. She retrieved her car keys and the hotel key, and tossed them to her father. Her face was expressionless as she watched him pick them up.
George pocketed the keys. “You’re making a mistake,” he said.
“That’s a matter of opinion.”
“No,” George said. “That’s a matter of fact.” He nodded toward her purse. “Hand over your credit cards. All of them.”
Leana did as she was told, feeling curiously liberated as she emptied the cards from her wallet and handed them over to him. She also took out her cash and tossed it at his feet. He didn’t think that she could make it on her own? Fine. She’d show him and everyone else that she could.
