She nodded, so very numb. “I know. I’ve had to accept he’s just not interested. He was never close with me. I was out with my grandpa a lot more than I ever was with him. But I had no idea he hated me.”
She’d thought she was out of tears, but apparently not.
“I don’t think he hates you. I think he resents you for some reason. He definitely doesn’t like me, but he lashed out and has done several times. He wants to push you away. And right now I think that’s the best place for you. Away from him. Do whatever you’re going to do with your siblings at Colman, but you let your brothers and sister handle your father. He’s hurt you enough.”
PJ agreed.
PJ stirred her coffee slowly as her siblings settled in at the table.
Jay spoke first. “I’d ask how you are, but it’s a stupid question after that scene last night. I’m so, so sorry that happened. He’s wrong, PJ.”
Shawn buttered some bread. “Mom came to my house after you guys left. She’s beside herself with worry for you. I know you’re angry and you have every right to be. But he broke something last night. Between them, I mean. I don’t think she’s going to forgive him.”
PJ said, “I don’t even know what I feel. Not all of it. I appreciate that you backed me up last night. I’m… still trying to get past the point where I start crying when I think about it too much, so let’s talk Colman right now.”
They put their heads together and began to plan exactly what they’d do that following Tuesday. It was a big meeting day, so Howard and Fee both would be around.
PJ formally accepted her siblings’ offer of reemployment with her own division, and then they all drew up their new organizational chart for Colman Enterprises, with Howard Jr. and Fee Colman as consultants with offices on-site but a reduced workload.
“One last thing. Mom is giving us her vote. Grandma had a voting seat when Grandpa was alive. I guess Mom did too, back before Grandpa got sick. She never gave it up. She called me this morning to say that.” Julie looked between them all.
Worry stabbed PJ. “If she does that, he’ll leave her.”
“She left her wedding rings in the safe at the house before she came home with me last night. PJ, she’s done with him. He said some unforgivable things to you. To Jay. To all of us,” Shawn said.
“What do you mean to Jay and the rest of you?”
Julie took one of PJ’s hands. “After you left he started ranting about what a loser Jay was for being gay and how Shawn was spineless. I’m too masculine to ever get married. He told Mom he had no idea how we turned out to be so awful. He blamed it on her family. Finally Jay and Shawn took him into his room and made him stay there while I got Mom packed up. She called Aunt Jenny and they’re going to go visit Aunt Mary in London in two weeks. Will you call Mom? She feels awful. I know she should have dealt with it earlier.”
“How can I hold it against her? Yes, she made mistakes, but I’m not in her place. Her whole life is falling apart.” Asa had been right. It was crappy parenting. But Lenore loved PJ, even if she wasn’t always great at protecting her. PJ could keep her expectations low and still have her mom in her life.
“I think she needs that. All our lives are. That’s the whole chrysalis thing right? We’ll all be butterflies at the end,” Julie said.
“Let’s hope so. Do you think maybe Dad had a stroke or something? Maybe he’s on pills or his drinking has finally taken a toll?” PJ wished there was something they could learn to make sense of this situation.
Jay shook his head. “He’s been getting worse over the past five years. The last three especially. He and Fee have withdrawn from everyone else. Fee has fed him bullshit and he’s eaten it up. He’s turned into a bitter, entitled old man, and it’s not a good look for him. I thought if I managed to get on Fee’s good side I could finally get to Dad and make him hear me out. But he’s closed himself down to us.”
“I think he’ll make a fuss just to hear himself shout,” Julie said, “but in the end he’ll get the hell out of the way. He’ll see the writing on the wall. Fee? He’s a wild card. He likes money but he hates work. If he can earn and not come to work, he’ll probably let go. But he’s a vindictive bastard, so you never know for sure.”
Chapter Twenty-eight
“Wow. I’d let you fire me any day.” Asa winked as she came out of the bedroom wearing a navy suit, her hair up in a French twist. She’d colored it the day before so the tips were as blue as the blouse she wore.
“You’ll call me when it’s over?” He hated that she had to go through the drama and upset of this business with her father and uncle. But he knew she’d do it because that’s what needed to be done.
“Yes.”
“I love you. Knock ’em dead.”
“I love you too.”
“Oh, wait a second.” He held out a small box. Inside was a necklace with a charm. An A intertwined with a P. “Think of it as a talisman. I’ll protect you even when I’m not in the same room.”
She hugged him tight and then waited for him to put the necklace on her. “This is beautiful! How long have you been planning this?”
“Only a few weeks. One of Mick’s buddies, a childhood friend of his, makes these. She just finished it yesterday and Mick brought it over himself. I just wanted you to have a piece of me with you wherever you were.”
She took his hand and placed it on her chest, over her heart. “I do already. In here. But this necklace is perfect, and it’ll totally make me feel better today as I pretty much put my dad on a raft and set him adrift.”
“Hush, you. That’s not what you’re doing at all. You’re being kinder than you have to be and you’re doing it because you’re you. Now go to work. Don’t forget to call me.”
“Okay, okay. See you later.” She paused at the door. “I love you. Thank you.” She touched the necklace. “For everything you are.”
“Hey, Penelope?”
“Yes?”
“I think you should move in here.”
She blinked, staring at him. “You just asked me to move in with you? Right now?”
“I did. I love you. I like being with you. I like waking up with you and having you here with me. You already have a set of keys.” He figured this approach was best. She had enough stress. He’d take it as a given and not make any fuss. Hopefully she’d just give in and let him love her the way she had from pretty much the start.
“You’re a trip, Asa Barrons. Yes, I’ll move in, but I have three months left on my lease so it’ll have to wait until then.”
She blew him a kiss and was gone, leaving him smiling. She was moving in. That three months thing wasn’t a big deal. Just because she paid rent didn’t mean she couldn’t move in with him. Mick needed a place; maybe he could take over the lease. He’d like it, even that fucked up hill.
Whatever the case, they’d work it out.
When Julie and PJ walked in the front doors of Colman Enterprises shortly before the meeting was to start, everything was already in place.
PJ had to give it to Jay, he really had stepped up and taken over.
She and Julie paused at the reception desk.
“Morning, Helen.”
“PJ! It’s good to see you. Are you back?”
Julie nodded. “She is. Today’s her first day back so she probably won’t be getting any calls, but if she does, we’ll all be in the meeting until about noon. She’ll be out in the workshop from now on, so there’s a crew out there now getting her an office set up.”