It's Better This Way(36)

    “I’m not asking Dad for anything,” Hillary said, with more than a hint of defiance.

“I heard your father called Marie and wanted to congratulate you,” Julia said. She probably shouldn’t have mentioned she knew about this. This matter was between her daughters and Eddie.

“Dad called me,” Hillary admitted with some reluctance.

“If you’d rather not talk about it, I understand. Whatever was said is between the two of you.”

“I don’t mind,” Hillary said, as if it didn’t matter to her one way or the other. Julia suspected otherwise. From the time she was born, Hillary had had her dad wrapped around her tiny hand. While she was growing up, they’d been especially close. This estrangement had badly hurt them both, and because it did, Julia felt that pain, and sincerely wished for them to go back to the good relationship they’d once shared.

“Sweetie,” she said gently, “by offering to help pay for the wedding, your dad’s doing what he can to bring the two of you together again.”

Hillary snorted softly. “Then he’s not trying hard enough.”

“He did offer to get the country club for you,” Marie inserted.

Hillary tossed her sister a smoldering look.

Eddie had hinted the same thing to Julia. It was a generous offer, and because he was a member and had worked as a pro golfer for the club for many years, he was sure to get a discount. Weddings were expensive, and his offer was one Hillary should consider.

    “He did?” she asked, as if this was news to her. “That was generous of him.”

“It was,” Carrie added, and sipped her wine.

“Hey,” Hillary said, and flashed her cousin the same look she had given her sister earlier. “Whose side are you on?”

“Do there have to be sides?” Julia asked.

“In this instance, yes,” Hillary shot back. “While I’m willing to admit it was nice of him to offer, I refused.”

“Hillary!” Julia was disappointed that her daughter hadn’t taken hold of the hand her father had extended.

“I’ll admit at first I was tempted, because at the time Blake and I hadn’t found a place for the reception.”

“Then why didn’t you?” Carrie asked, just as their orders were delivered. “It would have made sense.”

“I agree,” Hillary said nonchalantly, as if discussing some mundane subject, like an ice-cream sale at the local Fred Meyer store. “Then he ruined it all by inserting how eager Laura would be to help me with the menu for the wedding reception, if we held it at the country club.”

Groaning inwardly, Julia bowed her head. Once again, Eddie had blown it. Her ex-husband apparently had not learned the painful lesson that demanding the girls accept his new wife was not a good game plan. It astonished her that Eddie could be this oblivious.

“Well, that was just plain stupid,” Carrie said, digging into her crab cakes with creamy lemon sauce.

“Tell Mom what you said,” Marie urged.

Hillary shook her head. “Mom doesn’t like to hear me swear. I do believe Dad got the message, though.”

“I’m sure—” Julia started, but was cut off.

    “Mom, Dad is the one who insisted he didn’t want to be a part of our lives unless we welcomed Laura with open arms. I can’t ever see myself doing that, not after everything she said and did to you.”

“Oh honey, I’ve forgiven her. You need to do the same.”

“I can’t. Not after how she treated you. Dad wasn’t any better, the way he lied and misled you when he was involved in an affair all along. I can’t respect a man with no honor and integrity. It’s worse when that man is my own father.”

“All this happened a long time ago,” Julia gently reminded her girls. “And remember, it was said in the heat of the moment. He never meant to completely sever his relationship with you.”

“Oh yes he did,” Hillary countered. “An entire year passed before he even tried to talk to me.”

Julia recognized how difficult it was for both Eddie and the girls to let go of their pride. They shared more in common than any of them were willing to admit. “Your father gave you both time and distance to let emotions cool,” she offered, hoping Hillary and Marie would take her words to heart.

“Uncle Eddie phoned me a couple times to ask me how you were both doing,” Carrie added. Her niece tended to be a peacemaker. Julia appreciated her efforts.

Over the last month since Carrie had started her new job, Julia had seen a change in her niece. She’d quickly grown into the position, and was well liked by the residents. She had a cheerful disposition, and a generous heart when it came to offering the residents assistance. One of the condo board members had thanked Julia for recommending Carrie. She’d also learned that her niece had developed a friendship with Eric Hudson, often spending time with him on the rooftop in the cool of the evenings. Maybe there was more to do with the change in her niece than just her position as concierge. And that made Julia happy. When she questioned Carrie about Eric, her niece had claimed there was far more to him than met the eye. She didn’t elaborate, which left Julia curious as to the budding relationship. On the outside they appeared to be polar opposites. However, to her way of thinking, their personalities might perfectly balance each other. Eric needed someone like Carrie to draw him out of his shell.