months I didn’t know where she was or even if she was dead or alive. Then one day, out of the blue, she showed up at the front door. I don’t know what happened to her during that time—and she’s never told me—but whatever happened totally changed her. She went back to school, graduated with honors, and even went on to get a college degree. I’ll tell you one thing, the day she graduated from college was one of the proudest days of my life.”
At that moment two waiters showed up. While one of the waiters whisked away the salad plates, the other one served the entrées.
Immediately recognizing the dish, Charlotte’s mouth watered: pecan-crusted catfish with Creole meuniére sauce. “I think I just died and went to heaven,” she murmured.
Mack glanced her way quizzically. “Pardon?”
Realizing that she’d actually spoken her thoughts, Charlotte laughed. “Don’t mind me. Just thinking out loud.”
As she and Mack settled into a companionable silence while they ate, Charlotte caught bits and pieces of conversations going on farther down the table. While Tanya and John discussed the pros and cons of an advertising campaign, Margaret seemed enthralled by whatever Lisa was telling her. But even with the buzz of voices, Charlotte could still hear every word Frank said to Belinda, and it was disgustingly clear that he was badgering her about Tessa.
“She’d listen to you,” Frank insisted. “Look, you know how miserable we’ve all been. If you could persuade her to sign the divorce papers, then maybe she’d get on with her life. Can’t you see that it’s the best thing for all of us?”
“You mean best for you, don’t you?” Belinda retorted angrily. “The only reason everyone is so miserable is because of her.” Belinda shot Lisa a hateful look.
At that moment Tanya and John burst into laughter over something, and though Charlotte was unable to hear Lisa’s retort to Belinda’s jab, the furious look on her face said it all.
Charlotte quickly glanced down at the half-eaten catfish on her plate in an attempt to hide the sudden anger she felt and promptly lost her appetite. The very idea of a father pressuring his own daughter to go against her mother was reprehensible. What a sleazeball!
“Are you feeling okay?”
The sound of Mack’s voice startled Charlotte, and for a moment she wondered if once again she’d spoken her thoughts out loud. “I’m fine,” she answered, realizing that her cheeks were probably flushed. She looked up at Mack and forced a smile. How could he stand to be a part of the company when his son-in-law was making his daughter Tessa so miserable? “That last bite was kind of spicy.” She reached for her tea and took several swallows.
Just as she set the glass down, at the other end of the table, Belinda suddenly shoved back her chair and stood. “I don’t care what you say, I won’t do it!” she shouted. “And you can’t make me,” she added, tears running down her cheeks. Then she turned and fled the room.
With Belinda’s departure, for a moment the restaurant grew so quiet that Charlotte could hear pots and pans clanging back in the kitchen and felt every eye in the restaurant staring at their table. Then, just as abruptly, the other patrons seemed to lose interest and turned their attention back to their own tables.
Frank leveled a pointed look at Margaret. “Go after her, and see if you can talk some sense into her.”
Margaret nodded, but as she pushed back her chair, Lisa said, “No, I’ll do it.” She motioned to Margaret’s plate. “Go ahead and finish your meal.” Before anyone had time to object, Lisa shoved her chair back and hurried toward the front entrance.
“Sorry about all of that,” Mack said.
Charlotte shrugged. “Stuff happens even in the best of families.”
Outside, Lisa hurried past the window, then disappeared out of sight. Just seconds later, a man hurried past, headed in the same direction that Lisa had taken.
Charlotte frowned. Christopher. Unless her eyes were playing tricks on her, she could swear that the man who had just gone past was Lisa’s ex-boyfriend Christopher. Charlotte’s frown deepened. Was it simply coincidence that he just happened to be passing by at that particular moment?
Not coincidence, Charlotte decided. In spite of Lisa’s threat to call the police on him, he’d more than likely followed Lisa and had been waiting outside on the chance that he might get to talk to her again.
…it’s only over when I say it’s over…and I don’t intend for another man to raise my baby!
A sudden chill seized Charlotte at the memory of Christopher’s words earlier that day. No, his being outside the restaurant was definitely not a coincidence, and for reasons she couldn’t explain, she couldn’t help thinking that Christopher was up to no good.
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