I Was Done Begging novel · Chapter 7 of 24

Chapter 7: My Condolences

Three days later, Julien and I rode the elevator to the fortieth floor of Everhart Marine in silence.

He wore his best grey suit.

I wore a navy dress Hattie had bought me with the five hundred dollars on his black card, and I held the cane in my left hand so my right was free.

"Smile," Julien said. "Not too much. Look grateful."

"I am grateful."

"Good. Let me do the talking."

He ran a hand down his tie.

His palm was damp.

I had never seen Julien nervous in four years.

Lucas met us at the elevator and shook Julien's hand without looking at me.

"Mr. Everhart will see you now."

The boardroom had a window the length of one wall and a table that seated twenty.

My father sat alone at the far end of it, in the grey suit and the reading glasses on their cord.

He stood when we came in.

For one long second he looked at me, and the whole room felt too small.

Then he held out his hand to Julien.

"Mr. Lacombe."

"Mr. Everhart. It's a privilege. And may I introduce my wife, Celia."

My father turned to me.

"I wasn't aware you were married," he said.

"Four years," said Julien.

"You've been in my office three times this year, and you never mentioned it."

"We've been going through a difficult stretch, sir. My wife was ill."

He put his hand on my back.

"She saved my life, in fact. Three years ago, in a car accident. She spent three years in a coma and woke up last week."

"I see," said my father.

His eyes came back to me.

They were wet.

He blinked once, and they weren't.

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