He Missed Our Daughter's Birthday Again novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: Sunday Dinner

Sunday dinner at his father's house had been a rule for seven years.

I went anyway, because it was the one room where Roderick couldn't leave without being watched.

I left Junie with my sister and drove myself to the big stone house on the lake.

Clifton's dining table sat twelve.

That night it held Clifton at the head, two of his oldest friends from the board, and Roderick, who looked up when I walked in and stood so fast his chair scraped.

"Leah. I didn't know you were coming."

"I wasn't invited, so I brought myself."

Clifton was already on his feet with his arms out.

"Sweetheart. Sit, sit, you look worn out. Let me get you something."

He pulled out the chair beside him and poured me ginger ale without being asked.

He had always been courteous to me.

He had never once been warm.

"I came to ask my husband a question," I said. "In front of everyone, since it seems that's where things get decided."

"Leah," Roderick said, "not tonight."

"Yesterday you stood at a carousel and told our daughter you'd be back for the cake."

"That was a medical emergency."

"Was it?" I turned to the men at the table. "Sammy was already in the hospital. A full team of doctors was with him. His mother called, and my husband got in his car."

One of the board men looked at his plate.

"The boy had a reaction," Roderick said. "You don't know what it was like."

"You didn't tell me. You told me you were going."

"I told you why."

"You told me after you'd decided."

← Chapter 4 · All chapters · Chapter 6 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend