"I mean, I never thought of that. I was never rude or nasty to her in front of the girls. Fuck, I moved to fucking Dallas for her," I declare angrily. "I gave up so much to make her happy."
"And that, right there," he says, "should be reason enough for you not to doubt your decision."
"I mean, I can’t really doubt it," I remind him. "She served me divorce papers when I skated off the ice. I didn’t even have my gloves off, and this guy was there with a manila envelope." Just thinking back on it makes my stomach burn. It took Manning, the captain of the team, to talk me down from driving over to the house. He called Erika, and she came right over, and the two of them talked me down.
"I will never say a bad thing about Julianne," my father says. "But the best thing for her to do was to let you go. Having the two of you growing apart in front of the girls wasn’t healthy. Each of you resenting the other. Besides, don’t you want your girls to know what unconditional love is?" I don’t bother saying anything to him because I know he’s right. I know I would never disrespect their mother to them, but would I be a different person? I close my eyes, thinking I would be so miserable that they would probably hate me in the end.
"I’m the first one in the family to get divorced. Fuck, it was supposed to be forever." My voice gets low. "I’m a disappointment."
"One," he says, his tone getting a touch louder, "you aren’t the first one to get divorced." I tilt my head to the side and wonder who the fuck else got divorced. "Grandma got divorced."
I roll my eyes. "That doesn’t count."
"That counts tenfold," he replies. "It’s because of that we all know what unconditional love is." I know he’s right.
"And two, you are not a disappointment. Jesus, it’s not like you went out and killed someone! You got divorced."
"Yeah, and my kids will be in the category of divorced parents," I remind him, getting a touch angry.
My father laughs at me. "I was in the category of divorced parents." I can see him shaking his head. "And I turned out semi-okay." His laughter makes me chuckle. "Honestly, Cooper, the best thing to ever happen to me was my father leaving. I can’t imagine the man I would have become without having Cooper by my side." His voice gets really soft. "Divorce is not the end of the world. The main thing is your girls see that you are there for them no matter what. That if they need you, they can count on you. And maybe one day you’ll find a love that’s really forever." I don’t say anything to that. I swallow down the lump that is forming. "As long as your girls are happy and loved, you can’t ask for more. They need the best dad there is. Regardless of if you are married to their mother."
"You’re right," I admit. "As long as the girls are okay, nothing else matters."
"Exactly," he says. "And it works out that Julianne accepted you would take them when you would be in town, and when you travel, she has them."
"Yeah," I agree, laughing. "Erika came up with that one. Julianne wanted one week on, one week off."
"Well, there is a reason Becca handed her the keys to the kingdom, and it wasn’t because she has a pretty face."
"She works hard," I say, proud of her. "And it shows."
"We are coming down this weekend," my father says, and I smile big. "If it was up to your mother, she would be there today, but Franny and Vivi dragged her to LA for a girls' week trip."
"And you let her go?" I ask, laughing. My father is never far away from my mother.
"I’m on the plane going to her," he admits. "She left last night." I can’t help the laughter that rips through me. "So she got a six-hour head start."
"Does she know you’re coming?" I ask, my chest feeling lighter the more I talk to him.
"She should know better," he says. "Your sisters are going to complain, but that’s what you get when you take my woman away from me." That is what I want. What I strive to have. That is what I dream of, but hey, I got two gorgeous girls out of it. I can’t say no to that.
"Thanks, Dad," I say, feeling so much better than I did when I walked out of the office. "For everything."
"It’s my job. The four of you are my life. Your brother not so much these days." I laugh, thinking about Chase and his refusal to do anything with hockey until he got a degree in medicine.
"He’s a good kid," I say finally. "Tell Mom I say hi, and I’ll see you guys on Friday."
"I’ll text you when I have the details. I think even Uncle Max is also coming down." I laugh, and I don’t know why I’m surprised that everyone is coming down this weekend. This is what we do. When one needs help, we rally.
"Sounds like fun," I confirm, a little excited they are going to come down. "Love you, Dad."
"Love you more," he says and disconnects the call. I pull out of the parking lot and see the sun shining high in the sky. The phone rings, and I see that Erika texted me a couple of times.
Erika: But how are you feeling?
Erika: Silence must be a full-blown pity party.
I laugh at the last text. After I park my SUV, I get out and walk toward the elevators, pushing twenty-five and putting my key in the keypad. The elevator only moves when it recognizes the key, and the door opens a couple of seconds later. The sunlight fills the condo, and it should since the whole back wall is floor-to-ceiling windows.
Tossing my keys on the counter, I walk over and grab the orange juice from the fridge. Pouring myself a glass, I clean up the counter where the girls left their breakfast. I hang the pictures they made me this morning on the fridge, and I’m going to the bedroom to make their beds when I hear a knock on the front door. I smile to myself, knowing exactly who it is. To be honest, I’m surprised she lasted this long without coming over.
I open the door, and there she is, my rock. "Knock knock," she says, holding up a bottle of Macallan whiskey. "I’m here to collect the rent." I laugh as she walks in. When I was looking for a place to stay, she didn’t even hesitate to offer me her condo. Even though I rejected it, she wouldn’t take no for an answer.
"I have to give it to you," I say, closing the door behind her and then walking to her and putting my arm around her shoulder. "You are totally slacking."
She gasps and pushes me away from her. "How am I slacking?" I grab her again.
"One, you weren’t lurking in the parking garage," I tease as we walk side by side to the kitchen.
"I was giving you space," she replies, walking out of my reach. "And making you sort shit out before."
"Well," I say, putting my hands on my hips. "Don’t do that shit again."
She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. "What would you have done?"
"I would have been sitting in the lawyer's office waiting for you," I say, and she opens her mouth and closes it.
She shrugs. "Well, I guess I’m a shitty friend. Instead, I gave you space and bought you booze." A smile fills her face. "You’re welcome!"