Page 84 of When Forever Falls Apart

“What is Myles doing here?” I grit, barely able to contain myself.

“I thought it would be beneficial for us to have a meal together, to clarify things,” my father states, his tone matter-of-fact, like Myles and I are some business deal he’s trying to close.

Myles’s expression slowly transforms, a flicker of softness breaking through the tension that crackles in the air between us. Meanwhile, my father sits nonchalantly, as if the palpable awkwardness surrounding us is nothing more than a passing breeze. I force myself to take a deep breath, grounding myself in the present moment and striving for calm amid the brewing storm of emotions.

Aside from running into Myles at the bar, then thewedding, we haven’t had closure. There are a few things that still tie us together. Like the studio apartment we bought in Brooklyn and leased out to a mutual friend of ours, plus some investments that I stupidly allowed everyone else to control for me. So I assume this is what my father wants to tie up.

“Maddy,” Myles greets with a velvet tone in his voice. “I’m glad you were able to come.”

“Well, you get invited to brunch, and say yes without knowing the true extent of it,” I mutter beneath my breath.

My father and Myles briefly engage in small talk while I sit here, confused. The restaurant is quite busy for brunch, with many patrons wearing suits, so I assume it’s all business. Of course, my father would choose such a place.

“Now, I understand that the situation with the two of you has been left quite ambiguous,” my father remarks, his tone sharp and commanding. It comes as no surprise that his choice of words is carefully crafted to convey an underlying message. God forbid he care what anyone else is going through. “However, I believe in the possibility of redemption. None of us is infallible. Marriage, as we know it, is a lifelong commitment steeped in complexity. Occasionally, we must take the time to ensure it is the right choice in the situation.”

I sit quietly, trying to understand where my father is going with this.Steeped in complexity?That is rich, coming from him. Maybe, just maybe, if he didn’t treat Mom like she was a doormat, their marriage would have been loving and enjoyable. The complexity ishim.

Myles reaches over to place his hand on mine, a friendly gesture to reassure me that this won’t get out of control. I remember the exact moment when our parents got into a heated discussion over land back in Cinnamon Springs. That was when things started to get to me, when I realized just how much our lives were controlled by our intrusive parents, believing they had our best interests at heart.

What happened to falling in love and seeing where the tide goes?

In many ways, I envy Aston and Eva for standing their ground and shutting out all the noise. Granted, Eva’s parents are as chill as you can get. Mom, on the other hand, would often voice her opinion, yet respected Aston’s decisions and didn’t make a fuss over him. After all, he is an adult and has been for a while.

“Harvey,” Myles interjects softly, his calm tone inviting an amicable conversation. “With all due respect, I believe your involvement, alongside my parents’, might have inadvertently contributed to Maddy’s feelings.” His gaze meets mine with a blend of sympathy and encouragement. “We’ve yet to properly address any of these issues, since our encounters have been in passing. While I appreciate your perspective, perhaps Madelina and I should take a moment to discuss this amongst ourselves… in private?”

The tension in the room is palpable, underscored by the gravity of Myles’s suggestion. Last night, I was battling my emotions over Elliot and Nicole, and a few hours later, my past comes back to haunt me.

All I want to do is escape to Cinnamon Springs and see Elliot.

And perhaps, that’s the admission I needed to finally make to myself.

My father lifts his espresso to his lips and drinks the bitter hit of caffeine in one go. With a stiff composure, he removes the napkin from his lap and places it on the table.

“I respect your honesty,” he answers curtly. “I have a meeting in an hour, so I’ll begin making my way downtown.”

My head angles in confusion. If he had a meeting so soon, why would he organize brunch? The light bulb finally goes off, and my eyes narrow with a newfound resentment.

“The maître d’ will take care of you.” He stands tall, straightening his suit jacket. “Goodbye, Myles.”

“Harvey,” Myles acknowledges simply.

Then my father turns his attention to me, his gaze radiating superiority. He’s warning me not to fuck things up again. My head falls as I clench my jaw, trying to hold back my thoughts.

“Madelina, I’ll be in touch.”

His words sound like I’m a business associate and he’s trying to close a deal.

As soon as he steps out of the restaurant, I bang my hand on the table, anger rippling through me.

“Maddy.” Myles keeps his voice low in an effort to keep our conversation private and to calm me down. “Harvey insisted I join you. Trust me, this wasn’t my idea.”

“I know, but do you see what I mean about the meddling? They just won’t back off,” I reply, rolling my eyes in frustration.

“I get it. I understand why you got scared.”

A glimmer of hope reaches my eyes. “You do?”

“Yes, I do.” Myles’s expression softens. “At one point, according to my mother, the wedding was doomed because one of the swans fell ill. Can you imagine? A wedding without swans? It got so big that we lost sight of everything we wanted.”