Page 52 of Mr. Principal

It was Carter.

“Go mind your business, Carter. Dana and I are discussing things that don’t require your input. Not that it would be welcomed anyway.”

“I’m sure whatever you have to say to Dana can wait. Tonight is about Meredith and the last thing she needs right now is for her father to make a scene.”

Tom looked at Carter with hatred.

“You think you’ve won. Don’t you?” We all knew what Tom was talking about. He hated the idea of Carter and I being together. That was no secret.

“Dana was never a prize, Tom. She’s a person and it’s about time you start treating and respecting her like one.”

“Who the hell do you think you are? You think you can tell me what to do? You’re nobody to me.” He took a threatening step towards Carter.

“Tom—” I said, not wanting things to escalate.

Carter didn’t take his eyes off Tom. “Go ahead. Try it,” he said, stepping up to Tom until their faces were inches away.

“Still can’t get over the fact that you were the loser, can you? After all these years, I bet it eats you up that she chose me over you. But what did you expect? You were some dirty, hippie wannabe when what she wanted was a real man.”

“Stop talking, Tom. You’re embarrassing yourself,” Piper said, appearing out of nowhere as she pushed Tom back, stepping in between the two guys who would have been at each other’s throats by now. “You’re such a prima donna. Everything has to be about you. It’s like you go out of your way to ruin other people’s happiness. We get it, dude. You think you’re special. But you’re not. You’re just like the rest of us—”

He laughed. “Like the rest of you? Piper, you’re dating a magician. Carter is a principal. How much does that pay? A whopping sixty thou a year? I make that in three months. And seriously, Dana. I traded up. I mean have you seen how hot Becca is? She’s not some broken down, overweight housewife.”

I flinched. “Get out.”

He opened his mouth to say something but then his eyes trained on something behind us. Becca stood there with a disgusted look on her face.

She didn’t even acknowledge Tom as she turned towards us. “Piper, Dana, thanks for having me over. I really appreciate it. And for what it’s worth, I think you guys are amazing.”

She turned and walked away. Tom scampered behind her and tried to take her hand. She pushed him away and stomped to the car. Words were exchanged, but I couldn’t tell what was being said. And then they were gone.

My mom and dad, who I hadn’t noticed before, stood there silently. Clearly, they had overheard the drama.

“I never liked that man,” my dad said suddenly, and my mom nodded in agreement.

I looked at them annoyed. “A few months ago, you guys were saying that I needed to work to get him back.”

“That was before you proved you could take care of yourself,” my mom said.

Coming from my parents, that was a huge compliment. Even if it was sort of a backhanded comment.

Then my mom added, “I thought you and Meredith were going to end up on welfare for sure, but you proved me wrong.”

Just when I thought my parents could be kind of warm, of course, she said something like that. Of course.

“Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

“Sure thing,” my dad said, clueless to my sarcasm. “We’re leaving now. Be sure you buy Meredith a decent pair of shoes with the gift card we gave her. Her shoes looked old and dusty.”

“It makes you look poor, dear,” my mom said for good measure.

“Well, I definitely wouldn’t want to look poor… even though, technically I am, but thanks for that, Mom.”

She gave me a tight smile and said, “If you keep a job you’ll be out of poverty in no time. In the meantime, at least try not to get into public fights with your ex-husband. It’s kind of unbecoming.” She turned to my dad. “I want to be home before my show.”

He nodded, gave everyone a cold wave and disappeared with my mom through the door.

Piper and Carter looked at me with a mixture of shock and pity on their faces.