After a brief greeting, he glanced down at his hands. “I suppose Hillary came running to you with tales of what a horrible father I am,” he said stiffly.
He seemed ready for her to berate and criticize him, which she had no intention of doing. Her one desire was for there to be reconciliation between Eddie and his daughters. Nothing would please her more than helping her girls and their dad find a way to mend their differences.
“As a matter of fact, Hillary didn’t tell me anything.”
He briefly looked up, as if he wasn’t sure he could believe her.
“Marie did,” she enlightened him.
A brief smile came and went. “She always was a bit of a tattletale.”
Julia didn’t confirm or deny his statement. “Marie told me about you working with the bridal shop to pay the difference on the more expensive dress that Hillary wants.”
He shrugged, indicating it was nothing, and seemed embarrassed that she knew.
“Marie wants me to be the one to tell Hillary the truth.”
His eyes shot up to her. “Don’t. If you do, Hillary won’t accept the gift. I want her to have that dress.”
“You’re probably right, although it might be better if I do.”
“It isn’t,” he insisted.
“She should know you regret the argument, and it would give her the opportunity to express her own part in this falling-out between you two.”
“It doesn’t matter. She said Laura isn’t invited to the wedding, and if she isn’t invited, then I’m not going, either. Nothing you say will change my mind. If the girls disrespect my wife, then they are disrespecting me and—”
Raising her hand to stop his tirade, Julia said, “Honestly, Eddie. Haven’t you ever heard of baby steps? You can’t force your daughters into a relationship with Laura—especially not with the bad blood between them and her and her sons.”
“What do you mean by ‘baby steps’？” He cocked his head to one side and seemed genuinely curious.
“How about starting with a birthday card signed by both of you. Perhaps a short note from Laura alone. Introduce her a little at a time, instead of forcing the girls into a relationship with her. I know you regret that dreadful scene at the lake.”
“Do Hillary and Marie?”
“That’s not for me to say. Ask them yourself. Frankly, I’m uncomfortable standing between you and the girls. I needed two days to think this through before I was comfortable enough to suggest we meet. This isn’t a role I’m happy with, or even one I want.”
Her words were met with a tense silence.
“Once I learned Hillary and Blake were engaged,” Julia continued, “it seemed the perfect opportunity for healing between you and the girls. Why is it always one step forward and two back with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“Don’t be obtuse. I couldn’t have been more pleased to learn you’d apologized to Hillary. She badly needed to hear you regretted that day as much as she did. We both know you spoke in the heat of the moment.”
“You weren’t there. You didn’t hear the horrible names your daughters called the woman who was soon to be my wife.”
He thought rubbing in the fact that Laura was his wife now, and not Julia, would hurt her. But now the jab ricocheted off her. Still, she didn’t miss the fact that he referred to Hillary and Marie as her daughters.
One step forward, three and four back. Would he never learn?
“You’re right, I wasn’t with them that day. I’m grateful not to have been part of that horrible, embarrassing scene. Even if it did take nearly six years, you were honest enough to take the first step toward reconciliation when you sought out Hillary.”
“It wasn’t easy.”
“I’m sure it wasn’t. Really, Eddie, was it necessary to call Marie and tell her you wanted nothing to do with the wedding?”
He let her words soak in for a few awkward moments. His eyes filled with remorse as he admitted, “You’re probably right. I was angry…I should have cooled down first. I guess this is what you mean by taking two steps back?”
She arched her brows because that was answer enough.
He shrugged it off. “All right, I’ll admit it wasn’t my smartest move.”
She agreed. Rubbing it in wouldn’t help, so she kept her mouth closed. “Now to the reason I asked to see you. As I mentioned earlier, Marie thought it would be a good idea if I told Hillary what you’d done for her. She believes hearing it from me would help her understand this was your way of apologizing.”