Episode 1029: Family Matters

“Well, to be totally honest, I’m not okay with him. He manipulates people and he pushes them around I’m not okay with that. He’s even treated you and your sisters that way. Would you do that to your kids?”

The moment the question left her lips she wondered if she’d said it to test him. Did that mean her father was right? Was she jumping the gun to contemplate having children with him if she still felt inclined to test her husband?

“You think I’m capable of doing the stuff my dad has done to our kids?”

Apparently she wasn’t the only one throwing tests out into the universe. Sebastian had done plenty of manipulative things in the past. But no. “I don’t think that’s who you are anymore.”

“I’m not,” he agreed. He looked away just then and rubbed the back of his neck.

Avalon shook her head. That didn’t mean he wasn’t telling the truth. It just meant this was a tense situation for him. To constantly feel like she didn’t trust him. To feel like he had to sneak around just to visit his parents.

Was some of that Sebastian’s own fault? Yes, but didn’t she deserve some of the blame, too? How many times had Lila called her out for behaving superior, acting like she’d never set a foot wrong? Maybe Lila had a point.

“Your father has a long way to go before I’d feel at ease around him,” Ava said, “before I’d stop wondering what he was up to. But despite that, he is your dad and I shouldn’t have made you feel like you had to choose me or him. That wasn’t fair. I still think it’s a good idea to keep your distance financially, to not let him get that kind of hold on our lives, but I don’t want you to feel like you shouldn’t talk to him. I shouldn’t have made you feel that way. Family is important. That’s actually something I’ve wanted to talk to you about.”

Episode 1030: Wanted