Episode 1209: The Tide Is High

“It’s okay. I figured you’d need some time to yourself,” she said. “It gave me time to put together a hearty comfort meal. I made apple rhubarb pie for dessert, too. Dinner isn’t quite ready yet, if you want to go soak in a warm bath for a bit, maybe that will help with your limp, it looks even more pronounced than it did this morning. I know you really wanted to get this talk with your dad out of the way but I wish it hadn’t happened at the expense of your therapy appointment.”

“I re-scheduled for tomorrow, that’ll help, and I’ll take that bath later. Right now I’m just desperate to sit and have something to drink.”

Of course it had been so bad that he needed to self-medicate. She’d talked herself out of worrying over any revenge aimed at her. Like her dad had said, the leverage was gone, and she, her dad, and Bas could handle whatever else Philip threw at her, surely she’d be okay, her life was so much smaller than the titans of industry the man usually tangled with, how much damage was there to even do?

Sebastian was the one she needed to worry about. He was the one falling out with his father, he was the one truly hurting.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked. “Or was it that bad that you’re still not ready to even tell me what happened? I mean, of course it’s bad, dumb thing to ask, it’s so bad that the first thing you want is a drink-”

“I didn’t actually mean alcohol, just water or something,” Sebastian said. “I haven’t really had much of anything all day.” He limped to the fridge, grabbed a water and limped back to one of the kitchen chairs, dropping on to it. “My dad and I, we didn’t really have the chance to talk either, at least, not about everything. His dog, Walter, he got sick, so today was all about waiting on tests and for treatments to kick in.”

“Is the dog alright?”

Sebastian nodded. “He ate something he shouldn’t have. It was a bit touch and go there, but he’s on the mend now.”

He took a long swallow of water while Ava stood there relieved for the ailing dog, and she had to privately admit to feeling some disappointment, too. Despite some lingering fears of retribution and genuine concern for Sebastian’s feelings, a part of her had anticipated having Phillip Marques out of their lives for awhile, the first stretch of their child’s life would undoubtedly be better off without a manipulative grandfather.

“You did the kind thing,” she told her husband. “You couldn’t get into everything with Walter unwell. That conversation can wait a few days, it’s only fair not to confront your father when he’s already dealing with something emotional, not that he’d necessarily show you the same grace.”

“Actually,” Sebastian said, “after spending the day with my dad today, and thinking about what you said, about letting it go, I think you’re right, I might not have that conversation with him after all.”

Episode 1210: Turnabout