Page 59 of Full Out Fiend
I take a step back from the table, but Daphne doesn’t drop my hand. Relief floods my body when she actually rises up to join me. I turn back to Mr. Knowles, who continues to mutter under his breath, a vein throbbing in his neck all the while. I don’t bother asking him to speak up—I won’t be able to hold it together if he articulates any of those sentences about disrespectful pieces of shit and whoring around. As it is, I can’t help throwing down the gauntlet in response to his mumbles.
“I don’t know if you have any aspirations about being in this child’s life, or if you’ve dreamed about the day when someone calls you grandpa. But you’ll have absolutely no contact with my child if you don’t learn to hold your tongue and check your temper.”
Mrs. Knowles gasps as Daphne squeezes my hand, but whether it’s in warning or solidarity, I’m not sure. I’m probably out of line. I didn’t set out to cause a scene. But I sure as hell will end this.
“Oh yeah?” Martin sneers. “And how are you going to prevent that, smart guy? Daphne lives in this house.”
A wiser man would walk away. But I never claimed to be wise.
“Not anymore, she doesn’t,” I boldly declare.
Daphne pulls on my arm as she rises from her seat. I turn and peer down at her, meeting her frantic gaze. She opens her mouth as if she’s about to argue, so I rush to make my case in a whisper.
“I can’t stand the thought of you living here and dealing with this every day, angel. You can’t stay here. You don’t have to stay with me. I’ll get you your own place if you want. But I can’t leave you here like this.”
Tears fill her eyes, and she quickly moves to swipe them away with her free hand. I’m literally holding my breath, waiting for her to respond. I glance down at our joined hands, desperately hoping that who I am and all I’m offering will be enough to sway her. Throughout this entire ordeal, she’s held on to me—that has to be a good sign, right?Please let this be enough.
After what feels like eons of waiting for her response, silently imploring her to come with me, she bites down on her bottom lip and nods.
“I’m so sorry, TT,” she whispers to her little sister across the table before turning to her mom. “I wish it wasn’t like this. I hate that I’ve disappointed you. But I think it’s probably for the best that I go.” Her grip tightens around my hand as she steels herself for their response.
“Daphne Leigh Knowles…”
I don’t hear what her dad says next because Daphne’s already pulling me through the kitchen and heading for the front door.
“Wait. Do you want to grab anything before we go?” She’ll have to come back eventually. I’m sure she has a ton of stuff to pack up, but grabbing a toothbrush and an overnight bag would probably be a good idea.
“I have a few changes of clothes at Serena’s place. And all my work stuff is in my car. I’m afraid if I stop moving all the courage I feel right now will vanish.”
“Then let’s fucking go.”
Chapter 33
Daphne
I’mphysicallyshakingasFielding and I walk out the front door of my parents’ house, hand in hand. Despite the full-body tremors, there’s a levity that washes over me with each step I take away from the house.
A crack of lightning parts the sky in the distance, jolting me back to the reality of what I’m doing. Things escalatedsoquickly between my mother’s judgmental comment and the moment Fielding declared that I don’t live in their house anymore—so quickly I still haven’t processed it all. Then it was like someone hit pause, and from there, everything unfolded in slow motion.
I should have expected their digs and abhorrent behavior. Nothing about how things played out tonight was a surprise. My dad made snide remarks and not-so-subtly expressed his unwavering love for Anthony. My mom made passive aggressive comments about my weight and food intake. Tonight was nothing out of the norm where my family is concerned.
But seeing them through Fielding’s eyes was jarring. I sat at that table feeling voiceless and transparent among the people who are supposed to love me unconditionally. It’s so different from how he makes me feel. And although we hadn’t discussed it up until now, he’s right: I can’t raise my child in that type of environment.
I hate that Tahlia had to witness that. It kills me that she’ll be under their roof for several more years. I’ll make tonight up to her—I have to. I’ll prioritize coming over to visit and taking her out, just like I did before I moved home.
Hopefully watching someone stand up for me opened her eyes to how she should expect to be treated in a relationship. It certainly opened mine.
Thunder rumbles in the distance, but it’s a removed sort of sound. Rain is coming. I can smell it in the air. The storm just hasn’t arrived yet.
I’m lost in thought, still in a daze, as Fielding guides me toward his car. It was extreme, him pushing back and defending my honor or whatever it is he thinks he was doing in there.
But as much as the feminist in me wants to hate it, it felt really nice to have someone on my side for once.
When we reach the passenger side of his Infiniti, I blow out a long breath and squeeze his hand appreciatively. But before I can open my mouth to thank him, someone else is screaming my name.
“Daphne! Wait!”
My gut twists with dread as I spot Anthony tearing across his parents’ front yard in our direction.