Page 91 of Remiss

“You’re serious?” Ophelia cried, then shook her head. “No, you can’t be. This isn’t you. You’re speaking from pain and tiredness.”

“No, she’s speaking from being tired of ignorant motherfuckers and stupid bitches,” Roxy said flatly. “This isn’t a discussion that has to go round and round. We’ve already said why we’re so upset with Cash. We all know you intend to do fuck all, so accept his goddamn fate and shut the fuck up.”

Winnie giggled. Glancing around Rebel, she found Winnie’s seat empty.

“Do it again, Axel,” Winnie cried from outside the door, and Meggie realized Axel had taken her back into the kitchen, which connected to the smaller dining room.

“I’m sorry,” Ophelia cried, sniffling. “I don’t know what to do or how to reach Cash. I’ve tried. I’m withholding s-sex. Stretch and I sleep together, and exclude Cash, but he’s just g-getting worse.”

“Open your fucking mouth and talk to that motherfucker,” Zoann yelled. “Never mind. I’ll do it. Fuck him. He’s lost his fucking mind.”

“He just wants to protect Tarmac. His son, who’ll carry on the McCall name—”

“Fuck you,” Zoann spat. “I’d kick Val’s cock in if that motherfucker changed because I gave him a son. What about his daughter?Yourdaughter, you stupid bitch. What is that saying about Winnie? To her. Mark my fucking words, that little girl is going to grow up fucked up and resenting both you fucked up bitches.”

“That isn’t true!”

“It is, Aunt Fee,” Mattie said timidly, barely audible at first. She glanced at Kendall, who swallowed and nodded, then settled her arms around her shoulders. “I love my daddy. Sometimes, I don’t like him, but I fear him all the time.”

Kendall stiffened.

Roxy leaned over and grabbed Kendall’s hand, then squeezed.

“It’s okay, Mama,” Mattie said softly. “You protect me so fiercely, and I’m so grateful for you. You were willing to divorce Daddy because of his treatment of me.”

“Not everyone would do that,” Ophelia flared. “And Winnie is a small girl—”

“Exactly, sugar,” Roxy said, still holding Kendall’s hand. “She’s young and impressionable. This is when her foundation is laid, and the one that’s been built reeks of bullshit.”

Desperation crept into Ophelia’s eyes and she looked at Meggie. “You wouldn’t leave Christopher if he wasn’t the best dad to Rebel, would you, Meggie? Tell them!”

“Not only would I leave him, I’d divorce him,” Meggie said flatly. “Rebel ismydaughter—”

“No, no, no! You’re not in the right frame of mind, Meggie,” Ophelia cried, tears running down her cheeks. “If you were, you’d still be in Hortensia and—”

“I’m here because I’m sick of Christopher’s treatment of me. I love him with everything in me, but he isn’t hearing me. And I refuse,refuse, to continue on the trajectory we’re on.”

“What does that even mean?” Ophelia demanded. “That you could divorce my brother and break his heart.”

“Your brother has been acting like a flaming idiot. Either he remembers my place in his life and act like he values me or I’m leaving. I lived through my mother’s abuse. I refuse to go down that road in my life.”

“How dare you!” Ophelia cried. “You’re sitting there on your high and mighty throne, not caring that you’ve probably torn my brother apart.”

“How dare me? How dareyou, Ophelia. You don’t get to tell me how to treat Christopher when you haven’t been there to tell him hownotto treat me. And you especially don’t have a thing to say about my behavior toward my husband when you lost your backbone and can’t even blink without asking Cash’s permission, so I suggest you sit down somewhere and look for your self-worth. You lost it years ago in the same tar pit you threw your spine.”

Ophelia gasped.

Smiling merrily, Kendall gulped more wine. “You know, Meggie darling, cursing is overrated because no one reads a motherfucker like you without one profanity involved.”

Rebel covered Meggie’s hand with her own. When Meggie raised her gaze to her daughter’s, Rebel gave her a quick smile.

“Cash is the man of the house,” Ophelia screeched. “What do you expect me to tell him?”

“How about this?” Zoann barked. “Motherfucker, if you don’t come to your goddamn senses, sleep with your fucking eyes open.”

“Cash is a complicated man,” Ophelia said.

“Cash is a motherfucker,” Zoann retorted.