Secrets That She Keeps
Later that night
Later that night:
Surprisingly we made it through dinner without incident. We all got to meet Dakota's new girlfriend...Mitsy or Misty.. or maybe it was Mindy. I don't know, I couldn't keep up with them, it was like a revolving door with my brothers. I just exchanged glances with my dad as he introduced us to her. My father was always very perceptive. He could tell you which girlfriend would last the longest, which one was a gold digger or which one was only interested in the fame...it was always a source of amusement for us.
After arriving back home we all settled in to our respective rooms for the night. It wasn’t until I had gotten out of the shower that I heard my parents arguing. At least they had the decency to do it in private. I could only hear snippets of what they were saying so I stepped quietly into the hall to listen.
Leland's POV
As soon as we walked into our bedroom Erin started in about Emery. "I don't know why she can’t act like Mindy." she says putting on her night clothes.
"You don't even know that girl, you just met her tonight. How can you expect your daughter to act like her?" I say getting agitated.
"Well she was dressed nice, and had her hair fixed and she was wearing nice expensive shoes. Why can’t Emery take the time to do that?" she says with her hands on her hips looking at me.
"There is nothing wrong with how our daughter dresses. She had on a dress for God's sake. And is this really about expensive shoes?" I ask shaking my head in disbelief.
"Leland we give her access to all the money she wants and this is how she acts?" Erin says to me.
I follow her into the bathroom and sit on the counter as she takes off her makeup.
"Maybe Emmy finds better things to do with her money than shop. And besides she's in college, what use does she have for three inch high heels. Can't you just leave her alone for once. This whole world does not revolve around appearances." I say a little louder than I probably should.
"Appearance is everything now days, especially when her father and brothers are on TV! Don't you want your daughter to be as beautiful as your wife?" she asks me.
I stopped myself from saying that Em was more beautiful than she was because she had a beautiful heart. I walked back over to the bed and climb in. "It's not a competition Erin, I don't know why you feel like you need to compete with her."
Emery's POV
I walk slowly down the hall and push open Cobie's door. "Are you awake?" I whisper.
I hear him chuckle. "I think the whole neighborhood is." he says.
I walk over to his bed and sit down on the corner pulling my legs under me. "I think I made a mistake coming home." I say sadly.
He sits up and turns on his bedside lamp. "Em, you can’t listen to her. She's just being a bitch." he says looking over at me.
"But she's my mother, it’s different. I think I'm going to fly back to school tomorrow.... She said I was ugly Cobie." I tell him as a tear rolls down my cheek.
"Don't cry...You know your not ugly and no your not going back to school tomorrow. It would break dad’s heart if you left now. And besides, if you leave, she wins Emmy. You can let her win." He says putting an arm around me.
We talked about everything and nothing until we fell asleep around 2:00.
Leland's POV
I walked into Emery's room the next morning expecting her to still be sleeping, but she was gone. She hadn't even slept in her bed. A little concerned I walked to the other side of the house and opened Cobie's door and sure enough there she was, laying at the foot of his bed asleep. Just like when they were kids, at least eighteen years later he had learned to cover her up.
They were only two years apart and had been close since the day Emery was born. It was no secret to my daughter that she was born before I married her mother, but she didn't care. "As long as I have you daddy" she would always tell me. I stood there for a few minutes watching my children sleep. A small pang hit my heart, I had always wanted more children but for one reason or another it just never happened. I turned and left the room, leaving them to sleep.
Surprisingly we made it through dinner without incident. We all got to meet Dakota's new girlfriend...Mitsy or Misty.. or maybe it was Mindy. I don't know, I couldn't keep up with them, it was like a revolving door with my brothers. I just exchanged glances with my dad as he introduced us to her. My father was always very perceptive. He could tell you which girlfriend would last the longest, which one was a gold digger or which one was only interested in the fame...it was always a source of amusement for us.
After arriving back home we all settled in to our respective rooms for the night. It wasn’t until I had gotten out of the shower that I heard my parents arguing. At least they had the decency to do it in private. I could only hear snippets of what they were saying so I stepped quietly into the hall to listen.
Leland's POV
As soon as we walked into our bedroom Erin started in about Emery. "I don't know why she can’t act like Mindy." she says putting on her night clothes.
"You don't even know that girl, you just met her tonight. How can you expect your daughter to act like her?" I say getting agitated.
"Well she was dressed nice, and had her hair fixed and she was wearing nice expensive shoes. Why can’t Emery take the time to do that?" she says with her hands on her hips looking at me.
"There is nothing wrong with how our daughter dresses. She had on a dress for God's sake. And is this really about expensive shoes?" I ask shaking my head in disbelief.
"Leland we give her access to all the money she wants and this is how she acts?" Erin says to me.
I follow her into the bathroom and sit on the counter as she takes off her makeup.
"Maybe Emmy finds better things to do with her money than shop. And besides she's in college, what use does she have for three inch high heels. Can't you just leave her alone for once. This whole world does not revolve around appearances." I say a little louder than I probably should.
"Appearance is everything now days, especially when her father and brothers are on TV! Don't you want your daughter to be as beautiful as your wife?" she asks me.
I stopped myself from saying that Em was more beautiful than she was because she had a beautiful heart. I walked back over to the bed and climb in. "It's not a competition Erin, I don't know why you feel like you need to compete with her."
Emery's POV
I walk slowly down the hall and push open Cobie's door. "Are you awake?" I whisper.
I hear him chuckle. "I think the whole neighborhood is." he says.
I walk over to his bed and sit down on the corner pulling my legs under me. "I think I made a mistake coming home." I say sadly.
He sits up and turns on his bedside lamp. "Em, you can’t listen to her. She's just being a bitch." he says looking over at me.
"But she's my mother, it’s different. I think I'm going to fly back to school tomorrow.... She said I was ugly Cobie." I tell him as a tear rolls down my cheek.
"Don't cry...You know your not ugly and no your not going back to school tomorrow. It would break dad’s heart if you left now. And besides, if you leave, she wins Emmy. You can let her win." He says putting an arm around me.
We talked about everything and nothing until we fell asleep around 2:00.
Leland's POV
I walked into Emery's room the next morning expecting her to still be sleeping, but she was gone. She hadn't even slept in her bed. A little concerned I walked to the other side of the house and opened Cobie's door and sure enough there she was, laying at the foot of his bed asleep. Just like when they were kids, at least eighteen years later he had learned to cover her up.
They were only two years apart and had been close since the day Emery was born. It was no secret to my daughter that she was born before I married her mother, but she didn't care. "As long as I have you daddy" she would always tell me. I stood there for a few minutes watching my children sleep. A small pang hit my heart, I had always wanted more children but for one reason or another it just never happened. I turned and left the room, leaving them to sleep.