Lilacs by the Sea by Kay Correll

Author:Kay Correll [Correll, Kay]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781944761820
Publisher: Zura Lu Publishing LLC

Chapter 15

Katie walked out onto the porch of her cottage, sipping on a cup of coffee. The morning sunshine spilled across the courtyard, promising a gorgeous day. The morning didn’t seem to realize her family’s lives had been blown apart yesterday.

She glanced over at her parents’ cottage just as her father walked outside. He spied her and lifted a hand in a wave. She trotted over and climbed the stairs. “Morning, Dad.”

“Want a refill on your coffee? I can make some more.”

“No, thanks. I already had a couple of cups. Been up for a while. Couldn’t sleep.”

Her dad smiled ruefully. “Must be going around. I couldn’t either.”

“Is Mom still sleeping?” She cut off her words. Why would she ask him that? It wasn’t like he was sleeping in the same room as her mother.

“I… I don’t think so. I think she’s gone. Probably out on a walk. She seems to be enjoying early morning walks since we got here.”

Katie sucked in a deep breath. “So, Dad… can we talk?”

“Of course. Anytime. You know that.”

“I wanted to talk about you and Mom. What happened? Why are you moving out? I just don’t understand.”

He sank into a chair and set his coffee down on the table beside him. “Well… it’s what your mother wants. What she asked me to do. And I’d do anything she wants at this stage. We’ve grown apart. Almost like we live separate lives. I’ve been a lousy husband to her the last several years. Okay, a lot of years. Haven’t given her what she needed. Ignored her and used the excuse that I was so busy with work. No woman deserves to be treated like that.”

“But can’t you change now?”

“I’m trying, sweetie. I am. But for right now, I’m giving your mother what she asked for. I’m really listening to her… something she’s always accused me of not doing. I’m listening to what she needs.”

“But to move out? It sounds so… final.”

“I hope it’s not. I hope, given time, your mother will give me another chance. If I can show her that things will be different. If we can work things out.”

“Oh, Dad. I’m just so sad for you. For Mom. For all of us.”

“I am, too. But I have to do what’s best for your mother. And she thinks this is best.”

“Do you think…” She couldn’t believe she was even asking this question. “Uh, have you talked about divorce?”

He stared down into his coffee cup before replying, “No, that word hasn’t been said. But I worry Frankie has thought about it. And I don’t know what I’d do without her in my life. She’s my… everything.”

“Then you should prove it to her, Dad.”

“I should. And I should have been showing her all along how important she was to me. How important she still is to me. How much I care. That I think she’s still the most beautiful woman I know.” He let out a long sigh. “I’ve made so many mistakes. So many.”

“But we learn from our mistakes, don’t we?”

“We do.

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