Together With You

Chapter 45 - Ocean

I. Miss. Drew.

I exhale and look at the veranda. The pool. The place that Drew asked his person to put the candles and flowers to propose to me.

I have a feeling that the dinner date Drew initiated for us is going to change our relationship. I don't know what, but it's just my gut.

Maybe it's time for me to admit my own feeling to Drew...

I look at the baby monitor, Char is still sleeping comfortably in her room.

The land phone rings. I take it "hello"

"Good afternoon, Mrs. Roderick. We have Mr. Goldreich here"

Huh? "Zac?"

"No, your father, Connor Goldreich, and he wants to meet you."

I swallow. Dad. "Send him up"

"Sure ma'am"

"Thank you" I put down the phone. What dad wants from me? I can feel my heart start thumping wildly. It's been a while since the last time I met dad.

The elevator doors open. There he is. Mr. Connor Goldreich.

"Dad?" I say from my place. He comes to me, staring at me with his unreadable expression.

"Come in" I take him to the living room and ask him to sit. He sits without a word. I swallow.

"Why are you here, Ocean?"

I blink. Excuse me. Isn't that my question?

"You should be in New York. Why do you still go back to here?

"Dad, why would I stay in New York? My life is here" I say. Disbelief with my dad ridiculousness.

"What about Goldreich?"

"It's Jeff's legacy, dad" I exhale. Seriously dad, we're still talking about this?

"You know Jeff is gone"

"Yeah but he promised me he will be back by the end of this month"

"That's bullshit" Dad says angrily.

"No" I take out my phone and show it to him. "Look, this is his last message"

Dad looks for a while, I play the voice message "Hey Ocean, I'm sorry I just contacted you now. I'm glad Drew is there for you. I'll be back to the States by the end of this month. I'll visit you in LA and threaten your husband to treat you right. Send my love to Charlene too, okay? And send me her picture. I want to see my very first niece. Love you, sis"

"You hear that?" I say.

"It was the morning he had accident, Ocean"

"Accident?" I frown. "What do you mean, dad?"

"Jeff had an accident that day. The day he sent this message. He skied and when he was plowing down, he fell and slid down to the side. We haven't found him ever since"

"What?" my phone falls from my hand.

Dad exhales "your husband didn't tell you about this, I guess"

"Drew? he knew?"

"Along with your brothers" Dad chuckles "looks like everyone is trying to hide the truth from you"

I shake my head "no way"

"That's the truth. Did you know your husband put his PI to find Jeff?"

My head snapped back at dad. I feel so dizzy. Drew promised me he never lied to me.

"And did you know your husband has a deal with me. He works so slow it makes me antsy. That's why I came here by myself. To take you back to the Goldreich."