With the Wind | A Short Novel by Judith Cropola

instantly changed.  She became fully alert and on edge.
    “What did you say?”
    “My father told me that if I didn’t say those lies Mr. Buffett would deport us.  He made me lie to you.  Oh, I know that is no excuse.”
    “Eva.”  Misty took the child’s face in her hands.  “This is very important.  Tell me the truth.”
    “The truth is Daniel never did anything bad to me, ever.  He never made me touch him , he…”
    Misty punched the intercom button on the phone.
    “Rosie?”
    “Yes, Miss?”
    “Where is my father?”
    “He’s in the study with Mr. Wilson.”
    “Come up here please.  I need you to sit with Eva for a minute.”
    “I’m on my way, Miss.”
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    CHAPTER TWENTY FIVE
     
    Misty had never known rage before.
    She had been angry many times, but never enraged.
    All of her pain, her suffering, her loss all of it surfaced at the same time.
    Her furor was mostly directed at herself.
    She should have known.
    But then part of her always knew.
    Why was she too cowardly to do the right thing, to stand up for the man who loved her more than anything else in the world?
    Could Daniel ever forgive her?
    She did not announce herself. 
    Father always insisted that anyone approaching the library announced themselves.
    Screw him, Misty muttered.
    My God.
    Misty could not believe what she was seeing.
    Her father and her fiancé were…kissing.
    She just stood there, plainly visible but totally quiet.
    It all made sense now.  At least part of it did.
    She had to know everything.
    She had to know why her father chose to ruin two lives.
    “I thought Wilson was supposed to kiss me,” Misty said, in a surprisingly even tone.
    Anthony and Wilson jumped away from each other.
    As if somehow Misty hadn’t seen them.
    “Sweetheart, let me explain,” Anthony began.
    “Explain what?  This explains quite a bit, actually.”
    “Love, it’s...it's not what you think,” Wilson stammered.
    “'Love'.  What a joke.  Save it for your boyfriend.”
    “Misty, we have to talk,” Anthony blurted out.
    “I just got done talking with Eva.  Guess what she told me.”
    “Honey, you need to know what’s going on.  Why I did what I did.”
    As Anthony spoke, Wilson walked toward Misty.
    Misty reached into the fireplace and grabbed a log poker.
    “If you so much as breathe on me I will shove this down your throat.”
    Wilson stopped and said, “Fine and dandy.  Well, what does a few hours difference make anyway.”
    “Honey, I had to do this,” Anthony said.  “You will be saving the winery.  Generations of our family are counting on you.”
    “What the hell are you talking about?”
    “Anthony lost a fortune, dear.  You and I are coming to the rescue.”
    “Dad?”
    “It’s true.  I was taWilson by that bastard Whist.  I lost over forty million dollars, honey.  The winery, the estate, everything is tied up in this mess.”
    “What does Wilson and I getting married have to do with that?”
    “My father simply cannot tolerate a gay son.  He wants grandchildren. He wants to go to Mass and not be ashamed.  He wants me to have a proper wife and family.”
    “In return, he will give us the money, interest free, to pay off the debts.  The winery will be saved,” Anthony explained.
    “What I want doesn’t matter?  I have no say in this?”
    “Princess, you will inherit a fortune.  Your kids, our kids, love, will be billionaires.”
    “If you call me princess or love or dear one more time I will take this poker and…”
    “Misty, calm down.  Think about this.  Have a drink.”
    “Have a drink, Dad?  Are you insane?”
    “I love you.  I only want what’s best for you.”
    “Liar.  You want to save your own skin.  You want me to marry your boyfriend.  How convenient.  My God, what have I done.”
    “Still thinking about that Russian fool, I see.”
    “Wilson, when I tell him about this you