Chapter 564: Hargrove Mansion
Tuesday, February 28th, Evening
She stood in the window looking out upon the grounds. The moonlight dimly lit the gardens. Holding her tumbler, she would occasionally twirl around the amber liquid. Finally, she took a deep breath and let it all out.
Angela Scott has liked her parent's garden since she moved here permanently with seven-year-old Jess after Church died. There were easier solutions than commuting to Brooklyn, but living with Ellie, Fallon, or Trin wasn't the best option. Trin was probably the best to have Jess grow up with Wyatt, but her parents stepped in.
Even though she could afford it, her parents paid for Jess's schooling. Greenwich Country Day School was a great school, and Angela often was of two minds about what to do when it came to Jess and high school.
Angela sipped her scotch and let it settle; she turned around and looked to see Andy Hargrove, her step-dad sitting on the edge of the desk. Angela turned entirely away from the window and faced him.
"Is that the good scotch?" Andy asked.
Angela shocked her head, "No, nothing to celebrate," she said.
"Why not? You're playing for a new team; they're building a team around you. You're a great mom, raising a great daughter, who has a great life," Andy said.
"Just a lot on my mind," Angela said.
"Would that mainly be Dashiell?" Andy asked.
Angela stood there silent.
"So, I would take that as a yes," Andy said.
Angela nodded and took a sip of her scotch.
"What about Mister Dashiell?" Andy asked.
Angela sighed and took another sip of her scotch.
"From our silence, I take it you don't like to talk about it," Andy said and nodded.
"It was a difficult time, for me, for Jess, for Dash, and things happened," Angela said.
"Why would he show up on my doorstep?" Andy asked.
Angela sighed, "I think he wants more than I can give," she said.
Andy took a deep breath, "What happened?" he asked.
"Nothing I'm too proud of," Angela said.
"Angela?" Andy asked.
Angela took a deep drink of her scotch, finishing it off. She walked across the room to the bar and refilled her tumbler.
"Angela-Baby, what are you hiding from me?" Andy asked.
"I'm not a little girl anymore, Andy; you can't protect me from my actions," Angela said.
"I know, not that I don't still try, but I can be empathetic," Andy said.
"You're not going to like it," Angela said.
"I love you, Angela, and that will never change, even if I don't like what you've done," Andy said.
Angela sighed and sipped her scotch. "It was right after we buried Church. I was staying in our place in Virginia Beach, the trade just happened to send me to New York, and my world was a mess. One night Spencer took Jess out, and I sat on the deck getting drunk and watching the waves. Dash came over, and we started drinking and telling stories about us, life, and Church. One thing led to another, and I ended up sleeping with Dash," she said.
"Angela, he's a married man," Andy said.
Angela nodded and sipped her scotch. "I know, and well, I don't know what happened. It had no impact on Dash's marriage. We didn't get caught when Spencer came back with Jess," she said.
"Was that the only time it happened?" Andy asked.
"Sadly, no, it happened a total of three times," Angela said.
"Angela," Andy said.
"I'm not proud of it. It was stupid, and I won't use the excuse I was drinking, even though I was. I was hurting, numb, and just wanted to feel something, anything," Angela said.
"Does he want to re-kindle your fling?" Andy asked.
"I don't know, but I get the feeling he does," Angela said.
"What makes you say that?" Andy asked.
"How Dash acted with Jess when we were at the sub-force museum," Angela said.
"How did he act?" Andy asked.
"Paternal, Jess had a moment, and she did her normal thing," Angela said.
"Where she goes off is quiet, and when she's settled, she comes back?" Andy asked.
"Yes," Angela said.
"How did Dashiell react?" Andy asked.
"He wanted to run over and comfort her," Angela said.
"Why?" Andy asked.
"Dash only had boys, and I think he always wanted a daughter. Jess would fill that role, need, whatever you want to call it," Angela said.
"Maybe he thinks she needs a male role model and wants to fill that role," Andy said.
"That's my own damn fault because I was hurting and selfish," Angela said.
"So, what are you planning to do about it?" Andy asked.
"He's only here temporarily, and with the off-season stuff starting, I could avoid him," Angela said.
"That's not the way to handle it, Angela. That's not how we raised you," Andy said.
"It will be tough to talk to him," Angela said.
"It's the right thing to do," Andy said.
Angela sighed and took a sip of her scotch. "I can't do it; I don't want to, I don't want to relive that time," she said.
"The pain of the loss of Church, or the pain of the memory of the fling?" Andy asked.
"Yes," Angela said and took another sip of her scotch.
Andy nodded, stood up, and walked over to the bar. He poured himself a scotch and turned to face Angela.
"The toughest things you have to do usually are the only things worth doing, Angela," Andy said and took a sip of his drink.
Angela nodded and sipped hers.
