Chapter 11 - Nathan Apologized for Using Emma as His Argument
Nathan spoke to Emma about Cedar Ridge in language she could understand.
“I sometimes told Victoria we couldn’t do things because of you.”
Emma looked worried.
“Was it my fault?”
“No.”
Then Nathan corrected.
“Some things really were about what you needed. Other times I also didn’t want them, and I let Victoria think you were the only reason.”
“Why?”
“Because it was easier than saying I disagreed.”
Emma thought.
“That’s dumb.”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did that make her hate me?”
Nathan hated the question.
“I think it contributed to her resentment.”
He did not make causality too neat.
Then:
“But adults are responsible for what they do with resentment.”
Emma nodded.
Later Nathan raised the same issue with Victoria during mediation.
“I put Emma between us.”
Victoria answered:
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
She looked surprised.
Then angry.
“You think apologizing for that means you understand what I gave up?”
“No.”
He continued.
“I think it means I’m responsible for my part.”
Victoria looked away.
Then:
“I gave up my company.”
“You chose to sell it.”
“Because you asked me to build something here.”
“I did.”
“And then every time I built, you said Emma needed something.”
Nathan accepted:
that.
Then:
“I should have told you sooner that I didn’t want Cedar Ridge in the form you wanted.”
“Yes.”
“I should not have let Emma carry that disagreement.”
“Yes.”
Then Nathan said:
“You should have left me.”
Victoria stared.
“If the marriage was making you hate my daughter, you should have left me before you punished her for staying.”
That was the line.
Victoria began crying.
Because she knew:
he was right.
Leaving a marriage would have hurt.
May you like
Throwing Emma out had injured someone who was never responsible for maintaining it.
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