Something In The Water Volume 2

~12~

It was the night that Prince had been dreading. The annual family dinner. Usually he would be all giddy and excited but he was sitting in his office behind his cherry wood desk sulking in his chair with his eyes up at the ceiling. Prince was deep in his thoughts on how this dinner could go. Either way it went he knew that it wasn't going to be a good night. Tori was the black sheep and there was no changing that. Even he was questioning why he married her and if he should even continue with the relationship. On the other hand he didn't want to believe that every time he'd turn around someone was disagreeing with him when it came to his wife. It was true he loved her but with all the doubt that was swirling around in his brain he couldn't bring himself to believe that she loved him back. All of the evidence was there. The audio of her disrespecting his children, Regan leaving Paisley and not answering or returning his calls, The simple fact that while on their honey moon she was hiding something and he could see it plainly in her eyes. Prince sat up and placed his hands over his sad face letting a deep breath release from his nose.

  "What do I do now? God i'm so lost. Tell me what to do." He prayed to himself in hopes to get a small slice of divine intervention in his love life.

He closed his eyes and wondered where this road of darkness was leading him and if he would ever see the light he's looking for. The gentle knock on the door snapped his eyes back open and forced a small shift in his chair out of his body to make himself look as if he was perfectly fine.

  "Yes? Come in!" He said with a slight raise of his voice.

The door came open and belly first in stepped a pregnant Carlyn. A smile rose on Prince's lips to see how stunning his little girl looked as she was carrying his first grandchild.

  "Well hello there! Don't we look gorgeous! What's the occasion?" Prince asked her jokingly.

  "Hey daddy! Whatcha doing?" She asked him giving him a hug.

Prince knew that if he even looked like something was bothering him Carlyn would pick up on it.

  "Just....trying to get myself mentally prepared for this dinner that's all." He sighed.

Carlyn placed her hands on her soon to be disappearing waistline and gave him his classic side eye and it made him do it back to her unknowingly.

  "Daddy. Don't do that I know when you're upset about something. So spill the beans."

  "Nothing else is wrong sweetheart I swear it."

  "Lie again dad."

  "It's not a lie Carlyn."

  "Don't make me call Tony."

It made him laugh that Carlyn would call his own security on the man who runs the place.

  "You can't be serious!" He exclaimed as he gave himself a hard palm to the forehead.

  "Yes dad I am! Now come on! Tell me what's going on before I go into labor or something." Carlyn said with a smile.

  "Alright alright. Sit down baby girl lets talk. Since you wanna be my therapist." Prince said giggling at her.

Carlyn sat down on the other side of the desk in one of the purple chairs and crossed her arms over her chest.

  "Now. What's troubling my dear old man?" She asked him with a smile.

Prince sat back in his chair and sighed heavily.

  "I think.......I think that Regan won't show up tonight."

  "But.....why wouldn't she? She's been coming to the dinner every year why would you think that she's not coming?"