by Mia Ford
I park my motorbike up in the driveway, like I’ve done a million times before, and I walk towards the front door. As I go, it hits me how huge this place it. That’s something that I’ve always known, but since I’ve been in my no fuss, easy to run because it’s so small, apartment, I’m reminded just how massive it is. Huge and cold, a pointless size for just two people. This is just my father, wanting to show off his wealth as usual.
My trembling fist reaches up and I go to knock on the door, but before I do, I remember that I used to live here and walking in and out was second nature to me. That time might be long gone, but it’s still a part of me. I shouldn’t have to knock to go inside. Instead, I twist the knob and I just walk in. I know that my father always has a million and one security features activated, but when he isn’t home and it’s just Mom she doesn’t bother.
Today, it’s only her that I want to talk to. I may move on to him at some point but this will take baby steps. I’ve text her and arranged to come and see her when she’s home alone so we can actually talk properly.
“Hello?” I call out, listening to my voice echo. “Mom, are you here?”
For one horrible second, I wonder if Dad has found out about us meeting and he’s done something to put a stop to it. Since he hasn’t done a damn thing to reach out to me since I left all that time ago, I have to assume that he’s still too furious because I’ve defied him and embarrassed him all at once. He must know about my bike shop, people have been talking about it, but clearly, he doesn’t care. My life means nothing to him.
I don’t even want to know how he would react to me being here without his explicit permission. It wouldn’t be a pretty sight. He’d probably be a real dick and call the cops on me for trespassing or something.
“Zane?” Mom calls back, sounding far too relaxed for Dad to be here, thank God. “I’m in the living room.”
As I walk into the room, I find her perched on the edge of the couch as if she’s feeling really uneasy. She twists her neck to look at me, and I’m struck by how wet her eyes are. Me and Dad have been so busy pushing one another around and trying to be the alpha male that we haven’t thought about what it’s doing to Mom. I made the internal decision that she’s weak and I stubbornly stuck to it for no reason at all.
“Hi, Mom.” I try to swallow back my guilt. “Thank you for seeing me today.”
“Oh, Zane, you don’t need to be so formal. You’re my son. You know that I’ll see you whenever I can.”
I nod slowly, letting this wash over me while I take a seat. It’s time to really man up and admit that I’ve been at fault. “I’m sorry, Mom. I know that I’ve acted like a dick. I just wanted to do what I want with my life. I guess I got so caught up in the argument with Dad that I forgot to talk to you about it all.”
A little weight lifts off my chest, one that I didn’t even know that I was carrying. It’s as if there have been rocks piled up around my heart, and by being a little bit humble, they are starting to crack.
“Zane, I know that you never wanted to do the medical course, and I tried to tell your father as much. But you know how stubborn he can be, you’re very much like him actually.” Usually, a statement like that would cause me to fly off the handle, but today I’m listening to it in a mature way. I know that really, she’s right. “He has always wanted what’s best for you and it scares him to see you throwing your life away…”
“But I’m not, Mom,” I interject to defend myself. “I’m doing quite well for myself.”
“Trust me.” A small smile creeps up onto her lips. “I know, I’ve heard. And I can see that this is what you want. I know that you’re doing what you want to do and I’m sure it’s making you happy. Your father… he just sees success as money. That’s always been his way, and that’s because he came from nothing.”
“He did?” This is something that I haven’t heard before. To be honest, I’ve never really thought about it.
“Oh yes. One of his siblings actually died because his family didn’t have health insurance and they couldn’t afford medical treatment. His older brother, Edward. He always tells me that was the day that he decided to make a better life for himself. His family too, he always sends them money to keep them afloat.”
I’m blown away. I can start to see both of my parents in a different light. Dad has always carried this burden on his shoulders and that’s why he’s pushed me so hard. That’s probably why he persuaded me into the medical field myself. And Mom isn’t weak. She has enough inner strength to take all of this information on, and to deal with two very stubborn men. Maybe I should’ve asked before ploughing forward with my own assumptions.
“Oh, wow, I didn’t know that,” I confess, shock obvious in my voice. “That’s… well, I don’t know what to say. I’m sorry, I always just got so wrapped up in what I wanted to do, I didn’t think about it.”
Mom leans forwards and she takes my hands in hers. “Your dad might not show it, but he is proud of you. He talks to me about what you’ve done all the time, and he’s really impressed.”
“He is?” I can’t help asking, this is all so overwhelming. “Are you serious?”
Mom purses her lips thoughtfully. “You know, your father has a trust fund for you and he’s just waiting for the right moment to give you access to it. He just said to me last week after he came to see your store…”
“What?” I interrupt with shock. “I didn’t see him.”
Mom looks amused by this. “No, I think not. I’m sure that he hid from you because he’s stubborn, remember? He will have justified it to himself, saying that you don’t want to see him either. Anyway, he did come to see it, and he said that it looks really good. He told me that when you come home and want to make up, you can have it. He wants to give you the best start in life and now he knows that he can make sure that happens.”
“Trust fund?” I’ve honestly never cared for money, this is all so strange. “Are you serious?”
“Yes, I am. And if you spend it right, it’ll set you up for life, with your business and with your home.” She pauses for dramatic effect. “Because there’s just over one million dollars in it.”
One million dollars… woah. That status almost blows me away completely. It’s a life changing sum that could actually change everything for me. I could grow my business so much faster, I could become something real, but there’s no way I could accept it without seeing my father first. I suppose I need to make it right.
“Wow, that’s… I don’t know what to say, Mom. That’s too much. It’s crazy.”
“Your father doesn’t want you to struggle. He wants you to be happy and comfortable. He just doesn’t want you to waste it that’s all. That’s the only reason it’s taken so long.”
I nod slowly, allowing my body to process that. Much as it’s been great to work things alone and to be self-sufficient, I would have to be an idiot to turn down all that money.
“So, son, are you going to take me to see your store anytime soon?” Mom asks me with a smile. “I’ve missed you a lot. How have things been since you got back? Have you reconnected with Brandon?”
Urgh, Brandon… the one person that I really don’t want to talk about. Then I suppose I have to, because I want at least one person to know and accept me and Leah for the loving couple that we are.
“Sort of,” I sigh. “I mean, we did for a while but then I did something to screw it up.”
“Oh yeah?” Mom cocks her head and gives me a curious look. “What did you do?”
I hang my head low, knowing just how this is going to sound. I’ve said the words over and over in my head and I know they aren’t good. When it’s just me and Leah it’s easy to forget about the judgements, but when I plan to say it aloud and I hear it, it isn’t good. I don’t want Mom to look down on me.
“I’ve been dating his sister,” I say quietly. “And he thinks that it’s just a fling.”
“Leah?” Mom clutches her hand to her chest in shock. Her face pales a little
as she looks at me. “You and Leah? But I thought she was with that other boy. The one from… erm, oh, I can’t remember now.”
Okay, maybe Patrick is the one person I really don’t want to talk about ever again. I never even met the guy and he’s a thorn in my side. Maybe it’s because Leah gave a little bit of herself over to him and I want to be the only one that ever gets to see what’s going on underneath her surface.
“No, she isn’t, Mom. She hasn’t been for a while now. Me and her have been together for a while. We’re…” I pause before I say this, I know how huge it is. I hope it makes Mom see that much as it’s caused a lot of trouble, what me and Leah share is worth it. “I love her, Mom. We’re in love. It’s the best relationship that I’ve ever had.”
Mom looks at me with wide eyed shock for a few moments before her face turns into a smile. “Well, you know what they say, don’t you? Love conquers all. You and Leah will find a way to make it work.”
She stands up to hug me and I fall gratefully into her embrace. It was the best decision for me to come here today. At least now I have someone on my side. I feel much better now.
“Okay, so why don’t you stay here for dinner?” Mom asks me, giving me a very hopeful look that I simply can’t resist. “Wait until your father comes home? Maybe then we can all have a talk and sort things out.”
This is something that would’ve been my worst nightmare not so long ago, but today it doesn’t feel like that at all. Seeing my father isn’t as scary as I feared it would be, I’m ready to face him. Maybe by walking away from my family I was still acting childish, but now I’m being an adult. Now, I’m facing everything head on and that’s exactly what I’m supposed to do.
“That would be awesome, thank you, Mom. I would love to stay for dinner.”
Chapter Thirty One – Leah
This doesn’t feel good, I think to myself as I sit in the café that I’ve chosen for the neutral location for us to have this dreaded meeting. It feels wrong, I hate lying to everyone… again. I just hope that it works.
The strain in the air surrounding me and Zane with regards to Brandon has been weighing thick for days, and I know that Zane thinks we should just leave things to cool down a bit, but I can’t do that. I need to get it going. I’m going to have to try and force the issue to make it better. Fortunately for me, I’m not alone in this.
“Are you okay?” Jenny asks while squeezing my hand. “This is the right thing to do, you know that, right? Brandon has been in absolutely bits. Ever since the fight, he’s all closed off and tense. He won’t talk about it, but you know what he’s like. He doesn’t like to share his negative feelings at the best of times, so…”
“Oh, God, I can’t take it.” Even my voice is shaking. “I can’t stand it. Why aren’t they here yet?”
“Well, I told Brandon to meet me here at half past and it isn’t quite that yet…”
The funny thing is, much as me and Jenny had a good relationship before, this has brought us closer. We’ve talked a lot in secret about what’s happened and it’s really built our bond. She hasn’t judged me for even a second for falling for Zane. We haven’t had an in depth conversation about it, but I think that she understands.
“Yeah, well I said quarter past to Zane because he’s usually late, so hopefully they’ll turn up soon…”
The door swings open and both me and Jenny suck in a deep and panicked breath. In theory, this was the best idea in the world, but putting it into practice is something else. Now, I’m really freaked out.
“What’s going on here?” Brandon demands, his eyes narrowing when he sees me. He runs his fingers through his hair looking increasingly stressed out by the second. “Jenny, why is Leah here? She chose him, remember?”
Jenny rolls her eyes and snorts at him. “Brandon, do you hear yourself? Leah is your sister. You need to talk.”
He pauses in the same standing position for a couple of seconds, flicking his eyes between us both. Once he makes the decision that he can handle this much – which is a shame because there’s still a lot more to come – he scrapes the chair back and he falls back into the chair glaring at us both. His arms fold defiantly over him.
“Brandon.” I lean forwards, needing to talk. “I’m sorry that you think I’ve disappointed you. I understand why you’re angry at me, but if you’ll just take some time to listen to me…”
“How can I listen to you?” he hisses, trying to keep his anger down because we’re in public. “You’re acting like an idiot. I don’t think you even see it. How can you spend any time with Zane, knowing what he’s like?”
“Brandon, he isn’t what you think he is.” Am I whining? Shit. “We’re in love, this is different.”
“Love? You aren’t in love. Zane Morris doesn’t know how to be in love. When will you see that?”
I feel a tight ball of frustration in my chest. He’s being so stubborn just because he doesn’t want to understand. He won’t even open his ears for a second to listen to me. I squeeze my fists by my side, trying to contain myself.
“Brandon, maybe you should just take some time to listen to Leah,” Jenny jumps in. “I’ve heard your side of the story over this, and I get it. I do know why you’re angry and hurt, you feel betrayed, you feel like you’ve been stabbed in the side. I know it. But, you haven’t listened to Leah and heard what she has to say.”
Brandon looks at his girlfriend, at first glaring at her, but soon his expression starts to relax. I think that he might actually be about to listen to Jenny, but then I suppose the reality of me and Zane hits him again and he shuts down. “Leah, how could you walk out of our house? How could you pick him? What the fuck?”
“Me and Zane have had something for a long time.” I need him to try and understand. “We liked each other even before he left five years ago, this isn’t something that we’re just running head first into.”
“Oh, you are fucking kidding me.” Brandon smacks his hands down on the table, forgetting that we’re in public now. His anger has truly gotten the better of him. “You were fucking even when we were younger? Because I have some real news for you. You were one of many, and I mean many whom Zane Morris fucked around the whole school. You were definitely not special to him then. If you thought that you were, then you’re stupid.”
I slide my eyes closed, hating the way that feels. I know that he was a player back then, I know I might not have been special, but I am now. I’m confident in his love for me this time around.
“I’m not stupid. I know what I’m doing, and I don’t appreciate you talking to me like that. You need to start respecting me. I’m very appreciative that you’ve always looked out for me and taken care of me, but now it’s time for me to look after myself. I know what I’m doing, you just need to trust me.”
Brandon shakes his head, still refusing to pay any attention to me. “Your decisions have all been shit recently, I don’t know what you’re doing. You’re throwing your whole life away.”
“I’m making my life better, that’s what I’m doing, maybe one day you’ll see that.”
Just at that moment, when I’m really about to get into the middle of my rant, the doors swing open and Zane comes through it, completely unsuspecting of what he’s about to face. I feel bad because all I’ve done is rile Brandon up and piss him off. That wasn’t part of the plan at all. Shit, how can I make this right?
“What the fuck is going on here?” Zane snaps, his walls already high. “Why are you all fighting?”
“Because of you!” Brandon yells. “Because you cannot keep your fucking hands to yourself, that’s why. Because you have to defile my sister, and now I learn that’s been going on for years. Even in high school.”
Zane’s face falls, this knocks him back a bit, I can see it in his face. I didn’t mean for any of this to come out, especially not like this. I was just trying to defend what me and Zane have now.
“Brandon, it really isn’t like that,” I try one last time, but now male pride has go
tten in the way and there isn’t any chance of anyone listening to me. Brandon is squaring up to Zane and I have the horrible feeling that things are going to go south again. Maybe I should have waited, perhaps this is too soon.
“You are a scum bag with no respect for our friendship,” Brandon yells. “The more I think about it, the more wound up I get. You used to be at our house all the time, I used to feed you, I gave you a place to avoid your father, I did everything with you. The only one thing I asked you not to do was go anywhere near Leah.”
“Does that not show you how serious I am about her? We wouldn’t be here if not. I wouldn’t do anything to throw away what we had. You’ve been my best friend for as long as I can remember.”
“Huh. Well you sure as shit have a funny way of showing it. You don’t care about me at all.”
“I stood back and let you say all those terrible things about me the other day, without fighting back…”
“Terrible but true.” Brandon sneers nastily. “I suppose the truth must hurt.”
“Truth? You don’t even know the truth anymore. You don’t care to get to know me.”
“People like you never change. It doesn’t matter at all. You’ll be a prick for the rest of your life.”
“You’re being ignorant and you’re making everyone unhappy around you. Don’t you get that?”
“You are the asshole who came back here and wrecked everything. We were better when you were gone.”
“For you, maybe. But you don’t even want to know about your sister. You’re so busy trying to control her…”
“Control? Just because I dint want her anywhere near you? That’s the most ridiculous thing that I’ve heard.”
“You do control her. Even when you were kids. You were always way too involved in her life.”
“Oh, I’m sorry. I suppose I got in the way of you fucking her then as well. What a real shame.”
“It wasn’t like that, it was never like that. It’s always been different with Leah.”
