Friends with Benefits

by Amy Brent

  “It’s hurtful. Please go upstairs and get your things. Our hospitality ends here.”

  Aiden stepped forward, glaring across the table at my father. “Are you her father?” I released a breath unsure that Aiden still believed me. I knew Millie hadn’t lied.

  “It’s not possible. I’m sorry if you’re mistaken, Ella. Your mother meant a great deal to us, but I’m afraid that you’re wrong about me.” His words were final. He would never claim me as his own flesh and blood.

  “See what happens when you try to do a nice thing for people. I’m only sorry you were fooled too, Aiden. I know your mother told me she’d talk to you about all of this.”

  Aiden shook his head, and he was as confused as I was.

  I wanted to bring up the house and why Nola had lied about the bank foreclosure, but it seemed she’d already won that battle too. All she had to do was deny any of it, and everyone would believe her over me. Of all the days for Millie to be gone. But I wouldn’t throw her under the bus. I cared too much for her and only hoped that in the end, she’d make it right.

  I hurried out of the room and up the stairs determined to leave Aiden behind as he followed. But as we got to the top of the stairs I spun around and pushed against his chest.

  “Get out!” The words were so painful to say, but I meant them. At that moment, I meant them with all my heart and every ounce of truth in me.

  “Ella? You can’t mean that. I’m on your side.” If only that were true. He hadn’t had any faith in me, or he wouldn’t have had to tell his mom about mine.

  “You told your mother! All of this is your fault.”

  “I’m sorry. I only said something because she was so hard pressed to believe you were the twin’s maid. I wanted her to know who you were.”

  “No, you wanted her to know who my parents were, hoping that she’d like me because she’s too shallow to like a fucking maid who came from regular people. That’s your problem, not mine. And as for the house. I don’t want it! I don’t want anything from you!”

  He was growing angry now, but I didn’t care. I was angry too. He pulled his lips in tight and put his hands in his pockets as he watched me go around my room and gather my things.

  Finally, he found his words. “That’s a done deal, Ella. The house is yours.”

  “I don’t want it. Why can’t you take a hint?” I pushed past him and went to the bathroom to get my makeup and toiletries. I’d have to send a car back for the rest, assuming they let me in. I’d need Millie for that. I only hoped that she wouldn’t deny me too.

  Anger and tears came over me as I pictured my father, those damned blue eyes staring straight at Nola and then me and the words which seemed too unreal, too painful as he denied me.

  I slumped against the sink and wept. I wept for my mother and for me. It had been nice knowing I had a family, even if it were a secret one. Even though I loathed working for those hateful twins, just knowing that they were my sisters, made it a tiny bit bearable, as if I had a special secret. Now they knew the truth, even if they never believed it, and the truth was suffocating me.

  Aiden was gone when I came out of the bathroom, and I pulled my bags up over my shoulder and took out my phone. I called a cab and went to stand outside and wait. On my way out, I passed Nola and Scott who were holding hands in the foyer, and he gave me an apologetic look. Nola kept her eyes distant as she looked over my head as if she were too ashamed to look at me.

  “I’ll make sure you get your last day’s pay, but Ella, don’t ever come back here.” Nola’s words were final as she held the door open for me. I gave her a curt nod and walked out without giving my father a second glance.

  And just when it felt as if I had everything, I was back to nothing.

  Chapter 28

  Aiden

  I hated leaving her there but had a little peace of mind knowing that Millie had returned home as soon as I was getting in my car. I left her there to deal with things as I gave her the space she needed to do it. I had bigger fish to fry.

  I drove home knowing that I was going to confront my mother and things were going to get ugly when I did. She had it coming, though I couldn’t help being angry at myself because I'd told her.

  I’d only wanted her to like Ella, but Ella had been right. I should have let her like Ella for all the reasons I did. I’d talked the big talk about not caring about a woman’s social standing, and how I wanted someone with talent and a brain in her head. Ella had been all of that and more, and I’d still found it necessary to defend her and point out that she had famous parents in the process. No wonder it had hurt her. I’d made her feel as if she weren’t good enough, but I’d do everything I could to make sure that she knew she was all I wanted and needed from there on out. No matter what, I’d make things right.

  I pulled up to the main house not wanting to waste time walking from my usual parking place in the back garage near my guest house, and I even took the front steps three at a time to cut down on time. I found my mother in the office, which was even more convenient since that’s where I was headed. I wanted to see a copy of the original deed for myself and having the chance to speak to my mother was on my agenda as well.

  “Aiden darling, I was wondering when you’d be home. You were out all night again, I was worried.”

  “You told Nola Blue about Ella. I’ve just come from there, and things got pretty ugly.”

  “I’m so sorry you had to witness that. She’s lied to everyone it seems. Nola assured me that she knew Ella’s father. It seems that Layla had a fling with some roadie from Scott Blue’s band and the guy was some kind of alcoholic. She and Scott have been taking care of Ella since and Ella likes to play this little game of pretend to make herself feel better.” Mother actually believed that shit. She’d believe anything anyone with a bank account told her.

  “It’s not a game of pretend, Patricia. It’s the truth, and Ella had to endure Scott Blue’s rejection. I’m not letting them get away with it. I don’t care what it costs them, she’s suffered enough, and it’s time they come clean about a lot of things.”

  “Well, she assured me that it was the truth. She was even glad that you were buying the house, even though I’d told her your intentions.”

  “You what?” I stopped and looked at my mother not knowing if I had heard her right. “You told her I was the buyer? She told you what you wanted to hear.” I shook my head and continued going through the files until I came across the one for Ella’s house.

  “I didn’t think you were that serious about her.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing.

  “I was serious enough to buy a fucking house.”

  “I still don’t think it will last. You’re buying her a house, and she’s going to take that and run.”

  “Well, you’re wrong. I’m in love with her! When she found out what you did, she threw the house back in my face and broke it off. She said she doesn’t want anything from me. I’m only hoping I can make things right, and you better hope that I can.”

  Her mouth had gone slack and her eyes ringed with tears. I hadn’t seen mother so upset, but I didn’t care. I hurried out of the house with my papers in hand and left tread on the drive as I headed back to the Blue mansion, hoping Millie was able to stop her.

  When I arrived, I knocked on the door, and Millie opened it. “Did you get the proof?”

  “I think so.” I had glanced at the papers enough to see that my mother hadn’t been honest with me either. I passed the file off to Millie, and she hurried me into the front room just past the foyer.

  Ella was in tears as Scott and Nola had it out. “She was my best friend, and you betrayed me.” Nola was going to make it all about Scott’s betrayal, and Scott was still in defense mode.

  “I knew you’d clean me out and I knew Ella was in better hands with her mother. We were going to be together when I got clean, and then you ended up pregnant. Layla told me to stay.”

  “Oh, and that makes it better?” Nola swung her arms ar
ound dramatically.

  “Well, I wish I hadn’t listened,” he said as I stepped up beside him with Millie as she presented him with the papers. “What’s this?”

  “It’s the original deed to Layla’s house. You were the original buyer.”

  “Yes, so what? I wanted my daughter to have a place to live. I didn’t know that Layla would get herself in so much debt though, not enough to lose it. If I had known she’d borrowed against it.” He stopped talking and stared off into space as if the thought of it was all too much. But he’d said enough. He’d been told the same lie.

  “Nola took the house, not the bank. She had Ella sign some papers under distress knowing that if she didn’t get her to sign it over, Ella would inherit it.”

  “Nola?” Scott looked at her to deny it, but instead, she lifted her chin.

  “Layla had the audacity to ask me to take care of Ella, to admit that she was yours. Her deathbed confession she called it. She slipped into her coma right after, and since I couldn’t get back at her, I decided that little Miss Ella could pay. I gave your mother the best years of my life being her friend and the whole time, the whole fucking time, she was in love with my husband, and you were their dirty little lie. She’d told me that he was afraid I’d clean him out. Do you know how much it hurts to find out the only reason someone sticks around is because they don’t want to lose their precious fortune? So yeah, I took your fucking house.”

  “Wrong. The house was always hers. Your papers didn’t hold up, so the house had always been Ella’s. Instead, you stole from me. You stole the money that I bought the house with, and I have a feeling if I dig a little deeper, I’ll find what you did with Ella’s inheritance.”

  “It doesn’t matter, I’m going to clean out Scotty Blue here, and he can pay for it.” Nola curled her lip and gave a menacing grin.

  “No, you’re not,” said Halle. “We’re not going to let you.” Sadie stepped up beside her mother. In a gesture of solidarity they walked across the room and stood next to their father.

  “How could you take his side after all I’ve done for you?”

  “Don’t worry, mother, you’ll continue to do it,” said Sadie. “It’s part of your job, remember? And you’ll also remember who pays your salary.”

  “Your father is the one who lied, and this is the treatment I get?” Nola folded her arms in front of her.

  “You could have confronted him at any time, but instead you lied.”

  “Those lies provided well for you.”

  Halle shook her head and curled her lip. “Like the sex tape lies you spread about me? What else have you orchestrated for ratings at our expense? I suggest if you want to remain our manager, you let Sadie and me start making our decisions.”

  I couldn’t believe the twins had actually stepped up against their mother, but something told me they’d simply been waiting for the perfect opportunity.

  “I’m sorry, Ella.” Scott Blue crossed the room and sat next to his daughter who was sitting with tears streaming down her face.

  “Well, I guess if that’s it, I’ll be going to my room.” Nola held her chin up high and turned to head up the stairs, but Millie stepped in her way.

  “I’d like for you to pack your things. You’re no longer welcome in my house.” The woman must have had the authority to declare that because Nola didn’t fight her on it. Instead, she cocked her brow upward and tucked her chin as she took the first few steps.

  “No, Mama Blue,” said Scott. “I’d like for her to stay.” Nola’s eyes softened as she turned to Scott and for a moment I thought he was about to declare his love and desire to mend things. “I think it won’t hurt anything for her to take Ella’s place in the guest room for a while. After all, she’ll want to be close to the girls and her job.”

  Nola’s lip curled, but she didn’t protest. She went up the stairs, and the twins hooked their arms with their father’s and led him out onto the patio.

  Millie went upstairs soon after leaving Ella and me alone.

  After a few minutes of silence and her staring at the floor, I decided to make my exit. “Well, it turns out the house was yours all along. So, enjoy it, Ella.”

  I hoped she’d stop me, but as I walked out the door, she let me go.

  Chapter 29

  Ella

  I spent the next week moving back home. I’d stored most of my things in a storage unit not far from the place, so I hired a moving company to get the heavy things and spent the time alone without much help, aside from Millie.

  “Where do you want these?” Millie held up a box that had mason jars full of sea glass I’d found through the years, and I smiled thinking about my mother. She’d had me collect the pieces in hopes that one day she’d do something with it.

  “On the table is fine. I think I’ll take that out to the workshop later. Mom always wanted to make a special piece with it, but you know, I think I might have just found my inspiration for a new collection.” There was enough glass there to do some repurposed art pieces that would hopefully launch my name into the stratosphere.

  “You should. Now that you have your mother’s contacts, you’re on your way, kid.” Nola had tried to keep me from anyone that could have helped me in the industry, and like a fool, I’d believed every lie she fed me.

  “I still can’t believe the lengths she went to. All because of something my mother did. I mean, I’ve known Nola my entire life, and she was like an aunt to me in many ways.” I shook my head, still not understanding the level of hate, but then again, my mother had betrayed her.

  “Have you talked to him?” Millie treaded lightly around the subject over the past weeks. She knew that I needed some time to think.

  “No.”

  “Have you decided what you’re going to do?”

  “I’m going to call him over I think, let him see the place, ask if we can talk about us.”

  “He loves you, Ella.”

  “I think he does. I’m just not sure I’ll ever be enough for him or his mother, at least not for the right reasons.” The headlines on all the tabloids were already screaming about Scott Blue’s love child, and I knew that Nola had probably leaked the shocker herself for a profit.

  The twins standing by their father had been the shock of my life, but I wasn’t stupid enough to think that their kindness extended to me. We might be sisters, and I didn’t have to work for them, but they’d never see me as their equal and I wasn’t planning on being a part of any family portraits any time soon.

  Having Millie around, though, it made me feel like I had a family again.

  “That’s all for me for the day, kid. I’m far too old for all of this manual labor.” I followed as she went to the kitchen to get her handbag and phone from the countertop. “Call him.” I had a feeling her sudden urge to leave was Aiden related. She’d been pressing the issue, telling me how he’s the one who begged her to stop me from leaving until he returned.

  He had helped me and saved my life in many ways, and even though I missed him like crazy, he hadn’t called. I’d gotten one message that simply said: When you’re ready. I wasn’t sure he was still waiting. It had been long enough for him to move on or find someone new with less drama and scandal. I doubted his mother had been too happy to see that his name had been mentioned in the tabloids as my lover.

  I walked to the dining room table and found my phone next to the box of mason jars. I dialed Aiden and picked one up that was full of amber glass and rolled it on the table listening to the sound as the phone rang. Something about it was soothing, and I took a deep breath as I heard his voice. “Ella?”

  “Aiden.” I closed my eyes and savored the word on my lips.

  “I’ve missed you, Ella. Can I see you?”

  “Yes, I’m at my house if you want to come over. I’m still unpacking.”

  “I’d love to help.” I heard his keys rattle on the other end of the phone and then a moment later his door closing.

  “You don’t have to help.” He cra
nked up his car, and I shook my head wondering if he was going to insist.

  “I want to help. If you want me around.” The words broke my heart, and I hated that he thought I didn’t want him around. I had missed him so much it hurt.

  “You know I do, don’t you? I’ve only needed a little space to realize how much.”

  “I hope you mean it because I’m pulling into your drive.” He’d been at his beach house down the road, and I hurried to meet him out front with a smile as he pulled in and parked. He opened his car door, and I was there to greet him.

  “You were down the street.” I put my hands on my hips, and he got to his feet.

  “At the risk of sounding like a total loser, I’ve been there the whole time. I wanted to be as close as possible.”

  “You’re not a loser. I’ve missed you too.” He pulled me in and instead of a long hot kiss, he cradled my head against his chest.

  “I’ve missed you so much.” He released a long breath and let me loose.

  “Come inside. I want you to see my progress. It’s all coming together again.” I led him by the hand into the front room where he put his hands on my hips and stayed close behind as I walked him through to the kitchen.

  “It’s beautiful. I’m so happy it’s all working out for you, Ella. You deserve it.”

  “I’m not sure everything is working. I mean, there is that tabloid mess. I wanted to apologize about what they said.”