by Coco Cadence
He makes a face. “What? No, why would you say that?”
I grind my teeth. “Don’t pretend you don’t know.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
He’s still ignoring it, which is really starting to tick me off. “You know what? Forget it. I didn’t come here to argue with you.” I jerk loose from his grip, grab another stack of papers from my bag, and throw them on the table. “I’m here for your PR. Nothing more. Read them. Sign them. We’ll talk again later.”
Right as I’m about to turn around, he grabs my arm again. “Hey, wait. We’re not done yet.”
“Yes, we are,” I say with a stern look that makes his smile disappear.
Great, now we’re fighting again.
“I can’t keep doing this with you, Chris.”
“Do what?”
“Pretending that you and I are anything more than … family.” I swallow at that last word. I hate it. I freaking hate it. But I can’t say that to them, ever. It’s so wrong, but I never wanted him, out of all people, to become my stepbrother.
And he knows exactly why.
“I’m not pretending to be anything. I remember needing help with my math, and you helping me out during the weekends. And I remember things turning into a whole different thing at your place.”
“Chris …” I sigh. “I can’t do this.” It’s not real, and even if it was, it’s not allowed. We’re ‘family’ now. “I’ll see you later, okay?”
He has a concerned look on his face when I turn my back to him, but I can’t falter and let him piss me off like that again. I have to keep my cool if I want to work alongside him, so I can keep my job. And my sanity.
“I remember wanting you. It wasn’t a lie. I’m not a liar. What happened was real and it was all me. And if I could do it all over again, I would.”
Swallowing, I glance over my shoulder as I open the door. “I remember differently,” I mumble.
What he says next cracks my heart a little more. “You remember wrong.”
Chapter 6
Chris
A few days later
“No, for the last time, I’m not fucking interested, okay?” I say, as my brother forcibly drags me across the street.
“I don’t care what you say. We’re doing this.”
“Why? Why do you fucking care so much?” I growl.
He turns his head toward me. “Because she’s our mom and she won’t be here forever, so I suggest you enjoy what time you still have with her.”
“She makes it impossible to enjoy anything. Everything near her shrivels up and dies a quick death.”
Leo laughs as we walk into the café. “You make her sound so charming.”
“You know as well as I do how annoying she can get.”
“Yes,” he says, frowning. “But she’s also still our mother. And if she’s annoying, then so are you.” He taps on my chest.
“You think?” I laugh, trying to shove him, but he evades.
He walks up to the counter and orders three coffees. “If I were to believe Emily, then you’re more than just annoying. She practically wanted to kill you back at the tracks.”
“Yeah, well, that’s thanks to Mom,” I say. “She couldn’t shut up about that PR thing for just one second so I could at least celebrate my victory with my family in peace.” I sigh. “Why does it have to be so complicated all the time?”
He hands me a coffee. “Shouldn’t have fucked up in the first place, Chris. Then you wouldn’t need a PR person to begin with.”
I frown at him as we walk to our table and sit down. “Don’t talk to me about media fiascos, Leo, you know too much about them. We’d be talking for weeks.”
“Ha-ha, at least I’ve solved my problems. Can’t say the same about you.”
“My shit can’t be easily solved,” I say, taking a sip. “Fuck, that’s hot.”
The barista glares at me when I swear, but I don’t give a crap. They can look all they want, and I’ma swear as much as I want. I’m not changing for them, and if they want me as a customer, then they’d better not speak a word to me about it.
“Not used to the heat, huh?” my brother jokes while drinking his coffee.
“Fuck you; you know I hate this shit.”
“Well, Mom likes ‘this shit,’ so too bad for you.”
Before I can reply, the door opens again and in steps a curvy redhead with a coat that looks like she just killed a fucking rabbit. Samantha King, aka, his ex-secretary.
“Samantha, you’re here, too?” I say.
“Hey,” she says, giving us both a kiss. “God, I almost didn’t make it in time. Steph just wouldn’t shut up.” She giggles.
She gives Leo an extra peck on the cheeks, and they share a moment, which I just don’t want to see. Like at all. Fuck, it’s so awkward.
“You came here voluntarily? Do you have a death wish?” I ask.
She looks at me as if she doesn’t know what I’m talking about. “No, I just thought it’d be nice to chat with your mother. You know, a little family get-together.”
“Oh, boy …” I say, sighing and laughing at the same time. It’s not actually a laugh of enjoyment but more of pity and misery.
“What?” she says, as she sits down.
Leo slides her the extra coffee he bought. “He doesn’t like our mother.”
“Who does?” I inquire.
“Well, she doesn’t seem that bad to me,” Sam says, taking a sip.
“That’s because she doesn’t show her evil side to you. She likes to keep that hidden until after … it’s become official that you’re part of the family.” I look at her finger, which has Leo’s ring on it, and let my eyes glide down to her stomach. That same moment she covers her belly with her hands and blushes.
“I’m sure it’s not that bad,” she says, clearing her throat.
“Oh, it’s bad, all right,” I say.
“Chris … do we really have to do this now?” Leo says.
“What? Tell Sam what she’s really getting into?” I pick up my coffee and sit back in my chair. “I think she has a right to know.”
Leo frowns at me disapprovingly, almost telling me not to go there. Oh, but I am going there. I’m definitely taking it there now.
Chapter 7
Chris
Age 16
“What!?” I scream as my mother swallows away her pride. “Is this a joke?”
“No, it’s not …” She sighs. “I’m sorry, I know how you must feel.”
“No, you don’t¸” I snap. “This isn’t funny, Mother.”
“I know it isn’t, but this is real and it is happening.”
“You’re really doing this, aren’t you?” Leo says, grabbing my hand to support me, as I’m about to explode in anger.
“Yes.” She rubs her lips together. “I’m sorry, boys.”
“No, don’t say you’re sorry,” I say, shaking my head. “You don’t get to say that word.”
“I have to follow my heart,” she says, blinking away a tear.
“What about us? What about father?”
“He and I … well, you know, we’ve been growing apart.”
“No, he said you were working on it,” I say. “Together.”
“Hmm …” She nods absently. “Did he say that?”
“Don’t tell me this is happening. You, out of all people … you’re the one to call it quits?”
She looks up at me with sorrowful eyes that split my heart in two. “I’m sorry, Christopher. What your father and I have … had … it’s not what I want anymore.”
“So you’re just going to leave?” I say, making a face. “How could you do that?”
“I don’t have another choice. I can’t stay here when there is no…”
“What?” I growl. “Say it. Say it out loud.”
“No,” she says in such a resolute way that it makes me sit back and look at her in disgust. “I will not discuss my private relationships with you. What happens between your fat
her and me is our business.”
“Oh, so breaking his heart and ours is not my concern?” I grind my teeth.
I’m so close to bursting, Leo physically has to hold me back.
“I’m sorry …” she says again.
“That doesn’t change a thing,” I growl. “Whatever I say won’t stop you, will it? You’ve already made up your mind. You already knew what you were going to do the moment you stepped into the house. No wonder you were gone for all those days. Thinking about how to rip out our hearts and crush them with your bare hands?” I yell. “Did you spend all those nights in a hotel? Or is there some other reason you suddenly want to leave us motherless? Because there must be a good reason for this. Have you met someone new you like better, huh?”
“Enough, Chris,” Leo says with a calm tone, gazing at me with a stern but understanding look.
He’s the only one who understands what I’m going through right now, but I don’t get why he’s just sitting there without responding. How can he listen to this and not react?
“You don’t agree with this, do you?” I say.
“No, of course not,” he says, looking back at his mother. “But if you were unhappy, I think you would do anything to be happy again.”
“Thank you,” my mother says, wiping away a tear.
“Don’t you fucking cry,” I say.
“Watch your language, Christopher,” she says. “I might be bringing bad news, but I am still your mother.”
“You’re not my mother if you’re running off with some other guy!” I yell, getting up from the couch.
Nothing can stop me now. I’m a loose cannon, ready to fire. Leo gets up too, trying to hold me back as I lean forward to shout at her. My blood is boiling, and it feels like everything is turning red in front of me.
“You want to be with your lover so badly?” I scream. “Go on then.”
She looks shocked as she holds her hand in front of her mouth.
“What? You didn’t think I’d notice if you ran off with him? I saw you at that restaurant, mother; you can’t hide the truth from me. You know I always find out.”
“You … you knew all along?” she whispers.
“Yes, I know what you’ve been up to behind my father’s back. Behind everyone’s back.” I spit on the floor. “Disgusting.”
More tears spill from her eyes. “I’m sorry.” She shakes her head. “It’s not what you think.”
“Yes, it is. Stop covering it up and own up to your behavior. What kind of example do you want to set? Because, right now, all I see is a mother who doesn’t love her kids enough to stay with them.”
“Stop,” Leo says. “Stop before you say something you’ll regret.”
“Too late,” I growl. “She already did that for all of us.”
She gets up from her seat and walks out of the room.
“Yeah, you run from us, like you always do!” I yell.
Leo grabs my arm, but I jerk free as I walk after her.
“I’m sorry. I can’t do this anymore,” she says, grabbing her bag.
“You’re going now? Running off to him?”
She suddenly stops in her tracks, spins on her heels, and glares at me, screaming, “My happiness means something!”
I swallow away the pain that fills my throat, but it doesn’t help one bit. When she takes a deep breath and starts walking again, I yell, “Go! Get the fuck out of here!”
Leo’s behind me, grabbing me and holding on to me so I don’t go after her.
A part of me wants to follow her to the place of the man she’s going to for comfort and beat the living shit out of him, but Leo won’t let me. I know he’s right, even if I don’t want him to be right.
I didn’t ask for any of this and neither did he, but now we’re stuck with a father who won’t stop his wife from running into the arms of another man.
All I can do is watch and feel my heart crumble when she closes the door.
Chapter 8
Chris
Present
I hate her more than I hate myself for what I did to Emily.
“Oh, wow …” Sam says, biting her lip.
“Chris … really? You had to bring that up again?”
“Hey, I think she had a right to know, okay?” I say, taking another sip from my coffee.
“But your mother was in the house when I came to that dinner with you. They were together … or not ‘together’ together?”
“Oh, they were together, yes,” Leo says, looking my way with a stern face. “It’s complicated.”
“So your father knew about all of it?” Sam asks.
I reply quickly before Leo has time to intervene because he already has his mouth open. “Oh yes, he did, but he decided to turn a blind eye to it.”
“Oh, man … I can’t imagine. That must have been really hard on him,” she says, biting her lip.
“Maybe, maybe not.”
“What do you mean?” she asks.
Leo frowns. “Let’s not go there, please.”
“Let’s just say that our father isn’t really in touch with his feelings,” I say.
“Just because you can’t see them doesn’t mean he doesn’t have them,” Leo interjects.
“I don’t know. That’s just what I think, all right? I’m talking from my own experience.”
“All right,” Leo says. “Well, that was my experience. Father just found it hard to cope, so he never spoke about it, but he still felt it, deep down. I’m sure. I could tell from the way he looked at me and sighed. Not his normal sigh but more of a careless, wistful sigh.”
I shake my head while muffling a laugh. “Whatever.”
“I’m serious,” Leo insists. “He was hurting.”
“Well, then I guess that only makes what she did worse, doesn’t it?”
“Wow, I feel some tension around here,” Sam jokes, waving with her hands.
I shrug. “A lot of time has passed between then and now. They split up then they got back together again. I guess my father forgave her. The end.”
“But you didn’t forgive her,” Sam says.
“Nope. Still hate her.”
“Chris …” Leo cautions.
“What?” I lean back in my chair.
“Please don’t ruin this.”
I roll my eyes. “Whatever. If you wanna pretend our family is perfect just so you can ease her into it, then be my guest.”
“It can’t be that bad,” Sam says.
“Maybe,” I say. “That depends on how well you get to know her.” I take another sip. “I suggest you keep some distance to protect your heart. She stomped on mine, that’s for sure.”
“Chris, can you please just shut up?” Leo says.
“Fine.” I sigh and look away, but then I notice the door to the coffee shop opening and my mother stepping in. Oh, fuck. Here we go.
“Mother,” Leo says. “You’re here.”
“Hello,” she says, walking over to us to give us a petty hug and fake smile. She kisses Sam on the cheeks. “Sam, you look so puffy,” she says, grabbing her cheeks. “Don’t eat too much of those muffins they serve here. They’re bad for your blood sugar, too.”
“Um, thanks for the tip, I guess.” Sam smiles awkwardly.
My mother sits down beside me, so I scoot over a bit, which makes everyone look at me as if I’m the devil.
“What?” I exclaim, feigning ignorance.
They quietly stare at me before returning their attention to each other. Good. I prefer not to be involved in any of this. Instead, I focus on that last drop of coffee that tastes so goddamn bitter.
“Mother, we actually have something to tell you,” Leo suddenly says between their light conversation. I wonder what’s up, so I look at them and see Sam anxiously twiddling her thumbs. Oh fuck, something’s up. Raising my eyebrow at her only makes her more twitchy, and a smile grows on my face.
“Oh …” I muse, grinning. “Is this what I think it is?”
“What?” Trici
a says, looking back and forth between my brother and me.
Leo puts his arm around Sam as they huddle together, and then he places one hand on her belly. “We’re expecting.”
My mother’s jaw drops open, and my eyes widen. No wonder he wanted everyone to meet here.
“You’re pregnant?” my mother utters.
Sam nods with a big smile on her face.
“Yep,” Leo says.
My mother squeals, and then she jumps up to hug Sam.
I’m still a bit fazed. When he said he had something to say, I knew this was coming, but I still can’t believe my ears. My brother is becoming a father? Holy shit.
“Jesus,” I say, laughing a bit. “No wonder you wanted us to come here. This explains everything.” I get up and give my brother a bro hug. “Congratulations, brother. Or should I say … daddy?” I wink.
He smiles. “Don’t be ridiculous, but you sure did push me to say it earlier or things would’ve exploded before I got the chance.”
“Sorry,” I say. “You know how good I am with family get-togethers.”
He nods. “That I do.”
I give Sam a hug, too. “I’m happy for you.”
“Thank you,” she says.
“Why didn’t you invite Adrian and your father?” my mother suddenly says. Of course, she has to go and play mediator again, thinking Leo would leave them out when hearing the good news.
“I already accidentally spilled the news to them this morning, hehe.” Leo blushes a little bit. “I tried to keep it together, but it kind of just slipped out.”
“Yep …” Sam huffs.
“Oops.” I laugh.
“Right. But you know now, and so do you.” Leo looks at Tricia again, probably seeking her approval. She’s always so quick to judge.
“Well, I’m happy that you’re expecting a tiny King now. I can’t wait to hear if it’s a girl or a boy.”
Our mom hugs Sam again, and she can’t seem to let go. I’ve never seen her this happy, and that says a lot.
I look back at my brother and give him a playful elbow jab. “Seriously, you, a father? This is so weird.”
