Serenity (Inevitable Book 5)

by Janet Nissenson

  “Really, Mom? Because it sure seems to me that Dad is spending more and more time away from here lately. Besides all of these business trips, I know he’s been staying at the condo a few nights a week. That doesn’t sound like you’re making much progress to me,” Hayley taunted.

  “I don’t tell you everything, Hayley,” retorted Lindsey. “Some things are private between husband and wife. All you need to know is that things are coming along nicely.”

  “Whatever.” Hayley yawned. “The only thing I want to know is how much longer I need to keep up this farce. I’m tired of having to wear layers whenever Dad’s around, or put him off when he starts talking about interviewing nannies and choosing what room would be best for the nursery. I - I don’t like lying to him, Mom. It isn’t fair, you know? I wish now I’d never let you con me into this whole mess.”

  “Don’t you dare cave in now, you little brat!” yelled Lindsey. “I can still ship you off to that boarding school in Utah, you know. And after deliberately deceiving your father for almost three months, he won’t want to have anything to do with you if he learns the truth. He’d probably sign the enrollment papers himself for that school as punishment. So don’t stab me in the back at this point, Hayley, because you will sorely regret betraying me.”

  “Fine.” Hayley’s voice choked up a little. “But how much longer, Mom? School is going to be starting in a few more weeks, and there’s no way in hell I’m wearing baggy clothes the first day back.”

  “Just a couple more weeks,” begged Lindsey. “I swear to you. I’m this close to getting him back, I just need to wear him down a teensy bit more. Then this will all be over with, and you can go back to the way things were.”

  “And have you figured a way out of this whole mess yet?”

  “Of course. Well, I have to give credit to Nikki, since all of this was her idea. But this is the plan. Your father has another business trip scheduled in about ten days, and he’ll be gone for a week. During that time you’re going to have a miscarriage. And of course he’ll feel terrible about it, want to rush home to make sure you’re okay, and obviously stick around to help you through the trauma.”

  Hayley snorted. “Jesus, Mom. I’m not sure which of you is more twisted - you or Nikki. What soap opera did she watch to hatch this ridiculous idea anyway? Or did she steal the idea from some sappy romance book?”

  “Does it really matter?” snapped Lindsey. “The important thing here is to keep your focus for just a few more weeks. I realize your father is getting more and more suspicious, so you really need to lay it on thick, Hayley. The next time he asks you questions about the baby, for God’s sake show a little more enthusiasm, will you? We’re so close, don’t blow it now!”

  Hayley changed the subject then, asking Lindsey her opinion about a pair of shoes she wanted to buy, and Casey used the opportunity to very quietly tiptoe back inside the house. He knew instinctively that it was very, very important not to let on that he’d just overheard this extremely enlightening conversation, or that he had the slightest suspicion that Hayley had been faking this pregnancy thing from the very start. Or that their mother had apparently been the brains behind the whole charade.

  As he made his way stealthily to his room, Casey realized that the revelation that Hayley had made the whole thing up wasn’t all that shocking to him. Not that he’d really given it a lot of thought up until now, but it had seemed a bit odd to him that his pregnant sister looked skinnier than ever. And that she seemed totally unconcerned with the fact that she had gotten herself knocked up. And try as he might, Casey had never been able to envision his spoiled, selfish, airhead of a sister ever lifting a finger to take care of a demanding baby. He just wished he hadn’t been so preoccupied with school and baseball and computer camp these past few months; otherwise, he would have likely been highly suspicious of the situation and maybe mentioned his concerns to his father.

  ‘Shoot. I’ve got to tell Dad,’ he thought to himself suddenly. ‘And as soon as possible. Man, is he going to be pissed off when he learns the truth. Especially since he had to break up with Sasha because of stupid Hayley and her phony pregnancy.’

  It certainly wasn’t the sort of bad news that one wanted to break to someone via a text or email, and maybe not even a phone call. Plus, Casey couldn’t take the risk that his mother or sister would overhear him. He feared that if they found out he was on to them they would spin another, even more fantastic story, and completely deny anything Casey might tell Matthew. No, he would have to find a way to get his father alone and tell him everything he’d just overheard.

  Matthew was flying home from his business trip in Dallas later today, but Casey couldn’t recall what time he was due in. He closed the bedroom door for privacy as he placed a quick call to his father’s PA.

  “Hey, Elena. How’s it going?” he greeted.

  Elena, who could frequently be grumpy with other people, was always nice to Casey. “I’ve had worse days,” she replied matter-of-factly. “But this is a nice surprise to hear from you. Keeping busy over the summer?”

  “Yup. Baseball league and computer camp. Hey, can you tell me what time my dad’s due in today? And is he on the company plane?”

  “Sure.” Elena sounded a little wary, given that Casey rarely called her directly, but she was able to give him the information he wanted without a fuss.

  “Thanks, Elena. I, uh, just needed his help with some computer stuff tonight. You know, for that camp I mentioned.”

  “Well, since his flight gets in around four this afternoon, I’d say he should have plenty of time to give you a hand. Nice to talk to you, Casey. And don’t be a stranger, hmm? I haven’t seen you or your sister in almost two years. Have your father bring you to see me sometime.”

  Casey readily agreed, anxious to get off the phone and start figuring out the next steps in his plan. He had almost two hours to get to the airport terminal where the private plane his father was traveling on would be landing, which should be plenty of time. The tricky part of this plan was going to be sneaking out of the house without his mother or sister noticing he’d returned from baseball practice so early.

  But he received the break he needed a few minutes later, when his mother sent him a quick text, informing him that she and Hayley were going out to a late lunch and then shopping, and that Maribel would pick him up from practice. Casey breathed a sigh of relief, then watched discreetly from his bedroom window until he saw his mother’s Aston Martin pull out of the driveway, his sister ensconced in the passenger seat. He waited a full fifteen minutes after they left before putting the next part of his plan into motion.

  He snuck out of the house using one of the numerous side exits, the overwhelming heat of the day momentarily sucking the air out of his lungs. He walked around the block, staying out of sight, then used the Uber app on his phone to summon a car. After dismissing their last nanny, Matthew had set up accounts for both Casey and Hayley with the car service so that they would never have to worry about getting a ride when they needed one.

  While he was waiting for his ride, Casey texted Maribel, telling her that he was going to Blake’s house after practice and that she didn’t need to pick him up after all. He was glad that he’d found a shady spot to stand while waiting for his ride, since the temperature was now in the high nineties, and wished he had taken the time to grab a bottle of water.

  Fortunately, the car arrived right on schedule to pick him up, and if the driver thought it a bit odd that his passenger was a fourteen year old boy he didn’t offer up a comment. Casey drummed his fingers on the seat impatiently as they encountered several pockets of traffic on the drive to the airport, and fidgeted as the minutes continued to count down until his father’s flight was due to arrive in.

  The Uber driver left him off at the terminal where Matthew’s flight would be landing, and Casey dashed off to wait for him in the arrivals area, hoping that it was the correct spot. It had been awhile, probably close to two
years, since he had accompanied his mother and sister here to the airport to pick up Matthew, and while the waiting area looked mostly familiar, he wasn’t entirely sure.

  But a short time later, Casey breathed a sigh of relief as he spied his father trudging wearily through the terminal. Matthew looked both exhausted and depressed, and Casey now knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that he’d done the right thing in coming here this afternoon. Gleefully anticipating his father’s reaction to the news he was about to share, Casey practically jogged ahead to meet him.

  Despite drinking at least three cups of very strong coffee so far today, Matthew was visibly dragging as he forced himself to keep walking through the airport terminal. He’d left for Dallas three days ago, and kept up a whirlwind schedule for the duration of his trip. He rarely slept well when he traveled on business, usually too wired up to be able to fully relax, and this trip had been no exception. He was looking forward to sleeping in his own bed tonight, even though it meant locking his bedroom door to keep his overly amorous ex out of his room.

  Lindsey had continued to throw herself at him shamelessly, despite his stern and downright hostile admonitions that she would be the very last woman in the world he’d ever be attracted to again. And with each pathetic attempt to tempt or seduce him, Lindsey had seemed increasingly desperate, almost panic stricken that her wiles simply weren’t working.

  He was really going to have to do something about this whole fucked-up situation, and soon - like any day now. He was frustrated as hell with Hayley and her apparent disinterest in anything having to do with the baby she was carrying. He felt like shaking her at times, anything to shock her into action and start facing reality. His daughter seemed blithely unaware of just how much her life was going to change in a few more months, and Matthew’s doubts continued to increase about the wisdom of Hayley keeping this baby. He made a mental note to ask his divorce attorney for a referral to an adoption agency, fully intending to steer Hayley more firmly in that direction. It would be the best solution for everyone involved, especially the baby. In fact, he might as well place that call right now while he was thinking about it.

  ‘No time like the present, I always say,’ he thought to himself, taking his phone from his jacket pocket and scrolling through the contacts list. But before he could press the number for his attorney, he heard a familiar voice calling out to him.

  “Dad! Hey, Dad, over here!”

  Matthew glanced up in astonishment to see Casey waving at him frantically. Instantly alarmed, because he couldn’t fathom why his son would be waiting for him here at the airport if there wasn’t some sort of emergency, he hurried over to where Casey was waiting impatiently.

  “Hey, buddy,” he greeted, pulling his son in close for a hug. “What’s going on? Must be something big for you to meet me like this. Is your mother here, too?”

  Casey shook his head. “Nope, just me. I, uh, got your flight info from Elena and took Uber here. Mom doesn’t know I’m here, she thinks I’m still at baseball practice.”

  Matthew eyed him warily. “And why aren’t you there? Are you in some sort of trouble, Casey?”

  “No, nothing like that at all. I swear, Dad. And practice ended early today because it’s like a hundred degrees outside. A couple of the guys almost fainted from the heat yesterday, so Coach made us stop before lunchtime.”

  “So why all the secrecy, hmm?” inquired Matthew as he steered Casey towards the exit, where a driver employed by MBI would be waiting to pick him up. “It’s pretty obvious you don’t want your mother to know you’re here, so what gives?”

  Casey gave a furtive glance around, as if to make sure no one else could hear what he was about to say. “I, uh, sort of overheard some stuff that Mom and Hayley were discussing. They didn’t know I was home, and after hearing what they were talking about I knew I had to tell you as soon as possible.”

  “Why didn’t you call me then? You didn’t need to come all the way out here to meet me,” rebuked Matthew gently.

  Casey shrugged. “You’ll understand when I tell you. It’s - well, you’re going to be really ticked off, Dad. And I thought it was better to tell you in person. Besides, I didn’t want one of them overhearing me.”

  Matthew frowned. “Okay, now you’re starting to worry me a little. What exactly did you overhear, Casey?”

  Casey grimaced. “Maybe we should wait until we’re inside the car before I tell you. Because you’re gonna be really, really mad.”

  Matthew sighed. “Just tell me. I promise I won’t lose it.”

  “Hayley isn’t really pregnant. She’s been faking the whole time. And not only does Mom know but I think she was the one who thought up the idea in the first place.”

  Matthew froze in place, even as his driver pulled up to the curb. “You must have heard them wrong, buddy,” he said faintly. “Your mother is capable of a lot of things, but something like this seems way beyond even her warped mind. And I can’t believe that Hayley - my little girl - would willingly go along with something so cruel.”

  “Nope. It’s all true, Dad. Look, the car is here. Let’s get inside and I can tell you all of it. From the beginning.”

  Numbly, Matthew obeyed his son’s urging and slid inside the backseat of the Town Car. Once he and Casey were both inside, he pressed the button to raise the privacy panel so that they could speak freely without the driver overhearing them.

  Matthew turned to his son, trying desperately to keep his simmering anger from reaching the boiling point. “Now, tell me all of it, Casey. From the beginning. And don’t leave anything out.”

  He listened in growing disbelief and fury as Casey patiently and thoroughly relayed the conversation between Lindsey and Hayley. And even then Matthew still couldn’t believe it was really true, questioning Casey over and over on specific points. But after nearly twenty minutes of this, he leaned back in his seat wearily, closing his eyes as he scrubbed a hand over his face.

  “Jesus.” He shook his head in disbelief. “And you know what the worst thing about all of this is, Casey? Not the fact that your mother and sister cooked up this elaborate charade, but that I was stupid and naïve enough to fall for it. How the hell could I have been so dumb?”

  “It’s okay, Dad.” Casey squeezed his shoulder reassuringly. “It sure sounds like the two of them spent a lot of time dreaming all of this up. And I guess Mom had help from Nikki.”

  Matthew grimaced. “Yeah, that might explain some things. Nikki is the queen of lies. That’s how she swindled so much money out of her ex-husbands. But I should have been smarter than that, Casey. Jeez, I’ve got a Mensa-level IQ. You’d think I would have known better.”

  Casey grinned. “You were the one who told me that brain smarts don’t always equal street smarts.”

  Matthew chuckled, despite the burning anger he felt at having been so thoroughly deceived. “Yeah, I seem to remember that. And you are probably the smartest person I’ve ever known, buddy, despite the fact that you’re only fourteen. More like fourteen going on fifty, in my opinion. And I owe you big time, Casey. I can’t tell you how much it means to me to finally realize the truth.”

  “So what are we going to do now, Dad?”

  Matthew grinned. “So it’s “we”, is it? Glad to have you on board, buddy. And as far as our next steps, I think we should grab a bite to eat somewhere and discuss our strategy. Are you hungry?”

  Casey gave him a look of disbelief. “Dad, do you really have to ask that question? This is me, after all. I’m always hungry.”

  He rumpled Casey’s hair. “That’s what I figured.” He lowered the privacy panel, then directed the driver to take them to one of Casey’s favorite restaurants, a place where the burgers were greasy, the beers ice cold, and the air conditioning would be on full blast. It sounded like the perfect place to plot strategy with his son on what their next moves should be. And, for the first time in months, Matthew was actually hungry. Starving, actually, enough that orderin
g two giant burgers was starting to sound like the best idea he’d had all day.

  “Hey, Dad,” ventured Casey somewhat timidly, as the driver exited the freeway. “Does this mean that you and Sasha can maybe get back together? I know you miss her a lot.”

  “Maybe,” mused Matthew. “But it’s a little premature to start thinking about that, buddy.”

  In actuality, the possibility of getting Sasha back had been nearly the first thing that had crossed his mind after Casey had blurted out that Hayley’s pregnancy was all a lie. But he couldn’t get too far ahead of himself, he thought cautiously. He was going to have to tread very carefully over the next day or so in order to bring this whole ugly mess to a head, and use the opportunity to kill two birds with one stone.

  And right after they settled into a table and ordered their food, Matthew took out his phone and placed a call to his attorney after all - except that the purpose of the call was no longer to inquire about potential adoption agencies. Instead, it was to share the good news that he’d finally figured out a way to force Lindsey to sign those damned divorce papers.

  Chapter Twenty One

  “Well, this is so nice,” gushed Lindsey. “I can’t remember the last time we all sat down to dinner as a family. I hope it’s just the first of many more nights like this.”

  Matthew didn’t offer up a reply, simply taking a sip of his iced tea as he observed the others at the table. Casey was tucking into his meal hungrily, since very little seemed to affect his appetite. Hayley, predictably, was merely picking at her food while texting one or more of her friends at the same time. Only Lindsey looked happy, her features practically glowing at this opportunity to have everyone together. And Matthew was willing to bet that she was silently congratulating herself on finally getting the results she’d plotted and schemed for these past months. He was pissed off enough - not to mention vengeful - to let her go on believing that for a few more minutes. After all, it would be that much more satisfying to see the look on her lying, deceitful face when he confronted her with the truth.