The Day He Came Back

by Ward, Penelope

  Apparently just as shocked as we were, my father moved out of sight and spoke from behind the door. “No. Your mother and Weldon are still in Boston. One of my clients had an emergency, and I flew back early. Please see me in my office once you’ve…gotten dressed.” My father shut the door.

  I knew he was pissed, but I was so incredibly relieved to know my mother wasn’t in the house.

  Thank fuck.

  Raven’s voice shook as she began scrambling to find her clothes. “What are we gonna do? Do you think he’ll tell her?”

  “I’ll talk to him. Don’t worry.”

  “I can’t believe this, Gavin. Your father just found me naked in your bed! This is so bad.”

  I placed my hands on her shoulders. “Listen to me. Everything is going to be okay. I’m gonna handle this. Please don’t worry or regret what happened between us. It was the best night of my life.”

  “Mine, too,” she said softly.

  I was too high on her to really care about my father finding us. As long as my mother didn’t know, I could handle it.

  Raven dressed quickly. As tense as this whole situation had become, I couldn’t help but gaze at her naked body. She is mine. I loved the way her breasts bounced as she threw her shirt on over her head.

  Raven had the kind of beauty that made a man lose his mind, made him risk everything. That’s apparently what I was doing.

  ***

  After I drove her home, I returned to the house to find my father working in his office. I was quiet as I took a seat in front of him, and he pretended to not notice me. He was mad. I couldn’t blame him. I just didn’t care enough to let it take away from my euphoria.

  He finally looked up and took off his glasses, throwing them to the side. “What the hell were you thinking?”

  I rubbed my tired eyes. “I don’t know.”

  “What if it had been your mother who’d come home early? What, then?”

  “I really didn’t think anyone was going to come home.”

  “Clearly!”

  “Dad, with all due respect, I’m an adult, and so is she. I—”

  “Yes. You are an adult, but in this house, you need to follow certain rules. If your mother finds out you had Raven here, things could be very bad, not only for you, but for Renata. I cannot control what your mother decides to do. And she can be very rash when she’s angry.”

  “I know that. I’m sorry for putting others at risk, but Dad, I just can’t help the way I feel.” The words I uttered next surprised me. “I’m pretty sure I’m falling in love with her.”

  My father’s eyes met mine, and his expression softened. He blew out a long breath. “Son, I understand that as humans we have little control over our feelings. We can only control our actions. But when your mother finds out about this, she’s going to blow.”

  “She’s not going to find out. Why does she need to find out?”

  “I’m not going to tell her what I walked in on. But make no mistake, your mother will find out if you continue seeing Raven. She has her ways of knowing everything, and she’s going to make your life extremely difficult. I don’t want to see that happen.”

  I looked down at my feet. “I know.”

  “You’re probably aware that I went ahead and started paying Renata’s medical bills behind your mother’s back?”

  I nodded. “I’ve wanted to thank you, but I wasn’t sure if it would make you uncomfortable if I brought it up.”

  “Of course it makes me very uncomfortable. The whole thing makes me uncomfortable, because if your mother were to find out, it would be World War III!”

  “I know that, Dad. But thank you for taking the risk.”

  My father stared out the window for a moment before he said, “When I married your mother, she wasn’t the way she is now. Money completely changed her—created a monster. And now there are other issues exacerbating her behavior. Her drinking has gotten out of hand. She’s refused to acknowledge it. I worry about her and about this family. I’m just trying to hold everything together.”

  “You shouldn’t have to live like this, Dad. I know you’re not happy. I wish—”

  “It doesn’t matter if I’m happy. At this point in my life, I just want peace. Sometimes happiness comes at too big of a price.”

  Genuinely curious, I asked, “Why are you so afraid to get divorced? The money?”

  “It’s not the money. I don’t want to rip this family apart.”

  “Weldon and I are adults now. You don’t have to worry about us.”

  He massaged his temples. “I can’t deal with the stress of a divorce, Gavin. Your mother would rake me over the coals. I don’t want any of us to have to go through that.” He sighed. “And this may be hard for you to believe, but a part of me still loves her. Maybe it’s more that I’m still in love with the memory of who she was before she changed.”

  It made me sad to hear him say that. I wished I had known my mother before she changed.

  “Son, please just be careful. I understand what it feels like to be young and in love. I know I can’t tell you how to feel, and I’m reluctant to say you would be better off without Raven, either. I don’t want to give advice I’ll regret. So all I can do is tell you to be cautious. I do want you to be happy.”

  I stood up. “Thank you, Dad. And again, I appreciate your discretion.”

  ***

  Later that night, I showed up at Raven’s bedroom window.

  “Are you okay?” I asked as she let me inside.

  “Yeah. I’ve just been worried about you,” she said.

  “Me? I’m fine. I’ve never been better.”

  “What did your dad say? Did he give you hell?”

  “No. He scolded me for not being more careful, but he’s not going to say anything to my mother. He wouldn’t do that.”

  She breathed out a long sigh of relief. “That was a really close call.”

  “You didn’t tell your mother my father caught us, did you?”

  “No. That would stress her out. She has her next treatment tomorrow, and I don’t want to upset her.”

  “Good. There’s no need to tell her.”

  She gripped my shirt. “I wish this wasn’t so hard.”

  I couldn’t help but kiss her.

  Speaking over her mouth, I said, “It will be easier when I leave. I mean, it will suck in some ways, but in other ways, it will be easier for us.”

  Raven pushed back a bit. “If my mom is not doing well for some reason, I won’t be able to leave here to come see you in Connecticut.”

  “Of course. I’ll just come here more. We’ll work it out.” I searched her eyes. “You do want to work it out, right?”

  “I’m not sure I could walk away from you if I tried.”

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  * * *

  RAVEN

  In the days that followed—Gavin’s final days on Palm Beach—he and I only grew closer. He’d sneak into my bedroom at night, and we’d have sex. Then after, he’d hold me until I dozed off. Sometimes I’d cry myself to sleep because watching my mother feel so sick from her treatments and lose her hair was too much to handle. She’d somehow managed to work at the Masterson estate through it all, with the exception of one or two days when the nausea became unbearable.

  One afternoon while my mother was working at the Mastersons, the doorbell rang at our house. I was expecting to see Gavin or Marni when I opened the door. Instead, I got the shock of my life: Gavin’s mother stood before me with a cold look on her face.

  “Ruth...how can I help you?” My stomach dropped. “Is everything okay with my mother?”

  “Everything is fine with your mother. I didn’t mean to alarm you.”

  I expelled a breath.

  “May I come in?” she asked before making her way inside.

  I swallowed. “Uh...sure. Yes, of course.”

  Ruth’s blond hair was pulled back tight into a bun. She looked around with a critical eye. I was certain she hadn’t been inside a
house this small for a long time, possibly ever.

  “I don’t appreciate being lied to by my own family,” she finally said.

  My pulse raced. “What are you talking about?”

  “I think you know what I’m talking about.”

  My eyes flitted back and forth. I couldn’t be sure if she meant Gavin and me—or worse, if she’d somehow found out about Gunther paying my mother’s medical bills.

  “I actually really don’t know what you’re referring to, Mrs. Masterson.”

  She reached into her purse and took out a gold chain before throwing it at me. It fell on the ground, and when I picked it up, I began to feel sick. It was my necklace—the nameplate one I’d been wearing the night I spent at Gavin’s house.

  I attempted to play dumb. “Where did you get this?”

  “The maid who was filling in for your mother found it in my son’s bedroom the other day. Do you mind telling me how it got under his bed?”

  “I have no idea.”

  “You’re a liar. I think you do. I think he snuck you into his room when I was away. Not to mention, my security camera footage confirmed your presence at my house that weekend.”

  Shit. Shit. Shit.

  No way was I going to deny anything. I needed to remain calm and not answer her—even though I was freaking out inside.

  She walked around a bit, her heels clicking against the tile floor. “It’s very interesting, the way my family thinks they can lie to me. My son does it and my husband, too. Do they think I’m stupid?”

  “I think they’re—”

  “You weren’t supposed to answer that. It was rhetorical,” she scolded.

  “What do you want me to say?”

  “I don’t want you to say anything. I want you to stay away from my son!”

  My instinct was to plead with her, but I knew better.

  Don’t say anything.

  Anything you say can and will be used against you.

  Her next words shocked me to my core. “My husband thinks just because he used an offshore account that I won’t find out he’s paying your mother’s medical bills. I know Gunther, the type of person he is—overly generous. I knew he would offer to pay her bills. So I did some digging at the hospital and confirmed it. What kind of a fool does he take me for?”

  A rush of blood flooded my head.

  She raised her chin. “By the look of shock on your face, you clearly didn’t think I was going to find out about that either.”

  “Mrs. Masterson...I am so grateful for what your husband is doing for my mother. He’s saving her life, and I could never repay him for that.”

  She took a few steps toward me. “I can put a stop to those payments very easily if I want to, Raven. The one thing my husband has always tried to avoid is a messy divorce, not only for the sake of our children but for the sake of half his fortune. If I give him no choice but to stop those payments, he will listen to me in the end. It will kill him to do it, but I will win.”

  “Please don’t do that,” I begged. “I’ll work my entire life to pay him back if I have to.”

  “You don’t have to do that at all. As much money as he’s paying for your mother, it’s a drop in the bucket for us.”

  “What do you want?” I blurted. My tears began to fall because I knew the answer already.

  “If you want those payments to keep coming, you will stop seeing my son. And by that, I don’t mean pretend to stop and keep seeing him behind my back, Raven. I mean you stay away from him. He thinks he can pull the wool over my eyes. I already have a private investigator lined up to follow him around New Haven. I’m sure he’s probably planning to sneak around with you after he leaves home. Over my dead body.”

  I couldn’t imagine my life without Gavin in it. My eyes were now so filled with tears I could hardly see. “Please don’t do this.”

  “You’ve given me no choice. I truly don’t dislike you or your mother. But I will not stand for my son getting involved with you. I will never accept it. If you choose to continue what you’re doing and Gavin goes along with it, not only will I see to it that your mother’s medical bills stop being paid, but I will cut Gavin off, too. Is that what you want?”

  “No,” I whispered.

  “Everyone loses if you choose to be selfish, Raven. This is your choice.”

  Wiping my nose with my sleeve, I said, “What am I supposed to tell him?”

  “I don’t care how you do it. But you will not tell him I’ve spoken to you. Do you understand? My son will defy me if he thinks this is anything other than your decision. Gavin is leaving soon. This is the perfect time to cut ties. You do so, and I will ensure that your mother has everything she needs for as long as she needs it.”

  “And if I don’t?”

  She paused to stare at me icily. “I’ll make your life a living hell.”

  ***

  I spent the following two days in my own hell, agonizing over what to do. In the end, it came down to what I saw as a life-or-death decision.

  But there was no way I could have looked him in the eyes and done it. So I opted to send him an email. I knew that was terrible. But this whole situation was terrible—a nightmare. If I faced him, he would see right through me.

  It took me hours to put into words the biggest lie I would ever tell.

  Dear Gavin,

  Please forgive me for doing this in an email, but I don’t know how to look you in the eyes and say this. This summer with you has been the best of my life. You’ve given me so many amazing experiences. But given everything that’s going on in my life right now, I can’t handle a serious relationship. It’s all too much. I think it’s best if we stop seeing each other. I can’t be the type of girlfriend you need, and I think I’m in way over my head right now. I’m sorry if this comes as a shock. I know I haven’t given you any warning or told you lately what’s been on my mind. But over the past couple of days, it’s become very clear to me. I’m so sorry to break up with you. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

  Raven

  It took me another half hour before I had the courage to press send.

  After I finally did, I slammed the cover of my laptop and collapsed on the floor in a puddle of tears. I was pretty sure Gavin was the one—the love of my life.

  The one thing Ruth was right about? This choice was mine. I’d made the choice that was right for my mother, and for Gavin, in the long run. And I could never tell either of them.

  This would be my dirty little secret. Well, mine and Ruth’s. After all, I’d just made a deal with the devil.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  * * *

  GAVIN

  I couldn’t believe what I was fucking seeing. One moment I’m showering, getting ready to go over to my girlfriend’s house to check on her, and the next she sends me a breakup message that doesn’t even sound like her.

  What in the actual fuck?

  WHAT THE FUCK?

  The more I looked at it, the madder I became. I was so angry I was shaking.

  Throwing a shirt on, I stormed out of my room in search of my mother. This had her name written all over it.

  I found her in her bedroom. “Mother!”

  “What’s gotten into you, Gavin?”

  “What did you do?” I spat out.

  “What on Earth are you talking about?”

  “Did you say something to Raven?”

  “No. Why? When do I even see that girl anymore?”

  “You swear you didn’t do or say anything to upset her?”

  “Why would I concern myself with her? You’re not seeing her anymore, right?”

  “Right,” I muttered.

  Sadly, that was apparently the case now.

  I examined her eyes. There was no hint of dishonesty in them. If anything, she looked a little concerned for me. Either my mother deserved an Academy Award, or she was telling the truth.

  I walked away in a huff, unsure what to do next. I needed to calm down before going to Ra
ven’s. There was no way I’d disappear from her life without questioning her when she’d broken up with me through a damn email message.

  An email.

  Are you kidding me, Raven?

  I needed her to look me in the eyes and tell me the same things that were in that message. If she could look me in the face and tell me she didn’t care about me anymore, I would walk away—as hard as that might be.

  I couldn’t believe this was happening. It didn’t even feel real. It felt like being in the middle of a nightmare.

  I picked up the phone and dialed Marni.

  She answered, “Yo.”

  “Hey. Have you spoken to Raven?”

  “Not for a few days. Why?”

  “Because she just fucking broke up with me in an email.”

  “What?”

  “Yeah.”

  “That doesn’t sound like her at all.”

  “I know.”

  After a long pause, she said, “Well, shit. I’m sorry, Rich Boy. I really am.”

  “Can you do me a favor? Will you talk to her and tell me what she says?”

  “I’m at work, but I can call her. I won’t lie to her, though. I’ll tell her you asked me to call her.”

  I’d have to accept that. “I don’t care. That’s fine. I just need you to find out whatever you can before I go over there. If this is really what she wants, I have to accept it. But fuck, Marni, I didn’t see this coming. I want to throw up right now.”

  “Damn, Gav. Don’t do that. Let me see what I can find out.”

  “Okay. Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  I spent the next half hour pacing across my room. How could I have been so stupid? Why didn’t I see that she wasn’t happy?

  When the phone rang, I practically leaped across the room to pick it up off my desk.

  “Hey, Marni. Talk to me.”

  “So...I did speak to her.”

  Something about the tone of her voice made my stomach churn even worse.

  My mouth felt dry. “Okay...”