Playing Pretend

by Juliana Haygert

  Donnie adjusted the tie around his neck. “Anyway, what do you want here? To try to make another deal? I won’t accept anything, unless it’s to pay you to leave the city and never come back.”

  Punch line. I wasn’t expecting that part, but it would be a great addition.

  I stood. “Well, then I won’t even bother you with details.”

  I turned and walked to the door.

  “Mr. Rowell,” Donnie called. I halted and looked at him. He had a winning grin intended for me. “Don’t worry. I’ll take good care of her.”

  Rage filled my veins and I clenched my fists, holding it all in, before I lunged over his desk and squeezed that stupid smirk from his pompous face.

  I nodded, not trusting that I wouldn’t insult him if I opened my mouth and then ruin my plan.

  As much as I wanted to run out, I forced myself to walk calmly out of his office, into the elevator, through the lobby, and out of the building.

  Then, I didn’t hold back. I exhaled through my mouth and rolled my shoulders. I counted to fifty, thinking of a peaceful beach, the waves breaking on the sand. Charlotte sprawled on a beach blanket, and me seated beside her.

  A little better, I fished my phone from my pocket and pressed the big red button on the screen, turning off the recording. Donnie’s reputation was in the palm of my hand, and he didn’t even know it.

  Chapter Twenty

  Charlotte

  Liana and I had barely slept all night. Instead, we lay on her bed and talked. We talked about what happened, about how stupid I was for not suspecting anything, about Mason and how much of a jerk he was, about what I would do with my life from now on.

  I had a couple of options. I could face the press and tell them what my mother wanted me to, but not act as innocent and betrayed as she wanted me to, then move on as I wanted. I would apply to another university—and hope there was still time to be accepted since it was the middle of August already—change my major; find an apartment; and find a part-time job, because the money I had in the bank wouldn’t last forever and I was sure, by now, my mother had frozen my trust fund and cut me from our other joint accounts.

  Or I could move somewhere else. A small town—far away from here and uninterested in politics. Or move to Europe where no one would know who I was.

  I wasn’t ready for all that though. I needed more time. Time to heal, time to think, and time to find my ground again.

  In the morning, Liana’s parents went to work, Liana went to one of her classes, and I stayed alone. I moved from Liana’s room to the living room and sank on the couch, hugging a pillow and taking short naps between reruns of Once Upon a Time.

  At lunchtime, Liana burst through the front door.

  “Charlotte, you won’t believe what just happened.”

  I sat straighter, afraid the press had found me, and now they were harassing Liana and her family. “What?”

  With her cell phone in her hand, she sat down beside me.

  “Don’t panic, okay. Just listen first.”

  I sucked in a sharp breath. Oh, Lord. “Tell me.”

  “Mason contacted me through Facebook. He said you weren’t answering him anywhere and he had something urgent to show you. I ignored his messages, but then he sent this one.”

  She turned her phone to me so I could read it.

  Mason: Liana, please. I didn’t send those photos to the press, but I know who did and I can prove it. Please, call me.

  A pang stabbed my heart. What now? “Did you answer?”

  “Wasn’t going to, but something told me I should. I called him and we met right after my class, just off campus. He had a recording with him and I listened to it.”

  “And?”

  “He sent it to me through email, and I want you to hear it.” She went to the files in her phone and selected a voice recording. “Are you ready?”

  Not really, but I nodded.

  She pressed play and I held my breath. Soon, I heard Donnie and Mason’s voices. In a shock, I heard to the entire recording.

  Something like anxiety and rage and disappointed and frustration and a whole bunch of other feelings assaulted me.

  “Holy crap,” I said shakily.

  “I know!” Liana took my hand and steadied it. “It wasn’t Mason! He told me that Donnie discovered you two, had the both of you followed, and then went to Mason and threatened him. He said if Mason didn’t break up with you, Donnie would send those pictures to a newspaper. Mason didn’t believe him because he thought Donnie wouldn’t do that to you, but Donnie did! And you thought it was Mason’s fault.” She smiled at me. “But Mason cares so much about you; he found a way to let you know the truth.”

  I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know what to think.

  For one, Mason hadn’t accepted the deal with Donnie, and he let Donnie expose us. Sure, if it were me, I would also think Donnie was bluffing. He would never do that to me. But he did. Donnie was the one responsible for this mess. He was the one responsible for damaging my mother’s career.

  Not Mason.

  Oh, crap, Mason. Relief coursed through me, sending all the hate and pain away. My feelings for him, the ones I had kept locked away since this bomb exploded yesterday morning and thought I would never allow myself to feel again, resurfaced and I welcomed them.

  With a tiny smile, I reached for my phone, but then I remembered it was stashed in Liana’s bedroom, turned off since yesterday.

  “What are you going to do now?” Liana asked.

  I frowned, thinking about it for a moment. “I need to find a way to fix this.”

  ***

  Charlotte

  Without wasting time, I called my mother’s assistant and asked her if my mother was having dinner in.

  “No, but tomorrow she has a dinner scheduled with Senator Williams,” Sarah said.

  “Oh, do you think I could stop by? I need to talk to her.”

  “I think so.” She paused. “I know she’s upset but I know she really loves you, in her way. She’ll like it if you two can patch things up.”

  That wasn’t exactly my plan.

  “All right. I’ll be there,” I said. “Don’t tell her anything. I want it to be a surprise.”

  “Okay. I won’t say anything,” Sarah responded.

  Good. Next, I called Donnie and asked him to have dinner tomorrow with my mother and me at the Executive Mansion, if he could.

  “For you, I can,” he said, sounding way too happy.

  “Great. See you tomorrow.” I turned off the call before he could say anything else and try to keep the conversation going.

  The next day, I arrived at the mansion a little past six. Sarah met me at the front door and guided me to the empty dining room, where the table was set for two people.

  “Your mother will be here in fifteen minutes,” she said.

  I took my usual chair at the table. “Thanks.”

  With nothing to do, I looked around the formal dining room. Dark wood floors were polished to a perfect shine, the walls were dull white, big windows were covered with lush curtains, a crystal chandelier hung above the mahogany table, and several chairs with beige velvet cushions were set around the table. A china hutch stood against a wall, showing off all the crystal flutes and glasses, and a few crystal picture frames. My mother behind her desk on the first day as the governor of Virginia, my mother and I at my Sweet Sixteen birthday party—which was exactly how she wanted it, not how I wanted it—my father and her on their wedding day, and one of my father in his military uniform in front of a platoon somewhere in the world. Every picture on display had been carefully selected to show off our happy family and our accomplishments.

  The doorbell rang, catching my attention.

  Soon, I heard voices. Donnie must have arrived and my mother didn’t even know I was here yet. The voices grew louder until my mother, Donnie, and his father stepped into the dining room. Then silence reigned for a few moments.

  “Charlotte,” my mother said my
name as in a prayer, and I felt bad for deciding to confront Donnie before her and his father.

  I stood. “Hi, Mother. Hello, Senator Williams. Donnie.”

  Donnie smiled. “Hi, Charlotte. How are you?”

  Not very well. I gestured to the table. “Let’s sit and talk.”

  My mother took her usual place at the head of the table. Senator Williams sat across from me, and Donnie sat by my side.

  As if on cue, one of the maids appeared with two sets of plates, cutlery, and glasses. Then two other maids brought the food to the table.

  When they disappeared into the kitchen, my mother turned to me. “This is a wonderful surprise.”

  I wouldn’t let her shift me off track. “We need to talk.”

  “Of course,” she said.

  “Mom, I want to tell you about me. I like to draw and roller-skate. Tracy isn’t my best friend—Liana is. And MaryAnn and Becca. The three of them are not rich, but they aren’t poor either. Speaking of people without money, I was dating Mason, the guy the newspaper accused of sending those photos.”

  My mother cringed. “Charlotte, why are you telling us this?”

  “Mason is a simple guy from California, who has little money, and he’s not ashamed of it. I wasn’t ashamed of it.” My mother gasped, but I kept on going, “You also don’t know that Donnie found out about this guy and me. Donnie sent someone to follow me, taking pictures of everything I did, and then he threatened Mason. If Mason didn’t break up with me, Donnie would send the pictures to the newspapers.”

  “That’s not true,” Donnie interjected.

  I pulled out my phone from inside my purse and put it on the table, in a place everyone would hear it. I pressed play on the voice recording of Donnie talking with Mason about the threat, the blackmail, and the pictures.

  My mother gasped, Senator Williams pressed his mouth into a thin line, and Donnie looked everywhere but at me.

  “There,” I said, taking my phone back. “It’s all out in the open. You can’t blackmail me or Mason anymore.” I turned to my mother. “And you can stop blaming Mason and me for what happened.”

  Surprising me, my mother was the first one to speak. “When we agreed to have Donnie and Charlotte together, I didn’t think you would stoop this low, Senator Williams.”

  He shrugged. “I had to do what I had to do.”

  A new bomb had been armed. “What?”

  My mother looked at me with shielded eyes. “Some time ago, Senator Williams and I agreed that you and Donnie should be together. You could be wonderful together, even if you didn’t want to pursue a political life. You would be the perfect wife for an important politician. We knew this and we knew the entire country couldn’t help but fall in love with you two, leading Donnie to be everything, including president of this country in the future. I thought your relationship with Donnie would happen naturally if he was always by your side, here and at every event we attended, if he asked you out on dates.”

  I gaped at Donnie. “You knew of this agreement?”

  He nodded. “When they told me, I was all in. Come on. Look at you. You’re gorgeous. If I have to spend the rest of my life with the same woman, you are the perfect candidate.”

  “Holy crap,” I muttered, feeling like a used plastic bag.

  My mother reached for my hand. “I’m sorry, Charlotte. I just wanted what was best for you. I never thought this would happen. I didn’t know what they were doing to keep our agreements.”

  I pulled my hand away from her. “I can’t believe this. First, you want me to live a life I don’t like. Please, respect me. Learn to respect me, to respect who I am and what I like. Only this way we’ll be mother and daughter again. And you can start by sending these two out.” I pointed to Donnie and his father.

  “Don’t underestimate me, girl,” Senator Williams said, his voice outraged.

  I shook my head at him. “I don’t. I knew certain politicians used all the resources available to get what they want. I never thought you would be one of those. Worse of all, you went too far. I won’t let you or your son treat me like a doll that can be bought and used for whatever you like. I have my own dreams, my own path, and I want distance from both of you.”

  My mother looked at them, and for a moment, I thought she wouldn’t do anything. “I lost my husband. I won’t lose my daughter. I’m sorry, Senator Williams, but I need to ask you to leave.”

  The man glared at her. “You do know what this means? Our alliance will be compromised. You won’t have my support anymore.”

  “And you won’t have mine,” she said. “I’m okay with that.”

  Senator Williams punched the table.

  “Don’t forget I have this recording,” I said, showing him my phone. “I can send this to the press at any time if you don’t leave us alone.”

  With his fists clenched, Senator Williams stood. “You’ll regret this,” he barked. “Let’s go, son.”

  With an uncertain frown, Donnie looked at me. “I’m sorry for having hurt you. It wasn’t my intention.” Really? Either way his plan went, I would end up hurt. “I just like you too much and I had to do what I could so I wouldn’t lose you. I hope one day you can forgive me.”

  In his dreams.

  The men left and I sagged in my chair, feeling as if a thousand-pound boulder had been lifted from my chest.

  “Please believe me when I say this, I didn’t know they would go this far,” my mother said. “Though, I still can’t believe Senator Williams and Donnie would do this to us.”

  “I know, but I also know that you made this damn agreement with them. You totally ignored me.” I should hate her right now, but she had also been hurt. Her beloved career had been tainted and I had to respect that. I guess we both could sympathize with the situation.

  “I’m sorry.” Tears brimmed in her eyes. “Can you forgive me?”

  “I’ll need a little time for that.”

  “I understand.” She paused before putting on her business hat again. “We still have a big mess to clean up.”

  “Well, if you let me help, I think I have an idea about that.”

  She patted my hand. “How about you tell me about it over dinner?”

  I wasn’t sure that was the best idea. I needed some time away from her. I wanted distance from everything and everyone. I wanted to dive into a bed, hug a fluffy pillow, and sleep for two weeks at least, while my mind healed of everything I had just learned. I had to figure out who I was and what I wanted without anyone’s influences.

  I should go and leave the patching-up for some other day, but the hopeful shine in her eyes melted my resolve.

  “All right. We can discuss it over dinner,” I said.

  My mother squeezed my hand, and then reached for the wine.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Mason

  I entered the diner and found David in the same corner booth as two days ago.

  “Hey,” he said as I sat across the table from him. “How is work?”

  “Good. Had a long meeting this morning about the new bridge project they are trying to snatch.”

  “That’s exciting,” he said, looking up from the menu.

  True. But having been accepted into an entry engineering job was the only exciting part of my life right now. Classes would start next week and I wasn’t even excited about that. Ever since the big mess with the photos of Charlotte and me two weeks ago, any excitement was gone.

  After I had given the recording to Liana, I thought Charlotte would call me and tell me she understood I hadn’t done anything, that she still wanted to be with me. But she didn’t. I called Liana and she said Charlotte needed time.

  Time for what? To process the fact that I wasn’t the one to blame?

  I sighed. This project could raise my spirits a bit though, and I hoped my company snatched it.

  “Are you ordering the usual?” David asked, returning his attention to the menu.

  Probably out of pity over my state, David started
meeting me for lunch. I guess he just wanted to make sure I wouldn’t become depressed and kill myself. I missed Charlotte; I loved Charlotte. I was dying that she was ignoring me, that this time she needed was taking too long, that maybe the time she needed had become permanent and she didn’t want to talk to me or see me ever again, but I wouldn’t kill myself. David and his paranoia.

  “Yes,” I said, checking my phone. No messages, no calls, no emails. Not from Charlotte, at least.

  I didn’t know the details, but three days after I gave the recording to Liana, Governor McClain and Senator Williams had an argument during an event, and rumor had it, it was because of Charlotte and Donnie. Two days after that, Charlotte and her mother had a press conference. They explained that a man who worked at the Executive Mansion had snooped through Charlotte’s things and he had been fired. To retaliate, he started following Charlotte and then sent the photos to the press in my name. Of course, the reporters wanted to know who the man was, but the governor said the police were dealing with him now.

  Then Charlotte spoke, telling the public about her. She said she loved drawing and roller-skating, that she was applying to art school, though it was probably too late to get in this semester. Reporters asked about me and she said, “I was in love.” As simple as that, and it made my heart beat faster. Right then, I tried calling her. This time, it didn’t even go to the voice mail. It was as if the line had been canceled.

  Four days later, Charlotte showed up at a fundraiser with her mother. It seemed the press had forgiven them, especially Charlotte, because being in love explained everything, didn’t it? Well, not to me.

  “Earth to Mason.” David snapped his fingers in front of my face.

  “Yeah, here. Sorry.”

  “Thinking of her again?”

  I shrugged. I was saved from saying anything else when the waitress appeared to take our orders.

  “So,” David started, and I already knew it wasn’t a good thing. “I have this event on Saturday and I was thinking you could come with me.”