by JL Paul
He snorted which shocked me. “That is different.”
“How?” I challenged. “How am I different?”
“You come from better family.”
I laughed and dropped to the sofa, clutching my stomach. “And how would you know? No one even knows who my father is!”
He whirled around, his face red with anger, and the cigar shook as he jabbed his finger at me. “That is exactly what I am trying to prevent! I don’t want you to end up with a bastard child like your mother and your aunt!”
“And you think that I would be that irresponsible?”
“You’ve already shown me how irresponsible you are,” he said as he took slow, measured steps toward me. “Do you not go to that bar every weekend and leave with that guitar player? Do you not spend the night with him?”
I was flabbergasted even though I knew he knew. I just thought he’d dance around the subject and not say it outright. “How do you know?” I whispered.
A queer smile encompassed his lips after he took a puff off his cigar. “Oh, I know things, Irelyn. I know a lot of things.”
“Maybe it’s none of your business,” I snapped.
“When it comes to my granddaughter and my money, I make it my business,” he said. “You forget that I know people and I have people watching over you.”
I rolled my eyes. “I didn’t know that you actually had friends in low places.” I smiled at my own little joke, though the situation certainly wasn’t funny.
“Don’t get smart, Irelyn,” he warned.
It was on the tip of my tongue to retort with some sarcastic comment about why was he sending me to college if he didn’t want me to get smart – but I held it in. Now was not the time to be childish. “What did you hope to accomplish with this party?” I finally asked, keeping my voice low so he couldn’t hear the tremor.
“It was an experiment,” he said with a slight smirk. “To gauge how far you’d gotten yourself into trouble. I wanted to see if you were seriously considering giving up Dustin Summerlin to pursue some sordid affair with the musician.” He returned to the mantle and crossed his left ankle over his right. “And it looks to me like that’s exactly what you had in mind.”
“What difference does it make to you?” I asked. “Neither of them has interfered with my college education and it’s not like I am going to run off like my mother did.”
“Oh, it makes all the difference,” he said as the fire from his cigar glinted in his eyes. “It makes a world of difference.”
“How do you figure?” I asked as the anger evaporated into a rain cloud of dread.
“I figure,” he said, pausing to give me a reproachful glance, “that you are about to end your relationship with Dustin – or at least continue your shameful affair behind his back. I’ll not tolerate it. I’ll not have my granddaughter traipsing around with a man like that. You’ll date only men of stature and proper heritage.”
It was my turn to snort. “I’m not a horse – you can’t breed me and hope to produce a winner.”
“Don’t be so insolent, Irelyn. That is not my intention.”
I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms over my chest. “And you cannot tell me who I’ll marry. That’s my decision.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” he said with an uncharacteristic shrug. “I cannot tell you who to marry – you are a legal adult after all.” He returned to his chair and that dread cloud grew, threatening a downpour. I knew Grandfather would not give up so easily. “But I can control something else.”
The first drops of dread sprinkled my insides as I scrambled to batten down the hatches in light of the upcoming storm. “Like what?” I asked hoarsely.
“Like your monthly allowance,” he said and again I snorted. Money was not a concern. I was certainly able to get a job. “And, your college education.”
My heart stilled. Would he really not help me with my tuition? Was he that cold-blooded? I’d wanted to go to Dunne-Browling for as long as I could remember – they had an excellent English program and was one of the top schools in the country. Was he threatening to rip that out from under my feet?
“You wouldn’t dare,” I challenged, narrowing my eyes.
“Oh, but I would,” he said with a smug smile. “I’ll not pay for your education while you continue to give your body to that …man.”
I sucked back the tears and swallowed hard. I inhaled deeply and lifted my chin. “So, if I continue to see Lucas, you’ll stop paying my tuition? Right?”
“That is exactly right,” he said. “I’d rather you continue seeing Dustin and I’d like you to actually consider his marriage proposal.”
“This can’t be happening,” I whispered. “You can’t force me to marry him!”
“I’m not forcing you, Irelyn,” he said, his voice a tad softer. “If you do not wish to marry Dustin, I’ll not force you. But I will have a hand in who you date and I will approve of anyone that you wish to marry.”
I shook my head slowly, trying to disperse the dread cloud and clear my mind. I needed to think – to figure a way out of this. I needed to decide what to do. Did I give up the love of my life for a college education? Did I give up an excellent educational opportunity for a man? How could I decide? And why the hell should I have to?
“This is not fair,” I mumbled like a petulant child. “Not at all.”
“And it’s not fair that you’ve been carrying on the way you have while in a relationship with an upstanding young man. It’s not fair that my granddaughter, who I’ve had high hopes for, is turning out like her mother! Life is not fair, Irelyn, and it is about time you figure that out.”
I quickly whisked away a tear that had escaped my eye. I wouldn’t break down here – not in front of him. I would be strong and finish what I’d started. Then I’d run home, tuck my tail between my legs, and have a good cry.
“So, if I don’t marry Dustin, I don’t get to go to Dunne-Browling,” I whispered as a lump of misery collected in the pit of my stomach and snowballed as it climbed my throat.
“No, and I think I mentioned that I’ll not force you to marry Dustin Summerlin. If you don’t wish to marry him, then don’t. But I’ll not allow you to date men that are beneath you – and that includes Lucas Newton.”
I winced to hear his name come from my grandfather’s lips. Apparently, he’d been doing his homework.
“I will not tell you who to marry,” he continued. “But I will tell you who you won’t marry. And while I am paying for your education, I will tell you who you are allowed to date.”
I couldn’t speak. I was horrified. How could something like this happen in this day and age? And how had I let it? But most importantly, how could I get out of it?
“Then, I’ll pay for my own education,” I whispered.
He laughed. “You will? How? Your musician will pay it? Your mother?”
“Maybe,” I spouted petulantly. “I’ll find a way.”
“Not at Dunne-Browling. You forget who is on the Board.”
My blood chilled as I stared him down. He didn’t even blink. “You’d do that?”
He nodded. “And more. You see, it’s not only your education that I fund, remember.”
All the air in my body left me in a whoosh. Would he dare? How could he? “Tommy didn’t do anything wrong,” I muttered. “You can’t punish him.”
“Oh, I’ll not punish him – I’ll show him what happens when I’m crossed by my own flesh and blood.” His eyes bored into mine. “You’re setting an ugly example for him and I’d rather he not choose your type of lifestyle. I’m doing this for your sake and his.”
My chilled blood froze, falling away from me and I couldn’t move. What choice did I have? Maybe I could settle for a lesser school but Tommy…
“I’m not an unreasonable man,” Grandfather continued. “I expect no decisions from you tonight. I’ll give you two weeks to decide what you intend to do and we’ll speak then.”
I nodded, not knowing what else to do. Al
l the fight had fled my body anyway. I rose quickly, wanting only to escape. “Fine.”
“Go home and rest,” he said. He placed a hand on my shoulder but I shrugged it away. “We’ll talk again, soon.”
I darted out of the room and slipped through the front door without any type of farewell. I got back to Bailey’s car and started it. The clock in the dash declared it to be after midnight and I knew my mother would be worried.
But what would I tell her? What would I tell Lucas or Dustin? What would I tell myself? I needed to find a way out of this mess with my heart still intact – and more importantly, Tommy’s future still secure.
***
There were several vehicles parked outside my house – Lucas’s truck included. I was in no mood to face any of them at all. I couldn’t tell them what my grandfather had said. I couldn’t tell them what he had done. I didn’t even want to think about it tonight. Ever the procrastinator, I wanted to push it aside and just slip into my bed and sleep. I wanted to forget everything for about ten hours and sleep blissfully.
As soon as I opened the door, nearly everyone pounced. My mother was the first to reach me.
“Irelyn, where the hell have you been?” she demanded as she placed her hands on my shoulders. “What is wrong? Are you okay?”
I shook off her hands and sighed. “Fine, Mom, okay?” I strolled to Bailey, avoiding everyone’s eyes and tossed her the keys. “Thanks.”
“Sure,” she said, uncertainty glimmering in her eyes. “No problem.”
I stared at her for a few seconds, biting my lip, deliberating what I should do. I wanted to kick everyone out – even Lucas – and collapse on the floor.
I didn’t. Turning around, I headed for the stairs. I stopped on the first one to glance over my shoulder. “Um, thanks for coming and everything but I’m really tired and not in a mood to talk. I’m just going to bed.”
“Irelyn,” Mom said in an authoritative voice. “Where did you go?”
My lips pulled in a frown as I lifted a shoulder. “It doesn’t matter, Mom.”
She stepped closer to me. “I want to know what is going on.”
I shook my head as I glanced briefly at Lucas. My heart fell, shattering at my feet. I loved him. How could I leave him? “No, Mom. Not tonight. Please.”
She started to protest but Lucas crossed the room to rest a hand on her shoulder. “Ms. Colby, let her go to bed. I’m sure she’ll talk to you in the morning.” He lifted his eyes to mine and I nearly lost the weak hold I had on my emotions.
“Thank you,” I whispered so quietly, I wasn’t sure he’d heard me. He nodded, giving me a crinkly-eyed smile. I spun on my heel and ran up the stairs.
I sank to the floor near the door but left it open a crack. I wanted to hear Lucas’s voice so I could close my eyes and pretend he was in the room with me.
“…fine, Ms. Colby,” I heard Morgan say. “You can relax now. I’m sure once she gets some rest, she’ll talk to you.”
“No, something hasn’t been right with her for a while,” Mom said. “And she hasn’t talked me at all.”
“Give her time,” Morgan said.
“This has something to do with my parents, I just know it,” Mom insisted. “I’ll bet anything my father is trying to push Irelyn into marrying Dustin. And I don’t think she wants to. I tried to talk to her about it the other day but she wouldn’t open up.”
“She’s been under a lot of stress lately,” Lucas said, making my heart flip. I didn’t care what he said – I just wanted to listen to him. I had no clue if I’d ever get to hear his voice again after this night.
“I know,” Mom said. “And I know you kids know what’s going on. Now, I don’t expect you to tell me because I know you won’t break her confidence, but, tell me this much – is she in some kind of trouble?”
“No,” Bailey said. “Not at all.”
“Are you sure?” Mom pleaded.
“Yes, Ms. Colby,” Morgan said. “She’s not in trouble, honest. She just has some personal decisions she has to make.”
I smiled, loving Morgan and her sweet, comforting personality. In the short time I’d been rooming with both girls, I’d grown to really love and care for them. They’d turned into the best friends I’d ever had.
The front door banged against the wall, making jump, my eyes wide and my heart pounding in fear. Was someone down there that would hurt my mother or my friends?
“Is she back yet?” Dustin growled in a low, dangerous voice.
“Yes, Dustin, she is,” Mom answered. “But she went to bed. She really needs some rest.”
“And I need to talk to her,” he said. I heard his heavy footsteps cross the room and I leapt to my feet, preparing for a showdown.
“Not tonight,” Mom stressed, her voice harder than normal. “Leave her be.”
“She needs to answer some questions,” Dustin said, determined to confront me.
“Stop,” Lucas said. “You’ll respect this house and the occupants. If Ms. Colby says no, then I’m afraid you’ll have to obey her wishes and leave Irelyn alone.”
My heart surged, making me want to run down the stairs and jump in Lucas’s arms.
“I don’t know what the hell is going on with you people, but I will find out,” Dustin growled. “I know Irelyn confronted Mr. Colby tonight and I want to know why.”
“What are you talking about?” Mom asked. “She went to my father’s house tonight?”
“Yes,” came Dustin’s curt reply.
“Why?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know,” Dustin said. “All I know is that Irelyn damn near attacked me in the bathroom at the bar. She was adamant that I tell her who helped me arrange the party. She screamed at me and for a minute, I thought she would resort to physical violence.”
I heard a chuckle and I imagined it was either Collin or Spencer. I longed to see the look on Dustin’s face. I, too, was slightly amused despite the gravity of the situation.
“My father helped you arrange this party?” Mom asked in disbelief. “He helped arrange a party at a bar for Irelyn?”
“Yes,” Dustin confirmed. “It was his idea.”
I cringed – I knew that my friends had to have guessed why. They needed no explanation.
“Why?” Mom asked.
“I don’t know,” Dustin said. “He just told me that he would arrange and fund the whole thing. I just had to invite a few people.”
“Did you hire us or did Mr. Colby?” Lucas asked, a strain in his voice.
“Mr. Colby,” Dustin said. “He told me he did when I spoke to him Friday night.”
“I see,” Lucas said.
“Mr. Colby told me that if I planned to propose to Irelyn that I would need to do it in a way that would totally surprise her. He said that Irelyn liked to go to this bar and listen to your band and that he’d arranged to have the bar and the band for the night. He said that Irelyn wouldn’t expect a proposal and that I could do it then.”
I cringed, my despair cloud swirling into an angry tornado again. I longed to charge down the stairs to punch Dustin – even though I knew it wasn’t his fault. My grandfather had set us both up to be slaughtered. Maybe I deserved it but Dustin certainly didn’t.
But I couldn’t face him – couldn’t face either of them. Not yet. Not while I had this decision to make.
“Why would he do that?” my mother agonized. “She was so confused about things just the other morning. Why would he set this whole thing up when neither one of you are ready?”
“I am ready,” Dustin declared. “I’ll marry her tomorrow if she’ll have me.”
“Dustin, I think you need to leave,” Mom said gently. “I think all of you need to leave and let Irelyn rest. Lucas is right about that. And Dustin, I don’t think you should pressure her to marry you right now. I know you love her, honey, but she’s a little stressed. Why don’t you wait until she calls you – don’t call her.”
I didn’t hear his reply – didn’t know if he did
reply. All I knew at that moment was that I loved my mother with all my heart and no matter what my grandfather said – she was an amazing woman.
The door opened and closed among low murmurs of goodbyes and ‘call me’ and ‘see you later’. When I heard the door close for the last time, I eased the bedroom door all the way shut, changed into a t-shirt, and climbed into my bed.
I stared at the ceiling as my mother’s footsteps sounded in the hall. They paused by my door momentarily then continued on to her room. I released a sigh of relief and closed my eyes to my swirling thoughts.
What the hell was I going to do?
Chapter 18
I didn’t sleep at all that night but I remained in my bed with my head buried under the blankets until my mother finally stormed into the room and ripped them back late the next morning.
“Irelyn, I demand to know what the hell is going on,” she said, her cheeks flushed and her eyes uncertain. “I am your mother and I have a right to know what has you so upset.”
I knew this moment would come and in all my mind-tossing and pondering and thinking, I hadn’t a clue what to tell her. She didn’t know the whole, ugly truth. I still needed one person on my side.
I heaved a huge sigh as I threw my legs over the side of the bed. Rubbing my messy hair, I lifted my eyes to my mother. “Mom, this is between me and Grandfather. I’m sorry, really I am. I need to figure out what I am going to do and once I make that decision, I’ll come to you and tell you the entire truth.”
“I don’t like being kept in the dark,” she said. “Especially when something has you so upset. Irelyn, I’ve never seen you like this.”
“And I’ve never had to deal with something like this before,” I said as I stood to wrap my arms around her waist. I kissed her cheek. “But you are an amazing woman and I love you very much.”
She drew back, startled. “You’re not sick, are you?” Oh, please tell me you’re not sick!”
Smiling, I pecked her cheek. “Nope, healthy as a horse.”
She continued to eye me, her mouth pressed in a hard line. “Okay, honey, I’ll let it go for now but only because I trust you – you’re such a good girl who usually always makes good choices.”