by SM Olivier
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“What in the world?” Golden asked in confusion as we rolled up to the gates of my grandpa’s mansion.
Up until today, I wasn’t even aware of the fact that they had gates that closed. We generally rolled through two pillars with ornate lights affixed at the tops. The posts were approximately twelve-feet tall, with the letter D on both sides of the brick structure. A ten-foot-high, black wrought iron fence was attached to the pillars, encircling the ten acres of Delaney land.
Two men dressed in all-black suits approached our vehicle. They looked like secret service agents, what with earbuds attached to their ears.
“Identification, please,” the man commanded as his comrade pulled out a clipboard.
I pulled out my cellphone case and withdrew my ID from the little pocket that was attached to it. I didn’t like carrying a purse, so my nifty cellphone case came in handy to hold all my necessities.
I noticed that the guys started to dig into their wallets to pull theirs out as well. We all handed them to Golden since he was in the driver’s seat.
Golden had insisted that we ride together in the Denali. He didn’t think it was necessary to drive several different vehicles if the six of us could comfortably fit in the SUV.
“You’re not on the list,” the man said after a few moments. He handed the IDs back to Golden.
I started to dial my grandfather immediately, determined not to let this bother me. I had thirty minutes before the press conference was supposed to start. Grandpa already informed me that they wanted to have us set up and make sure all the cameras and mics were working before we went live.
Kyler went to lean forward from the passenger seat, but I put a staying hand on his shoulder.
“I’m calling my grandpa right now,” I informed the men. “I’m Peyton Delaney. Claire …my half-sister, was the one taken. They are expecting me.”
They both gave me suspicious looks, and I refrained from rolling my eyes. The Delaneys lived here, not the Trumps. I understood the need for caution, especially in this tense situation, but they could clearly see that my ID bore the same name as the inhabitants of the mansion.
The phone was finally picked up, and I recognized Henry’s voice immediately. “Henry, they won’t allow me and the guys in,” I said without preamble.
“Hello to you, too. I’ll fix it immediately, Peyton,” Henry stated with a small smile in his voice.
“Sorry!” I blurted out immediately, realizing how rude I must have sounded. “Hi, Henry, and thanks.”
“I’ll see you shortly,” he said in amusement.
I knew Henry addressed the others in the house with formality, but after our third or fourth meeting, I begged him to call me Peyton. I didn’t want to be Miss Peyton or Miss Delaney. Just because my family had money didn’t mean I should demand his respect with all that conventionalism. I had finally worn him down, so now I was only Peyton. It may have taken a batch or two of Mam’s famous brownies, but I had done it.
I heard a buzzing noise come from a communications box near the pillar. Again, I had never even noticed it. One of the men walked towards it and murmured something. He returned within seconds.
“Sorry about that.” He smiled. “I’ll just write your names in.”
I nearly snorted aloud. Wow, how quickly their behavior towards us changed. SMH.
Yes, I was thinking in text.
Moments later, the gates were opened, and we proceeded up the long driveway. I could already see some of the news vans in place, and it looked like some of Catherine’s and David’s friends were in attendance as well.
“Are you okay?” Zane asked as he squeezed my hand.
I shook my head. “I… don't know. If it weren’t for Grandpa, I wouldn’t even be here. The only reason David asked me to be here is because he was advised to. David’s youngest daughter disappeared seventy-two hours ago, and he’s more worried about how he presents himself to the public and his political aspirations than he is about her. If I ever question or bemoan my past ever again, please remind me about this day. I know now I’m exactly where I should be. My life wasn’t glamorous, but my eyes are wide open. Poor Claire probably won’t even know that she is just another pawn to be used on David’s chessboard.”
“You’re kidding, right?” Paxton asked with a slack jaw. “He really just invited you here for a possible seat in office?”
I nodded. “I lost it on him today, but in the end, it doesn’t matter how I feel about the rest of them. I’m here for Grandpa. Eventually, all of David’s wrongs will catch up to him.”
“We can only hope.” Golden sneered as he pulled up to the mansion.
Up ahead, I noticed Mr. Isaacs was taking Clay out of his car seat. I hadn’t expected him to be here. I was happy to hear that he put Lindsey in her place. I longed to go give him a hug for doubting him, but there were already too many people milling around.
I could see Grandpa sitting on a wooden swing that was attached to a tree near the fence line. Maisie was sitting on his lap, happily chattering to him.
It warmed my heart to see how well they got along. Grandpa provided Maisie with a figure that didn’t exist in her life and hadn’t existed since she was initially placed with the Isaacs. Maisie was the sweet, loving, and sometimes way too precocious little girl that adored him as none of his granddaughters ever had. Their bond was instantaneous and beautiful to behold. I was sure it was helping Grandpa to have her near right now. Hopefully, she could ease the fear and the ghost, that plagued him.
A crew of people set up a podium at the top of the concrete steps that led up to the mansion. Dylan was sitting on one of the marble benches that lay between the columns and door. He looked thoroughly bored as he hunched down in his seat and played on his phone. He was wearing a black suit with a white button-down shirt and a maroon tie.
As I climbed out of the vehicle with Zane holding my hand, I noticed Leah leaving the house. Nan and Flossie were shadowing her. It took me a moment to realize Catherine dressed me and Leah nearly identically. Her cashmere sweater was maroon, and her pleated skirt was white. She had tucked her shirt into her skirt, whereas I had left mine out.
I chose to tuck my shirt in before they had a chance to mock me. I wanted to reduce as many interactions with them as possible.
“Unbelievable,” I heard Golden mutter as Catherine and David exited the house together.
Catherine was dressed in a sleeveless fitted maroon dress that looked like she was attending a formal dinner party, and David was dressed identically to Dylan. It appeared like we were all dressed for a family portrait. Like those ostentatious paintings that hung over a fireplace. That’s precisely what we all looked like; we were getting ready to pose for our family photos.
“You can say that again.” I sighed.
“Ready?” Mr. Isaacs asked, startling me.
I didn’t even hear him approach. He gave me an apologetic look before he drew me into his arms. I was surprised that he was openly affectionate, but I was in no hurry to push him away. In fact, I melted in his arms with Clay’s sleeping form cradled between us.
“Don’t let them get to you,” Mr. Isaacs murmured as he brushed his lips against my temple.
I nodded.
“Ready, Peyton?” Grandpa asked as he walked up, holding Maisie’s hand.
One thing I loved about Grandpa was his ability to be blunt one moment, but hold his counsel the next. I knew he saw how most of the guys were affectionate with me, one way or another, but he never questioned it. He acted like it was perfectly natural to have six men doting on me. Granted, Mr. Isaacs rarely made physical contact, and Crew was reserved with his affections, but he had witnessed them all touching me at one point or another.
“You got this,” Kyler murmured as he gently squeezed my shoulder.
I faked a smile towards Grandpa and nodded. “As much as I’ll ever be,” I mumbled.
●
It wasn’t long before we were all situated as David wante
d us. He and Catherine took front and center, while Dylan stood on his mother’s far-right and Leah stood on David’s left. David attempted to have me standing beside Dylan, on the end, but Grandpa immediately said he was standing next to Leah, while I stood on the outside of him.
I knew he didn’t do it to separate me from them. It was more like he was protecting me against them. Leah nearly had a meltdown when she saw me. Then she threatened to return inside when she realized I was dressed identically to the family. It took a few bribes from David before she agreed to take her spot.
I barely registered any of David’s words as he spoke to the camera. Instead, I looped an arm around Grandpa’s waist as he placed an arm over my shoulders. I stared at a point in the distance. Every now and then I felt Grandpa squeeze my shoulder, and I would feel a slight tremor in his thin frame.
It was easy to forget that Grandpa was in remission at times. He seemed so full of life and determination. It was in moments like this, that I took notice of what cancer and chemotherapy had done to his once robust frame.
“Please,” Catherine pleaded into the camera, suddenly, “If you have our little Claire, please return her. We’ll wire you money, no questions asked.”
I felt Grandpa stiffen beside me, and I could see Officer Pope at the bottom of the stairs, close his eyes and pinch the bridge of his nose. He was among at least six different news outlets and their crew, plus a few other detectives that were assigned to the case. There were about forty friends of the Delaneys present as well.
I thought I had been taking things overboard with wanting my guys here. I needed their emotional support, but the Delaneys brought it to a whole new level. The more I saw how they behaved, I began to wonder if any of the Delaneys expressed authentic emotions. The moment the cameras came on, it was like they had all changed right in front of my eyes. Only Catherine and Grandpa seemed to have authentic emotions.
Leah had turned on the weeping, but she seemed mindful of her makeup as she daintily wiped at her tears. It looked so fake, because she made sure to toss her head so that her carefully styled hair rippled its full effect, her eyes always on the cameras. Dylan kept biting his lip as he hunched his shoulders forward. I would have believed he was distraught, if he wasn’t constantly playing with his phone. David was more affectionate than I had ever witnessed, alternating between rubbing Catherine’s back and Leah’s. Even Leah seemed momentarily stunned by his comforting gesture.
Catherine seemed genuinely devastated by the disappearance of her daughter. Her makeup couldn’t hide her bloodshot eyes, and she hadn’t stopped trembling since she stepped outside. I think she had chosen our clothing to look picture-perfect, but I didn’t believe she did it out of the same place David had.
“The family will now take questions, only if they don’t interfere with the investigation,” Peter, David’s lawyer, stated from the other side of Dylan. Dylan hastily slipped his phone into his pocket.
I saw Officer Pope shake his head once more. I wondered if he had advised them on what they should or shouldn’t do. Catherine offering ransom money, and the family taking questions, probably weren’t among the things he thought were conducive to an investigation.
“Mr. Delaney, with the disappearance of your sister eleven years ago, and now your own daughter, do you think these incidents are related?” a reporter called out.
Another reporter shouted, “Do you plan to have to increase security for Dylan and Leah?”
“Is it true that you have another daughter from your mistress?” another man asked.
I cringed as I squeezed Grandpa’s waist. Grandpa squeezed my shoulders in return. I knew the reporters were already given sheets of questions approved by David’s lawyers, but it now sounded like they were going off-script.
“We have hired bodyguards for Dylan and Leah,” David answered. “And we’d like to refrain from commenting on the coincidence of my sister’s and Claire’s disappearances.”
David had a smooth, politician’s smile on his face but without looking too happy. I must have gotten part of my acting skills from him.
“What about your other daughter’s security?” a reporter chirped up. “Is she your mistress’s? And is it true that Claire was meeting older men off the internet prior to her disappearance?”
I sighed. I wish they could just leave me out of this. From the way Catherine flinched every time I was mentioned, she didn’t like this line of questioning either.
“I do not, nor have I ever had a mistress. My other…daughter was a result of two young teens making poor decisions. Peyton has refused the offer of bodyguards, and I am not at liberty to discuss the details of Claire’s actions prior to her abduction,” David said smoothly, although I saw the muscle in his jaw clench.
“I’ve heard enough,” Grandpa muttered to me. “Let’s go eat. I’m in the mood for Italian. How about you?”
I gave him a relieved smile, especially as I noticed the cameras turning my way. “I haven’t eaten since breakfast,” I admitted. “Anything sounds good to me.”
“Good.” He smiled and nodded at me. “I already stowed my overnight bag in Lochlann’s car. Let’s leave this circus for tonight, hmm?”
I stifled my laughter, glad to see the light back in my Grandpa’s eyes. I hated to see him hurting and not knowing what to do. I nodded, and he took my hand before he started to lead me into the house.
I could hear the reporters yelling at us. David called out to his father, but Grandpa seemed oblivious to it all as he ushered me into the house, closing the door firmly behind us.
Henry appeared. “I informed Lochlann and Kyler to meet you at Peyton’s house. The golf cart is ready to take you out the back,” he said with a mischievous smile.
“Thanks, Henry,” Grandpa said, patting his shoulder. “Are you sure you don’t want to accompany me?”
Henry drew himself up to his full height. At times, he reminded me of Lurch on The Addams Family, both in stature and stern countenance. “Someone needs to keep their ears open around here,” he said with a mock serious expression.
Grandpa laughed. “Remind me to give you another raise.”
“Not necessary, sir. You pay me more than enough.” Henry shook his head. “However, Peyton, if you were to travel this way anytime soon, I wouldn’t mind some of your brownies.”
I laughed. “Even if I’m not out this way, I’ll bring you some soon.”
10
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It’s my Party, and I’ll Cry if I want to…
It felt weird returning back to school after being gone for three days. Usually, that wouldn’t feel like much, but a lot had happened since I initially boarded the bus for our away-game last Friday. With all the crazy things that had occurred since then, I could only imagine the powder keg I was walking into.
I’m sure rumors had already circulated about me possibly aborting or miscarrying Crew’s child. I already had to avoid Jana, Crew’s ex, at all costs, ever since she had attacked me a little over a week ago. I could only imagine her mental state right now. She still glared at me in the halls when Crew wasn’t around, and I knew the bitch was crazy enough to hurt me. She made Leah’s insanity look like a walk in the park.
Then I had to face the fact that at least a quarter of the school probably witnessed me confronting Claire, hours before she had disappeared. The guys already had to tell several people that I had nothing to do with her disappearance. They informed them that, just because Claire was headed to my house, it didn’t mean I had invited her or had even been aware of her intentions.
We couldn’t forget last night when I was officially and publicly recognized as David’s daughter. Little did they know it was all a publicity stunt. Leah and Dylan were bound to be upset with me. So in turn, their friends would strike out as well. They had convinced one-third of the school that I was an attention seeking whore and that I was their cousin, not their sister. They even claimed to have DNA proof.
“We got your back,” Zane stated quietly
from the driver’s seat.
I feigned a smile. “I know, thanks.”
I didn’t doubt that the guys tried to protect me at all costs. I couldn’t be any luckier when it came to finding men who truly cared for me. Our relationship may have just started, but it had already been tested so many times. We stumbled and we faltered, but we continued to get back up, together.
“Let’s get to lunch, I’m starving, and this food’s been tantalizing me,” Zane said in an upbeat tone as if he felt how leery I was to leave the vehicle. He jumped out of his seat and rounded the SUV to my side.
I knew better than to get out on my own. Some women didn’t appreciate having their doors opened, but I enjoyed it. Zane, Kyler, and Mr. Isaacs did it like it was second nature to them. The others were hit or miss. I didn’t expect them to, and I wasn’t perturbed when they forgot, but it was nice, nonetheless. It made me feel…special when they did.
“Me too,” I admitted.
Zane immediately took my hand. He suddenly started to fidget as we walked to the school’s entrance, and I was confused by this side of him. He was always so self-assured and confident.
“After practice today, I’m heading back to my house. Can I pick you up from class and take you home with me?” he asked. “I’d like to study without all the distractions.”
Since I came into their lives, it seemed like Zane and Crew were a fixture at the Isaac's house. I knew Zane came over most of the time because his house could get too silent at times. He was an only child to a mother that worked long hours. He was social by nature, and the Isaacs’ house provided a lot of that.
As far as Crew was concerned, I think he just liked the stability and home environment we offered at the Isaacs’. All the home-cooked meals were prepared−mostly by me—and Crew’s culinary skills were abysmal. Unless he could microwave it or stick it in the oven without much prep, he wouldn’t attempt cooking.
I nodded immediately. “That sounds good to me. I haven’t been able to concentrate among the chaos either, so that can work. Grandpa and Mr. Jenkins are taking Maisie fishing, and the rest of the guys can fend for themselves tonight.”