by Zoe Ashton
“You all seem to love Damien, especially mom,” I said, and a lopsided smile appeared on his face.
“Of course, he’s a great guy. But, nobody is more important to us than our daughters. So, no amount of charm will be able to steal our affections from you,” he said in a soft voice, and I felt hot tears prick the back of my eyelids. I knew I would burst out crying. Admit everything to him. My lips were already quivering.
“I’ll try and keep your mother busy while you two sort it out. I know that sometimes she can come on a bit strong, but she means well,” Oscar said, and I nodded my head.
“I want to make her happy,” I said and rubbed my eyes with my knuckles.
“Nothing will make her as happy as seeing you happy,” Oscar said, getting up.
“You should rest now if you want to feel better. We’ve already started the prep for the party,” he added, and I slid back down under the covers.
“I’m sorry I can’t help, Oscar. I’m just not up for it,” I told him, and he waved his hand at me dismissively.
“We have enough pairs of hands for that. You feel better soon. I’ll keep your mother distracted for some time,” he said as he walked to my bedroom door and left.
I sank back into the coolness of my bed sheets and tried to close my eyes. I was so guilty for doing this to them. Of lying to them for so long, carrying out this big deception just to keep my dignity. I had managed to forget just how much support they had given me through my life. Damien was right; nothing was worth pushing my family away for.
Chapter 16
Damien
I hadn’t come prepared for a big party, and as it turned out; none of the others were too fancily dressed anyway. When I went back into Mabel’s bedroom to change, she was missing from the room. I dressed myself in her bathroom in a pair of formal black pants and a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up.
People had already started arriving to the house, who Shelly and the others were introducing me to now.
“Where’s Mabel?” Elsie asked me at one point when the house had filled with their friends and family.
“She’s not been too well today,” Oscar interrupted us and, giving me an encouraging look, he distracted Elsie away from me. I wondered if he knew what was going on and if Mabel had already confided in him.
Nonetheless, I didn’t have much free time to think about Mabel because Shelly was busy introducing me to her friends. Everyone was happy to see me, and I was starkly aware that I was the first guy who Mabel had brought home and introduced to the family. Everyone had loads of questions, and I had already spent some time repeating answers, shaking hands and laughing at jokes.
Till Mabel finally emerged. Apparently, she had gone for a walk outside because she came in through the front door. She had changed into a fashionable little black dress and wore high silver heels on her feet. She’d left her bronze hair open, and it fell like a sleek shining curtain around her shoulders. I noticed how her green eyes were shining and that her cheeks were flushed.
Once she had stepped into the house, I noted that Mabel had a completely changed persona as compared to the morning. She was gushing and warm, exchanging hugs with family members and friends and when she caught my eye, she gave me a smile.
I wasn’t sure if she had changed her mind about me, or she was just being polite in front of the others. Either way, I couldn’t help but admire her from a distance. She looked strikingly beautiful and poised, and the permanent smile on her face suited her. I was reminded of why I was originally attracted to her at the gym. Why I’d gone up and spoken to her that day. There was something strong and magnetic about Mabel that I couldn’t shake off.
“You must be Damien. I’m Mabel’s aunt Helen,” an older woman had found me by myself.
“Hello, yes I’m Damien. It’s so good to meet you,” I said to Helen, and she patted me on my arm. I was a little embarrassed because she had caught me staring at Mabel at the other end of the room.
“We are all so very excited to see you here, Damien. Shelly has been going on about how Mabel has a lovely new boyfriend, and we were surprised that she’d kept you hidden away for so long,” Helen continued, and I cleared my throat.
“We’ve been busy, unfortunately. Well, I’ve been busy, and I couldn’t get away from work before this,” I told her and took a quick sip of my beer. Helen was smiling at me and looking into my eyes searchingly.
“Our Mabel is a difficult one, but she has a heart of gold. You take care of her now,” Helen said, a little more seriously now, and I tried to smile at her. The guilt that Mabel had been talking about was creeping into me now. I could see why she was so distressed. Her family was lovely and close-knit and lying to all of them had to be a tough task. I’d only been here for a day, and already I was ashamed of myself for lying to them.
“Aunt Helen!” Mabel came towards us while avoiding my eye.
“Hello, Mabel. I was just telling your handsome young man to treat you well,” Helen grabbed Mabel by the shoulders and gave her a gentle, friendly shake.
Mabel had no choice but to steal a look at me and I smiled.
“Good advice,” I said, and she arched an eyebrow at me.
“I’m sure Damien’s had enough grilling from all of you now,” Mabel said, leaning in to give her aunt a peck on her cheek.
“I’m enjoying it,” I cut in, and Helen turned to me with a smile on her face.
“I don’t see him complaining. He’s a good man. Takes it like a champ,” she said and patted my arm. I laughed, and Mabel joined in coldly.
“But don’t worry, I’ll give you two love birds some time together,” Helen added and she quickly walked away, exchanging a wink with Mabel who only blushed and hung her head.
We hadn’t been alone together for several hours, and I could feel myself growing nervous in her presence. She had managed to stir feelings in me that I had never felt before. I felt a desperate urge to just take her in my arms.
“I hope this isn’t all too much for you,” she said, looking out towards the people in the room instead of meeting my eye.
“No, I was being honest when I said I was enjoying myself. I’ve never attended a big family party like this before, and it’s nice,” I replied and took another long chug of my beer.
When I lowered it, I found that Mabel was looking at me intently.
“I’m surprised that you didn’t already leave,” she said in a soft voice.
“Did you really want me to leave?” I asked her in an equally low voice. We were very close to each other, and I thought I could hear her heart beating fast. We were conscious of all the people around us, and we didn’t want anyone to hear us.
“No, but I didn’t expect you to stay after the way I behaved,” she said, and I noticed her cheeks had colored.
“I wanted to stay. I like it here, and what happened earlier was not your fault. You didn’t behave badly, and I’m not offended,” I told her. When she looked at me again with her large green eyes, I felt a sudden sense of relief wash over me. I was glad to just be talking to her again.
Chapter 17
Mabel
I was awkward standing next to Damien and trying to smile at other people in the room whenever someone caught my eye. I was even more awkward because of what he had just said. I was surprised to hear him say that he wasn’t offended. That he enjoyed being here.
After I had spoken to Oscar, I had changed and gone for a walk in the vineyards to clear my head. I also wanted to give Damien some time to change and get ready in my room if he wanted to. I was surprised to find that he hadn’t left, but I still didn’t want to talk to him. I was afraid of what he was going to say. I could imagine him blaming me for inviting him here.
“Damien! Come over here!” Adam’s voice snapped me back to reality, and I sensed Damien move beside me. He turned to give me a look, then shrugged and walked over to where a circle of my family and friends had gathered. My mom and Oscar were at the center of it as Damien walked towards th
em. My heart was racing again. I was anxious about what they wanted with him.
“Damien should make the first speech, don’t you think?” Adam asked, and some of the others clapped and hooted. My family had a reputation for being noisy, and tonight they had taken it to the next level. My sisters were smiling at me, and my mom was patting Damien on the back.
I wanted to rush up to them and pull him away. I was guilty again. Making Damien say a speech at my parents’ anniversary would be the biggest lie. I couldn’t stand there and watch it happen.
“I don’t know what to say,” I heard Damien’s voice, but the others kept encouraging him. I took a few steps towards them, still too far away from him and he turned to look at me.
Damien was smiling. He didn’t seem the least bit perturbed even though I was wrecked with anxiety by now.
“C’mon, Damien, say something!” Erica added, and some others clapped again.
By this time, Adam had started tinkling his wine glass with the back of a spoon, and eventually, the noise in the room began to quiet down. People had cleared the circle around Damien, and he was standing in the center.
He had a hand in the pocket of his pants, and his other held a bottle of beer. His sandy blonde hair was brushed back neatly from his forehead, and his clear blue eyes were shining. He was looking at me, and I hung my head. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t look at him.
“Thank you. I honestly don’t know what I can say,” Damien began and nobody was speaking a word. I felt like everyone would be able to hear my heart beating; it was racing so loud.
“Except that … thank you, Shelly and Oscar, for welcoming me into your home. I wish I’d met everyone sooner, but I’m glad I’m here to celebrate your anniversary with you,” he continued, and slowly I lifted my face.
I could see everyone else smiling and watching Damien closely with rapt attention. Just his presence and his voice commanded attention; I had to admit that. He was also a natural public speaker; he was calm and confident and betrayed no suspicious emotions. I would have melted into a puddle if I was in his place, but Damien was holding his ground. Once again, he was successfully managing to save my face.
“I also want to thank Elsie and Adam, Linda and Justin and Erica and Matthew for their warm welcome and their friendship,” Damien said, and Erica screeched, “He remembers all of our names!” she said, and everyone in the room laughed. I couldn’t help but smile too. I could feel myself getting emotional; I was choking up. Just because I could see my family so happy. Especially mom and Oscar who were holding hands and listening to Damien intently.
“And I haven’t forgotten about Daphne and Duke either,” Damien said, and the two kids giggled.
Then he turned his eyes on me, catching me off guard. I gulped, conscious of some other eyes that had also turned to me. I was staring at him; I couldn’t pull myself away.
“And of course, my beautiful girlfriend, Mabel. She is the smartest and most sensitive woman I have ever met in my life, and I am so grateful to her for introducing me to her lovely family,” he said and everyone in the room was clapping. I could see a tear glistening at the corner of mom’s eye as she leaned her head on Oscar’s shoulder.
Damien walked towards me, and I followed him with my eyes. When he was in front of me, he leaned and with an arm pulled me close to him. I had no other choice but to press my face to his chest, while my sisters hooted in the background. It was surreal and strange and comforting at the same time. Because, as odd as it was, it was only Damien who knew the truth about me.
“Don’t worry; it’ll all be over soon,” he whispered in my ear as he continued to hold me close. Whatever tears were rising my throat were choked back down when I heard his voice. I was glad to be in his arms. I was glad that he was there with me.
Neither of us pulled away from each other for several moments. It was only when the clapping stopped that I looked up at him and he smiled at me.
“Just breathe, Mabel,” he said encouragingly.
Chapter 18
Damien
I noticed that Mabel hadn’t been drinking tonight, which I supposed was a conscious decision after the hangover. She stole glances at me throughout the night, and I wondered if she had something to say to me. After dinner, she walked up to me and extended her hand.
I stared at her hand, a bottle of beer still in mind and I looked up at her face in surprise.
“Can we talk?” she asked, and I nodded and placed my hand on hers. Mabel led me out of the room and into the porch which was no deserted, and she shut the door behind her.
The night air was cool, and I was glad for it, because I’d been feeling flushed and hot under the collar the whole night. Being alone there with Mabel was another benefit.
“What do you want to talk about?” I asked her and in the dark as my eyes adjusted to the low light; I saw her move and then walk over to lean against the wall with her hands behind her back.
“About all this, about how grateful I am for everything you’ve done for me this weekend,” she said.
I took a swig of my beer and admired the shape of her face for a few seconds before nodding my head.
“I know you are and I want you to know that I didn’t mind in the least. I wasn’t expecting to have such a good time. I’ve made friends and had a lovely weekend getaway. What more could I have asked for?” I said.
Mabel was staring at me; her green eyes were shining, and she licked her lips.
“I wasn’t expecting it to go so well either. I thought I was digging my own grave by inviting you here. Maybe a little part of me hoped that my lie would unravel and I could start being honest with my family again,” she said, and I nodded my head.
“If you want, to be honest with them, you should. If you want to tell them the truth, I won’t mind,” I said, and she gulped.
“I just feel as though the deception has been going on for so long; it’ll hurt them more if they think we genuinely broke up. They might get over the lie quicker,” she explained, and I found myself nodding again.
I wasn’t sure what I was expecting the outcome of this weekend to be. It was definitely not to fall in love with Mabel’s family and develop feelings for her. Especially now that I had a safety net. I had an attractive girl to go back to in New York.
“You’re right. You should do it. Tell them the truth and get it over with,” I said and took another large gulp of beer.
“I don’t want to embarrass you,” she said in a soft voice, and I shrugged my shoulder.
“If you tell them the truth, I won’t have to see any of them again in my life. So, how does that matter,” I said, and Mabel remained silent. She was still thinking.
“And I can leave tomorrow morning if you want, if that’ll make things easier. You can tell them after I leave, so there is no complication with me,” I suggested, trying to encourage her idea. The truth was that I didn’t want her to confess to her family. I didn’t want the weekend to end. This lie we were living felt comfortable and nice. I was happy here in the midst of the Pratt family, and happiest when I was talking to Mabel.
“That might be for the best,” she said, and I stepped closer to her.
“Best of luck, Mabel. Remember what I said, don’t push your family away and most of all, know that they will love you, no matter what. As much as they like me, you will always come first,” I said in a near whisper. Our bodies were close together, and I could feel the warmth emanating from her. It was making my hands tremble slightly and stuck it into the pocket of my pants.
She watched me as I emptied the beer into my throat and then rubbed my mouth with the back of my hand.
She smiled and nodded.
“Thank you for everything, Damien. I couldn’t have done any of this without you, not even the confession,” she said and, lifting herself on her toes, pressed her lips to my cheek before turning around and walking back into the house.
She had left me alone on the porch, and I stood there for a few moments. I heard the sou
nd of music and laughter inside the house, and through the window on the door watched Mabel walk towards her mom and give her a hug from behind. Some of the others were dancing while everyone else talked loudly and laughed. I couldn’t help but feel a sinking feeling descend on me. I wasn’t looking forward to the next day; I wasn’t looking forward to going back to New York without her.
I was sure now that I wouldn’t see Mabel again. I could bet big money that she would be too embarrassed to return to our gym. Most of all, I wasn’t looking forward to spending the night on her couch, hearing her breathe while knowing that this was our last goodbye.
I entered the house again with my heart heavy, because ultimately this was Mabel’s family. I was only a temporary guest in her life, and she could ask me to leave whenever she wanted. That was technically what she’d done; she’d politely asked me to leave so that she could have a few honest hours with her family. They definitely deserved it.