by H. M. Ward
“I noticed. I’ve seen you hold a drink. That’s all you do—hold it. So, what are you going to do?”
“Deal with it, I guess. I don’t have many options.”
She puts her arm around my shoulder and hugs me from the side. “Well, I’m glad you weren’t acting weird because you had the hots for me. That would have been awkward since you’re like a loser little brother and all.”
“I’m glad we cleared that up.”
“Yeah, so, I’m thinking we try to bait Derrick at the engagement party. With you.” Katie then tells me what she thinks will piss the guy off, and I’m suddenly glad I’ve not angered the woman recently.
Chapter 40
Trystan
The engagement party comes quickly. The closer we get to the wedding, the sicker I feel about the whole thing. If Katie’s right, I can’t let Mari marry him. But if she’s wrong? God, this is fucked up.
I know Mari didn’t tell Derrick she spent the night at my apartment. It wasn’t a lie, she didn’t bring it up, and he didn’t ask.
Bob is driving Katie and me to Mari’s Dad's house. When we arrive, the front lawn looks beautiful. White lights and silver balls make the trees look like a winter wonderland. A white carpet is rolled out from the curb to the front door.
Katie takes my hand and squeezes it tight. She leans in close to me and whispers, “Watch your step, the carpet buckles just past the curb.” She laughs lightly, kissing my cheek. She’s been great since I told her about the stuff with my eyes. She didn’t ask me anything else, she just made note of times I seem uneasy, and she stepped in to help. I don't worry about being unable to read the menus, cracks in the pavement, or a thousand other little things I used to deal with on a daily basis.
Thanks to her, I was able to try someplace new for lunch the other day—a place I didn't have the menu memorized. She sat next to me and read the entire menu to me. Discreetly. Seeing how close she's been to me physically, everyone thinks she’s my new girlfriend. She’s always holding my hand or whispering in my ear. No one guesses it’s because she’s helping me not to trip or quietly reading something to me.
“Thanks, Katie.”
“No problem. And remember, I’m the one that will tell Derrick. I’ll put you with Mari and then go to find him. Either the shit will hit the fan, or not. Then this will be over. God, I hope I’m wrong about him.” Her voice is tight, and I know she’s worried. Katie and Mari have been best friends for as long as I can remember. I know Katie can’t afford to lose that support right now, and I admire how she's put Mari’s needs in front of her own.
The front door is open, and a woman is there with a clipboard. Katie gives her our names, and she welcomes us inside. “The bride-to-be should be downstairs in a few moments.”
Katie leans in and whispers in my ear, “Can you make it up a flight of steps without falling on your face?”
“Yes, I’m not an invalid. I just can’t see very well.”
“Just checking. I’m going to torch this mofu. Burn baby, burn.” She goes into a chorus of a song and dances a little bit as she leads me to the back stairs on the other side of the kitchen. I used to sneak up these steps in high school. “Go get her, killer.”
The lights are off, which makes it more difficult to see, but everything is the same as it was when we dated. I follow the railing up, turn onto the landing, and go to the end of the hall. Mari’s door is cracked. I put my hand on it and push it open a little allowing the light to spill out onto the darkened hallway floor.
“Mari?”
“Trystan? You came!” She sounds excited.
“I wanted to see you, I mean really see you. I can’t do it downstairs.”
She’s up and walking toward me. Mari pulls me into her room, and closes the door. “I know what you mean. Go ahead. I spent half the day straightening my curls. It feels like unicorn hair,” she says, giggling.
She guides my hands to her face, and I move slowly, feeling the curves of her cheeks before slipping my hands back through her silky hair. One side is pinned back, and the other is down. “You look beautiful tonight.” I let her locks fall through my fingers and put a hand on her shoulder. “Are you happy?”
“Yeah, why?” Her voice says the opposite of her words.
“Nothing, it seems like you’re nervous, that’s all.”
Mari reaches out and takes my hands in hers. Tingles shoot up my arms and my heart is engulfed with the emotion streaming from her body. “What does it feel like to you?”
I have no clue. Something is making her feel loved and excited, but there’s fear and guilt swimming around in there, too. “I know you think I can read your mind, but I can’t. I only feel what you feel. I’m guessing, and even that is open to interpretation. So you tell me. Use your words, Mari. Come on, girl, you can do it.” I tease her and get treated to a laugh before she shoves me lightly.
“You’re an ass.”
“Yeah, but I’m a cute ass.”
“Oh, I have no doubt you know that already, so let’s not inflate your ego any bigger. Tonight is my night. I’m supposed to be the one who’s walking on sunshine.”
“Does it feel good?” I’m joking, but her demeanor changes as she considers the question seriously.
“I’m not sure. Half the time I feel like I’m going to puke. Is that normal? I’ve asked a lot of people about cold feet, and everyone says it passes, that it’s fleeting. I’m sure that’s all it is, but it’s scary, you know?”
I feel like an asshole for adding to her misery tonight. It’s too late. The plan is already in motion. Katie is telling Derrick that Mari slept at my place earlier this week. She’s going to let it slip like she wasn't supposed to say anything. I am supposed to distract Mari until it’s done. Katie will text me and let me know.
“Life is scary at times. That doesn’t have to mean anything. Mari, you know how you feel about this guy, right? He’s one hundred percent what you want, right?”
She laughs it off. “One hundred percent isn't possible.”
Wait. What? Before I can ask her about that, my phone buzzes. It’s Katie. She’s done it.
Mari takes my hand. “Let’s get downstairs before people wonder where we’ve been.”
“Mari…” I place my other hand over hers and look into her fading face. Our eyes lock and that strange pull feels stronger than ever, beckoning me to her. I’m so close it wouldn’t take much to lean in and kiss her. I banish the thought, but before I can blink her bedroom door flies open. It hits the wall so hard the knob busts through the sheetrock.
“Nice. You’re up here with your ex-boyfriend while I’m downstairs telling people how much I love you.” Derrick growls at her. I want to step between them, but I can’t. This is what Katie worked to set into motion. I need to wait.
Mari laughs him off. “Trystan is one of my best friends. He wanted to see me before the party.”
“I’m sure he did.” Derrick glares at me while pumping his fists at his sides. “Was it fun? Nailing my fiancée behind my back?”
Mari scolds him, “Derrick, it’s not like that.”
He rounds on her. “Then what’s it like? Because sleepovers with an ex this close to a wedding aren’t usually a good thing.”
“I didn’t sleep with him.” She laughs nervously and shakes her head. Her arms fold over her chest, across that white dress, and she holds tightly onto her arms. I want to intervene and end this, but I can’t. This is what we were looking for, and I admit—this sounds bad and looks bad. “Derrick, I’ve never given you a reason to doubt me.”
“You lied to me! You said you were sleeping at Katie's, not at his place! You didn’t ask me if you could spend the night with your ex. You hid it from me! Tell me why. Were you having an orgy? Were the Olsen twins there?”
I try not to laugh. I have no idea what this guy thinks I do in my spare time, but orgies aren’t my thing. “She had a fight with Katie and asked for a place to sleep. Damn, man. You could trust her a little bit, ok
ay? Mari’s not the cheating type.”
Derrick is vibrating. He’s ready to blow. The guy sucks in air and presses his eyes closed. He willfully pries open his fingers and breathes a ragged breath. “Sleepovers with your ex-boyfriend are off the table.”
“You don’t trust her?”
He gets up in my face. “I don’t trust you. I see the way you look at her, how you’re always trying to touch her. I thought we could be friends, and I’d see that you were like that with everyone, but guess what? You’re not!” He screams the last two words in my face, spitting a little as he does.
I blink, and he steps back. “Yeah, well, she loves you. She’s marrying you, and I don’t fuck around with betrothed women. You won, man. Back off.”
Derrick is in my face again, and I know how badly he wants to put his fist in my face. The feeling is mutual. Every inch of my body is charged ready to fight. But Mari pulls on Derrick’s arm. Her voice is calming and soft. “He doesn’t feel like that toward me. We’re friends. That’s it.” She wraps her arms around his neck and kisses him.
When she steps away, Mari seems happy. “I’m heading downstairs. Come down in a second and we’ll pour the champagne.” Mari disappears through the door and I’m left alone with Derrick.
He steps within an inch of my face. “If you even think about her, I’ll tear your balls off.” Derrick turns and slams his fist into the wall, cracking it. He shakes out his hand and smiles. “Next time, that’ll be your face, so stay the fuck away from her.”
He disappears through the doorway.
A few minutes later, Katie finds me sitting on Mari’s old bed, staring at the wall. She rushes through the door and turns around. Her jaw drops as she spots the hole in the wall. “He flipped out?”
“Yeah, he did, but not in front of Mari. You’re right. The guy is unbalanced.”
“She didn’t see this?”
“No, he did that after she left the room and said that would be my face if I tried anything with her.”
Katie pouts. “We can’t use that! It sounds like normal boyfriend pissy territorial crap.”
“I know.”
“What do we do?” She sounds truly worried, and the truth is, so am I.
“I don’t know.”
Chapter 41
Trystan
After Katie helps me get down to the party without doing a header on the staircase, a passing waiter shoves a flute of champagne in my hand. I find a corner to watch from, ignoring the murmuring and staring from other guests. Katie finds a spot next to me. She leans in when she speaks, the top of her head nearly touching mine. “This blows.”
“I know.”
“I’m going to have to make a speech or something. She invited me to do it. I can out him.”
“I can’t let you do that. Mari will never forgive you and he’ll hide it. No, we need him to lose it in front of her.”
The high pitch of a champagne glass chimes and I hear Mari’s voice. “Thank you for coming tonight. As you know, this is the reception slash engagement party for everyone. The wedding will be in a couple of weeks, and we wanted to keep it small and intimate…”
Katie frowns, murmuring, “Derrick wanted that, not her. Mari always wanted a big-ass wedding. She has a three-ring binder from when we were kids listing out exactly what she wants in a wedding—straight down to the twelve bridesmaids, four flower girls, a fairy, and a dog ring bearer.”
I try not to laugh. “A fairy?”
“Yeah, that’s how I can tell you're a guy. Most women scoff at the dog.”
“I’m pretty sure there are other ways to tell I’m a guy.”
“Shut up! Derrick’s about to make his toast.” She elbows me in the side, and I nearly fall over.
“Damn it. Did you file those things?”
Derrick clears his throat. “There are very few things in life that present themselves with complete certainty. The day I met Mari, I knew we were meant to be together.”
Katie coughs softly and covers her mouth with the back of her hand, whispering, “Stalker.”
I smile and listen to Derrick tell the story of how they met, ending with how much he adores her. “If you’ll raise your glasses and toast with me. To Mari, the best wife a man could ask for.”
Everyone toasts and glasses are clinked together. Katie is brewing next to me, ready to pop. “He sounds like he won a trophy.”
“Yeah, I noticed that. His wording was a little interesting.”
Derrick gets everyone to settle down and introduces the next speaker. I’m not paying attention until I hear her voice.
“Ever since Derrick was a little boy…” Her voice is soft, confident, easy, and very familiar. She’s too far away, and I can’t really see her.
“Katie, who is that?”
“Derrick’s mom.”
That can’t be right. “What’s her name? I need a name. Now.” Katie can tell I’m panicking, but she’s not sure why.
“I don’t know. He didn’t say. Trystan, what’s wrong?”
Before I can rationalize anything, my feet are moving, and I’m walking toward her. I can’t hide the shock on my face. The crowd parts for me until I’m standing a few feet from her.
She had a smile on her face and a drink raised in her hand until she sees me. “Trystan.” She says my name as a curse.
“Lynn, what is this?” My mouth moves, but I can’t fathom what’s happening. Did she lie to me? This woman can’t be my mother. She’s Derrick’s mother. She has another kid here, too.
But she answers me. It’s her, the woman from the diner. “My son is getting married. I didn’t know you’d be here. Do you already know each other?” Worry pinches her voice, and the room is creepy silent.
Derrick’s voice slices through the silence. “Ma, why is he talking to you? How do you know him?”
Jared materializes from somewhere, flanking his brother. “I think you should go, Scott.”
“Lynn?” Mari’s voice is high, fragile.
Disgust crawls across my face. “I should have known you were another gold digger. Mari, this guy had his mom pretend she was my mother. I met her, remember? I believed her. It turns out she’s just a really good liar and your boyfriend is a bastard. He used you to get at me.”
Mari seems frozen. She doesn’t move.
Derrick is rushing toward me with his brother close behind. “No one says shit about my mother.”
Lynn tries to speak, but no one is listening. Derrick’s fist comes flying at my face. I dodge it and swing back, hitting him in the side. He swears and doubles over. Jared lands a punch in my side and connects with my kidney. Cheap shot.
I don’t hold back. I go for him. My arm pulls back, and I’m about to let my fist remove his teeth when I hear Mari’s voice, “Stop! Don’t!”
I think she’s speaking to me, so I pull my punch and turn. She wasn’t talking to me at all—she was yelling at Derrick. He was behind me. I turn in time to get a fist in my gut, and a flash of silver catches my eye as I go down. My arm is screaming, burning and I realize that asshole cut me.
Derrick rushes at me, his foot ready to kick me in the gut. “You stupid son of a bitch! You tried to steal Mari, and now you’re talking shit about my mom! You’re going to remember what happens when you fuck with our family!” As he swings his foot to my gut, I let him. When it connects with my body, I roll, and he goes down. I manage to punch him in the face once before his kid brother pulls me off.
He tosses me back to Derrick. Suddenly, all three of us are standing, staring each other down.
Lynn rushes between us, her eyes full of tears. “I should have told you—I should have told all of you—but I didn’t. Trystan is your brother. I’m his mother. If you want to hurt him, you’ll have to kill me first.” She positions herself in front of me.
Derrick is livid. His face is bleeding, and he’s screaming. “You’re making shit up to protect him! Get out of the way, Ma. This guy isn’t going to mess with our family ever again.”
“He is your family! Get it through your head, Derrick. Think for once. I told you that you had an older brother. His father kidnapped him when he was small, and I couldn’t find them. Trystan is that baby! Trystan is your brother! I contacted him a while back, and we met for the first time a couple of weeks ago. There was a time I would have done anything to have you all together, but not like this. Not here, not now.”
Chapter 42
Mari
I stand there, stunned. Is this really the woman Trystan’s been talking about for the past few weeks? The way she’s placed herself in front of Trystan is telling. She chose her relationship with him over her other two boys, over Derrick.
I thought he was already mad, but this gesture seems to catapult him into crazy land. His nostrils flare as he breathes. The veins on the side of his neck are incredibly huge, and the pulse point on his temple is pounding like it’s going to pop. His hands are still in fists at his sides. He glares at his mother as he rages. “This is the brat you chased after all those years? The kid that vanished never to be heard from again? Half-brother or not, I don’t ca--”
She cuts Derrick off, stepping closer to him. “He’s not your half-brother—Jared is his half-brother. You and Trystan share the same father. After he had taken off with Trystan, I discovered I was carrying you.”
Jared isn’t angry. He’s confused. He’s shaking his head. “But, Ma, who was the man who raised us?”
“That was your father, and he was a good man, a good father to both of you.”
“This is bullshit.” Derrick is grinding his teeth together and grimacing so hard I barely recognize him. “This guy is just another one of your charity cases.”
“Derrick, he’s not. He doesn’t need me. I reached out to him expecting him to ignore me or shoot me down, but he didn’t. He listened, patiently, which is more than you’re doing now. Your father stole my firstborn child from me, and I finally have him back. I won’t let you chase him off with your uncontrolled temper!”