Fake Girlfriend

by Berri Fox

  I guess that I should just be happy I can help her. Once she gets the money, she can be done with all of this nonsense. She can move on with her life.

  I shake the thoughts out of my head. No point in being spiteful, I guess. Once we get Adelaide on our side, we can forget about all of the family drama that came with this.

  I get the boys ready for the day and head down to the kitchen. Lucille’s cousin Marcella is already sitting at the table holding a cup of black coffee in her hands.

  Marcella Frost is undeniably beautiful. Lucille told me she models part-time, and I’m not surprised. She definitely has the looks and lithe body needed to model.

  “Good morning,” I tell her, cheerfully. I go over to the counter and start gathering ingredients to make breakfast for Lucille and the boys.

  “Morning,” she responds. She takes a sip of the coffee. “Oh! I nearly forgot. I meant to tell you earlier. Congratulations.”

  I cock my head. “Congratulations? For what?”

  “For your game.”

  “My game?”

  “Your game with Lucille. I have to admit that you almost had everyone fooled.”

  My blood runs cold. I try to play it off.

  “I’m sorry, Marcella. I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  She stands up and glides over to the counter where I’m starting to make breakfast. She leans on the counter.

  “It’s okay. You don’t have to play dumb with me,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve already figured it out.”

  The boys are looking back and forth between the two of us. I curse Marcella in my head for doing this now.

  “You see,” she continues, “it isn’t hard to do a background check on someone. And yours turned up some pretty interesting results.”

  She gestures to the boys. “A dead sister for one.”

  I could strangle her for bringing them into this. The boys start to look confused and upset. I pull them close to me. They hang on to me as she continues to talk.

  “What else was there?” she says, pretending to think. “Oh! That’s right! You’re a college drop-out in a bad neighborhood who inherited her dead sister’s kids. Oh, and you weren’t dating my cousin as of two days ago.”

  My face flushes and I feel hot tears begin to prickle behind my eyes. She smiles.

  “But I suppose deception comes easily to you, what with your criminal record and all,” she says.

  I look away from her, not wanting to see her in my direct line of sight anymore. I see Lucille standing in the doorway looking shocked. I rush over to her.

  There’s a look on her face that I can’t quite make up.

  “Lucille!” I cry as I reach her. “Don’t listen to her, please!”

  She frowns a bit like she’s trying to work this all out.

  “Criminal record?” Lucille says.

  I now know what the look on her face is. It’s one of horror.

  At this point, both boys are crying. They don’t fully understand what’s going on, but they know enough to know it’s not anything good.

  I wipe my eyes with my sleeve. “Come on, boys. It’s time to go.”

  I rush towards the door, grabbing my purse along the way. I still have a bit of money left from Lucille in my wallet. It will be enough to get us a cab home.

  I run out the door with the boys away from Lucille and her family. With each step I take, I feel my heart shatter.

  Sixteen

  Lucille

  I watch Sara run crying from the room and out the door. What the hell just happened?

  I turned to Marcella. This bitch looks like the cat that ate the canary. I feel a surge of protectiveness for Sara.

  I caught the end of the conversation. I don’t think either of them noticed me listening at first. I was just trying to find Sara and the boys and I walk in on this.

  I could slap Marcella. Her greed has gone too far. She clearly wants the fortune for herself.

  She didn’t endure what I did when I was kicked out. No one else in the family did. This money is a new start for me. It’s the least my horrible father could do.

  But at this point, I don’t even care about the money. It’s just money.

  Sara is important though. It makes me furious that someone went out of their way to hurt her. She’s the kindest and most gentle person I’ve ever met.

  And she was humiliated and put down until she ran from the house crying.

  “What the hell was that about?” I ask Marcella angrily. “You did a background check?”

  Marcella grins wickedly. “It’s over, Lucille. I caught on to your little game. You’re not stealing our family’s fortune that easily.”

  “You’re messing with my family, Marcella.”

  Marcella is taken aback. She clearly didn’t expect that.

  I don’t care. Marcella isn’t my family. I don’t keep her close to my heart. I didn’t with my father either.

  But Sara is different. Sara has opened her heart to others in ways that Marcella can never imagine.

  That’s the type of person I want in my family. That’s the person I’ve fallen in love with.

  “Well, why don’t we wait to hear what Aunt Adelaide thinks about that? I’m sure she won’t be too pleased to find out you were trying to lie to us.”

  I shake my head at her. “You’re messing with a good person. Don’t you see how cruel that is? If you really cared about family like you’re claiming to now, you wouldn’t be trying to hurt mine.”

  “A good person, huh?” She asks. “Why don’t you read that police report about your ‘good person’.”

  Is she really trying to bait me like this? She could produce a paper saying anything about Sara, and I wouldn’t care.

  “I don’t have to. I know who Sara is. I know what a good person looks like.”

  I look back towards the front door. “And the best person in this house just walked out that door.”

  I run out to try and catch Sara. I leave Marcella in the kitchen. I don’t care about the ruse or the money anymore. I just want to hold her and tell her it will be alright.

  I hope with all of my heart that it isn’t too late. I could never forgive myself if I let her get away. I would never get over it.

  Sara doesn’t deserve to be hurt like that. She deserves someone who will protect her from harm and someone who will make her smile every day.

  I want to be that person for her. I need to be that person.

  I’ve fallen head over heels in love with her. No one else can compare to her. She’s beautiful, smart, funny, kind, and everything that everyone should aspire to be.

  No one can hold a candle to her. I want what we’ve been telling everyone to be real. I want to be the special person in her life. I feel like I’ll die of heartbreak if I’m not.

  I would do anything for Sara, and that’s being put to the test right now.

  I see her load the kids into the taxi from the front porch.

  “Sara!” I yell out to her. She looks back at me for a moment. She looks incredibly hurt. She starts to get into the car.

  I run as fast as I can over to the taxi. I run like my life depends on it.

  Sara is so incredibly important to me. I would do anything for her. And she’s one taxi away from leaving.

  I manage to get there right as she starts to close the door. I grab the door to stop it from shutting.

  “Sara!” I beg, panting from my run. “Please, don’t go.”

  “I’m sorry, Lucille,” she says. “It’s over. She figured it out. She found out about my past.”

  She looks so ashamed. It breaks my heart. She looks down at her hands.

  “I understand if you don’t want to speak to me any more after this, but please just let me go home. I don’t need a lecture to know that I need to be ashamed of my past.”

  “Lecture? No! Sara, I want to be with you.”

  She looks up at me. Her eyes are red from crying.

  “You want to be with me? But it’
s over. Marcella figured it out. We’re not going to be able to convince anyone else.”

  “I don’t care. Sara, I’ve been half in love with you since the day I met you. And yesterday, I fell completely in love with you.”

  I feel the emotions pouring out as I talk. I’ve never felt this strongly about anyone or anything in my life before.

  I need Sara. I’ve never needed anyone more. This thing has turned from a crush to a ruse to real love. And I need her to always be by my side.

  I love her. I’ve never known you can love someone this much. I love all of her imperfections and quirks. Everything that makes her into the person that she is, I love.

  She looks up at me with her big brown eyes. Her expression is hard to read.

  I feel scared. What if she rejects me?

  But I’m still glad I did it. I need her to know how much I love her before it’s too late.

  I just hope we haven’t gotten to that point yet.

  Seventeen

  Sara

  I ’m shocked at how relieved I feel. The weight that has been weighing on me since I walked out the door has been lifted.

  As soon as Lucille confesses her love to me, I feel so happy I could float away. A tangle of stress I didn’t realize I had disappears.

  And I realize that I love her too.

  I get out of the car and stand up to face her. I look over her face. Her dark hair and gray eyes are the most beautiful things I’ve ever seen.

  I embrace her.

  “I love you too,” I tell her.

  My eyes start to well up with emotion. I can’t believe what a change it’s been. I go from feeling lower than low to the happiest I’ve ever been.

  Only Lucille could pull me from the depths of despair like that.

  I hug her tighter, relishing in how good it feels to have her against me.

  “Let’s go home,” I say. “Let’s go back to our real family at the Nook.”

  She smiles down at me.

  “Let me make sure that’s okay first.”

  She leans down and looks at Liam and Lucas still sitting in the taxi. They’re both grinning ear to ear.

  “Well, what do you think, boys?” She asks them. “Think there’s room enough in your life for me and the girls at the book shop?”

  They both cheer “yes.” I knew they would. They just adore her.

  I laugh as the twins celebrate. It warms my heart to see them so happy. They’re going to be this happy every day for the rest of our lives.

  I wish my sister could see them now. She’d be so happy.

  “Let me get the rest of our things,” Lucille says. I love the sound of having our things. Our things will turn into our life together.

  Lucille gives the cab driver more money to wait for us to pack up. We go back up to the house with the boys.

  When we walk in, Aunt Adelaide is sitting by the front door.

  “I’ve been watching you two,” she says. “I’ve heard the argument you had with Marcella as well. I’ve made my judgement.”

  Lucille steps in front of me and the kids. “I don’t care if we don’t get the money, Aunt Adelaide,” she says. “We don’t need the money. But Sara and I are in love and that’s not going to change. She’s my family now.”

  I expect Aunt Adelaide to do something as sour as the cousins have been doing. Instead, I see a small grin playing at the corners of her mouth.

  I wonder what she could be up to. I half expect her to say she called the police to escort us off the property. Marcella would love that.

  She stands up. “Come with me, Lucille. You and the boys as well, Sara.”

  She begins walking towards the living room. Lucille and I exchange a look. I wonder what could be waiting for us in that room. If it’s anything like what else has happened over the last twenty four hours, it could very well be a pit of snakes waiting to eat us.

  Lucille frowns and takes the lead. She follows after Aunt Adelaide with her head held high. She keeps a tight grip on my hand as we go.

  Aunt Adelaide sits down on the couch when we get to the living room.

  “Despite what you may think, I’m in a unique position to judge you, Lucille,” she says.

  “I don’t want to be judged,” Lucille says. “I just want to go home with my girlfriend. We’re going to get our things.”

  Aunt Adelaide smiles. “After our talk here, if you still want to go, I won’t stop you. I’m sure your cousins will help you pack your bags,” she says with a laugh.

  “But I would like you to listen to me first,” she continues.

  “This is who I am, Aunt Adelaide,” Lucille says. “I know my father was disappointed in me. There’s nothing I can do about that now. I just want to put this all behind me and start living the rest of my life with Sara by my side.”

  Her impassioned words move me. My eyes well up with tears.

  “Believe it or not, Lucille, when I was your age, I was a lot like you,” Aunt Adelaide says. “I wasn’t always the spinster you see before you. I have loved and lost. The way you look at Sara… Well, that’s the same way I looked at another young woman when I was your age.”

  My eyes get wide. Is Aunt Adelaide saying she’s a lesbian too?

  “It was different back in that time,” she continues. “Well, I suppose I hope it would be anyway. That was quite a long time ago. You couldn’t love who you wanted to love.”

  Lucille’s grip on my hand tightens.

  “But I would hope things are different now,” Aunt Adelaide says. “It broke my heart to hear what your father did to you. And it broke my heart again to hear that he’s continuing this torment into the afterlife.”

  Tears start to run down Lucille’s cheeks.

  “But I don’t want anyone to continue tormenting my favorite niece. I don’t care how long it’s been. It doesn’t matter if it’s been days, years, months, or hours. You two are in love. As far as I’m concerned, this fortune is yours.”

  “Aunt Adelaide…” Lucille begins with shaky breath. “I never knew…”

  “The family thought it was improper for you all to know of my love affair. But I think it’s about time we bring it to the light, don’t you?” She winks at us.

  Lucille gets up and pulls Aunt Adelaide into a tearful hug. Aunt Adelaide hugs her back. A few tears escape down her cheeks as well.

  “Come on, Sara dear. Don’t be shy!” she says.

  I smile and bring the boys over with me. The five of us hug, excited about where our futures will take us.

  After we hug and get a good cry in, Aunt Adelaide and Lucille go to send the taxi away. We’re not going anywhere now.

  This turns into one of the best days of my life. Aunt Adelaide and Lucille chase her slimy cousins away. Meanwhile the boys and I make a meal for everyone.

  When we set the table and start to eat, there’s a lot of people missing. But the people who remain have smiles on their faces and hearts filled with love.

  Eighteen

  Lucille

  T he day is filled with stunning revelations.

  Aunt Adelaide and I forge a bond that can’t be broken. I can also safely say that Sara will never have to worry about money again. And I realize that family is just the people who have love for you in their hearts.

  Sometimes that’s a blood relation, and sometimes it’s just someone who loves you. It’s taken me many years to come to that simple revelation. But, thanks to Sara, Aunt Adelaide, and the boys, it’s something I will never forget.

  Yesterday with Sara was incredible, but today is even better. I feel so lucky to have her by my side. I don’t have to worry about pretending or wondering what she feels about me.

  Her love is palpable. I can feel it radiating off of her. She’s the most loving person I’ve ever met.

  When the boys are in bed, I pull her back to the bedroom. I hug her and bring her onto the bed with me. She laughs as she cuddles in. It’s the most beautiful sound in the world.

  “I’m sorry today star
ted off so rough,” I apologize.

  It is true. It seems like a lifetime ago now, but really, it has been only a few hours. Who would have known that a few hours could change your life.

  She gives me a kiss. I’ll never get used to how good that feels.

  “It’s okay,” she says. “It led me to being here with you. I’d do a thousand times more just to be with you.”

  My heart practically bursts as she says that. How did I get so lucky?

  “I would never want you to,” I say. “I want to make sure you feel only good things for the rest of your life.”

  She laughs again. “And how are you going to guarantee that?”

  I give her a kiss. “I’m going to always make sure you’re taken care of.”

  I run my fingers through her hair and look at her. I try to memorize every detail of her face as she smiles at me.

  “You’re the best thing to come out of today,” I tell her. “The money and Adelaide’s story… That was all nice, but I can’t live without you. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life showing you how much I love you.”

  She gets teary eyed.

  “I feel the same way.” She says with a watery smile.

  I pull her into a deep kiss. I wrap my hands in her hair. She wraps her arms around me and presses herself against me.

  We made love here for the first time yesterday. I don’t want it to be the last.

  I run my hands from her hair down her neck and her back. I feel her muscles and her ribs.

  I let my hands trail around the front of her body. I don’t immediately focus on her breasts. I want to feel all the places I missed when our love-making was all urgency.

  I love the way her body feels. I love every inch of her. I keep feeling her, wanting to feel the difference in how her body feels relaxed compared to when I’m making her come.

  I begin to pull her clothes off slowly. She starts to undress me as well. Clothing drops off the side of the bed and lands on the floor.

  When we’re both naked, I hold her close to me again. I feel my heart flutter when her skin touches mine. And I feel myself becoming more and more wet.