Hoverfly Girl

by Parker Wren

  “Ah yes, I remember Henry mentioning you before. Nice to meet you.

  I felt obligated to stand up as well.

  “And this is my, ah… friend… Ariel,” Dom said—the word “friend” seemed to stumble out.

  I gave John a smile but internally cursed him for his crimes. “Nice to meet you,” I said.

  “Nice to meet you as well,” John said, but his gaze was out towards the deck.

  Henry and Grayson then returned back inside. Henry seemed to be calmer. I was thankful for Grayson.

  I sometimes wondered if he was the only person who really understood Henry.

  Henry didn’t sit down; instead, he remained standing with his arms crossed.

  “What are you doing here, Dad?” he asked, still angry, but his voice even.

  “I won’t stay long,” John said and lifted his hands. “I don’t mean to impose. I just need to talk to you. It won’t take long.”

  “Okay,” Henry said. “So talk.”

  John scratched his head, and looked around at the group. “Can we go somewhere a little more private? Out back, perhaps?”

  Henry didn’t move. “No,” he said. “You’re such an honest, upstanding guy. You can say whatever it is you want to in front of my friends.”

  The situation felt exponentially more awkward than it had during the surprise engagement.

  “Fine,” John said. Caving to Henry’s request, he asserted a hand of power by sitting down at the table and pouring himself a drink.

  “I need you to come home, just for a little bit.”

  Henry laughed, uncrossing his arms. “You’ve got to be kidding me. Why?”

  “I need your help going over some financial statements,” he said. “The SEC is stopping by, and they need to ask you some questions.”

  Henry chortled. “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “I’m afraid not,” John continued. “Look, there is nothing to worry about. They’ll just ask you some questions. Nothing that could get you—or any of us—in trouble.”

  Dom and I looked at each other, dumbfounded. Perhaps our time in the Vineyard was a waste after all. I had often thought about that; I didn’t understand how our wild goose chase on Henry could hold a candle to what the SEC would end up doing with Matheson Investments.

  “I’m not helping you in any way, shape, or form,” Henry said spitefully.

  John didn’t seem phased. Their relationship was probably often like this, to the point where both parties came to expect insults as if they were twisted compliments.

  “Henry Matheson, yes you will,” John said.

  “And why would I?” Henry pressed.

  “If you come this week and help me, I will help fund your side project you have going. Or not. It’s up to you. But I’ll also sign over your trust fund fully to you.”

  I remembered the email that I had read—how John had threatened to financially cut off Henry if he went off on his own and started his own business.

  Henry turned away from his father. Only Grayson could see Henry’s face, but I couldn’t read anything from Grayson’s expression. Henry started pacing behind the table. He finally kicked a table leg. “Fuck.”

  Brit had been quiet but then decided to speak: “Henry,” she said softly. “We can’t turn away from that money. We need it for our future. All you have to do is just—”

  “Yes,” Henry laughed and dragged his fingers through his hair. “Sell myself to the devil. I get it Brit.” He turned to his father. “Fine. I accept your terms. I’ll come with you. On one condition.”

  John waited.

  “I get to have a witness with me, every step of the way. Everything we do next week, I want someone there.”

  John shrugged. “I’m not sure why you want that. We have a team of lawyers, but I don’t care. You can do what you want, Henry.”

  Brit stood. “I’ll come with you. I’ll be there with you.”

  Henry went over to her and pulled her towards him, kissed her on the top of her head. His eyes were hooded, tired, bloodshot.

  “I know, baby,” Henry said. “Of course you’ll come with me to New York. But I don’t want you caught up in all of this. Grayson can come with me.” He turned to Grayson. “Can’t you, Gray?”

  Grayson’s hands were in his pockets, and he was rocking back and forth. He paused before answering. “I can, if you need me to. You know me, all that stuff isn’t exactly my thing, but—”

  “I’ll go,” Dom said suddenly.

  Everyone in the room turned to look at Dom. “I mean, if it’s okay with you, Henry. I can help out the best I can. I mean, I know Grayson will be great, but like he said, that stuff’s not really his thing, I’m sure it would bore his eyes out looking over financial statements with you. But I can help. And besides, I need… I need a break. I need to get out of here.”

  There was silence for a moment. No one knew what to say next, myself included.

  “But”—Brit stammered—“what about Ariel? Don’t you want to go with her to her aunt’s? Spend at least a couple more days together?”

  I was staring at the floor. I didn’t know what Dom was going to do next.

  “Well, that’s kind of why I want to get away,” Dom said. “Ariel and I broke up.”

  CHAPTER 34

  “What?” Brit said, incredulous. She looked from Dom, to me, to Grayson. I didn’t react.

  “Hey hun,” Henry said, clearly ready for the entire night to be over. “Let’s not pry too much.”

  “What do you think, Henry? About me going with you?” Dom asked, ignoring Brit’s shock about our break up.

  Henry shrugged. “It’s fine with me, man. I mean, it’s up to Grayson.”

  I looked at Grayson, my heart beat in my chest. I didn’t want him to go to New York. But did it matter if I planned to leave tomorrow anyway?

  “Dom should go” was all Grayson said.

  John clapped his hands once together, clearly not interested in our drama. “Okay, it’s settled then,” he said. “I’ll have a car come in the morning around ten and pick up whoever is coming. I don’t care who it is, but—Henry—you just better be there.”

  Henry didn’t say anything.

  “Nice to see you all,” John said as he quickly left the house.

  We all sat in silence for what felt like minutes.

  “I can’t believe he’s doing this to me,” Henry said.

  “Henry, get your head out of your own ass!” Brit said as she snapped her fingers in front of him. “This is good for us! Can’t you see? Your future son—daughter—will now have an inheritance because of your father. And have some awareness, for goodness’ sake! Dom and Ariel are broken up! On the night of our engagement, no less!”

  Brit was becoming visibly upset.

  I crossed my arms and looked around the group nervously. “Well, uh, please no one be upset on behalf of me and Dom. You guys have a lot more… important stuff going on here.”

  “Can we talk?” Dom said, nodding his head towards the deck.

  I followed him outside, relieved to be away from Brit and Henry.

  “It is absolutely freezing,” I said. My teeth chattered.

  “I’ll keep it quick,” Dom said. “Look, I didn’t want you to think I’m still mad at you. I mean, I was, but the whole thing is dumb. The reason I offered to go with Henry is because it could be a jackpot of information based on what Manuel needs to know. I couldn’t pass up the opportunity.”

  I shook my head and tried to stop the shivering. “No, I totally agree,” I said. “It’s great. It’s the right move.”

  Dom came up to me and started vigorously rubbing my arms up and down with his hands. He smiled. “That was a shitshow in there, though. Wasn’t it?”

  I let out a small laugh. “I have never been to a more dramatic dinner in my life.”

  “Bro-fighting. Engagement. Family feuds. Break-ups. Dun dun dun!” Dom announced in his best television voice.

  We both laughed.

&n
bsp; “I’m so tired,” I finally said.

  “Me too,” he replied. “Hey, what will you do tomorrow? If I take the car back? I know Henry’s dad said they would pick us up, but I’m not leaving my car here.”

  I shrugged. “Grayson can probably give me a ride to the ferry or something. I haven’t made any definite plans yet with my aunt. She just said to call me tomorrow when I knew what was going on.”

  Dom nodded. “Okay. I just want to make sure you get out of here okay. And you were right to want to leave. This thing is a total mess. You should never have gotten involved, and I should never have pressured you to stay, especially after everything that happened.”

  My teeth were chattering again. “It’s o-o-o-kay.”

  “I promise you’re the best fake ex-girlfriend a guy could ask for,” Dom said as he guided me back through the deck door. “And I’m sorry for ever suggesting otherwise.”

  I nodded.

  When we entered the dining room, Brit and Henry were nowhere to be seen. They must have gone to bed. Grayson was cleaning up as best he could, but the mess would likely take hours.

  “I think they have someone coming tomorrow to clean all of this up,” Dom said to Grayson. “Since the going-away dinner for Ariel was really just a ruse for proposing, I’m sure Henry organized something.”

  “Okay,” Grayson said.

  “I’m going to start packing,” Dom said. “Ariel, you coming?” He paused, the realization of the evening sinking in. “I mean, er, if you want to. We can figure out something different for the sleeping arrangements.”

  Dom couldn’t have known that I already told Grayson about our breakup. Dom, then, assumed Grayson had just learned about it this evening.

  I looked at Grayson, then back at Dom, unsure what to say “I mean, um—”

  “You can sleep in my room tonight, Dom.” Grayson interjected. “I mean, only if you want. I know that I don’t have too much to offer with bunk beds.”

  Dom smiled, even though I knew he would probably rather stay in the twin bed in our room. “Thanks, man,” he said. “I’ll go get my stuff.”

  Grayson started turning off the lights downstairs. I let out a big yawn.

  “Eventful night,” he said as Dom bounded up the stairs.

  “Yes,” I said. I had so much on my mind, but I didn’t know which thought to linger on and discuss with Grayson. I suddenly remembered our encounter in the kitchen at the start of the evening, and my stomach tightened. Where did we go from there?

  Still lost for words, I started up the stairs. Grayson turned off the last light downstairs. As we ascended the steps, he got into step right behind me and put his hand on the small of my back. “Stay here with me,” he whispered into my ear. “Don’t leave tomorrow.”

  I felt the hairs on my arms stand up. I turned back to him and whispered, “Yes. Yes.”

  I ran up the stairs and into the bathroom, sliding onto the floor. I closed my eyes. I was deliriously tired. I wanted to cry and smile, all at the same time.

  CHAPTER 35

  Grayson and I stood at the edge of the driveway and watched as Brit and Henry’s loaded their bags into the car sent by Henry’s father.

  Dom started hauling his suitcases to his SUV as well. Earlier that morning, Dom had told me that he had spoken to Manuel the night before. Given the change in events—Henry and Brit headed back to New York City, Dom going with them, us telling the group that we had broken up—Manuel agreed to let me out of the assignment. When Dom told me this, I felt as though a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I would still need to tell Grayson, to confess to him what I had done, but I was finally free from the burden of Manuel and Select Recruits. And I realized it was something that I never wanted to do again.

  Once the cars were loaded, Brit was the first person to come over and give hugs to me and Grayson.

  “Y’all both come back before the summer is over, ya hear?” she said. Up close, her skin felt clammy, her eyes were somewhat glazed, and the skin around her eyes was red and raw despite the makeup she had caked on top of it. I could tell she had been crying, which didn’t surprise me considering I had heard Henry and Brit shouting at each other in their bedroom that morning. “We’ll be back this coming weekend real quick before we jet off again, if either of you are still here.”

  “Well see,” Grayson said, giving her a hug as well. “I think Ariel is headed out today, and I’m not sure if I’ll still be around next weekend, but I’ll let you know.” I decided that Grayson’s idea made sense; it would be better if Brit thought that I was leaving today. I suspected that Grayson felt the same way that I did: He would rather have the group not know our plans when we weren’t even sure what we were doing.

  “Hey, man,” Henry said. He came over and pulled Grayson into a tight hug. “I hope you do come back soon. We can’t go the rest of the summer without hanging out.”

  Grayson smiled and hugged him back. “We’ll make something work.”

  Dom pulled me off to the side. He took my right hand and held it lightly before kissing it, then looked me in the eyes. “Are you sure you’re okay with this?” he said. “Me leaving like this.”

  I felt like the old Dom was back. The one who cared again about what I thought. The one who wanted me to be safe.

  “Yes, of course,” I said. “It doesn’t mean I won’t miss making fun of you.”

  Dom smiled.

  “I’ll keep you updated,” he said. “I’ll text you if anything happens. Of course, you are off the job now, but… I think you have a right to know what comes of this. And, I’m sure Manuel will want to meet with you on your way back down to Virginia.”

  I nodded. “Thanks,” I said. “I’ll keep in touch, too.”

  There was a slight pause. “Do you think you’ll head out to your aunt’s this afternoon, then?” Dom asked.

  I looked at the ground, not sure how to answer his question. I didn’t want to lie to Dom, but I also didn’t want to hurt him unnecessarily by telling him that I was staying a little bit longer to see where things went with Grayson.

  “I think, actually, I might stick around for another day or two,” I said. “Do some shopping, explore parts of the island that I haven’t seen yet.”

  Dom gave me a small nod. He understood. He knew about Grayson.

  “Be good,” he said, then gave me a tight hug.

  “Always,” I whispered in his ear.

  We pulled away from our hug. “I’m more worried about you gallivanting around New York,” I teased.

  “Oh, don’t you worry about me,” Dom said.

  I felt a wave of sadness hit me. I wasn’t expecting it. I didn’t realize how strongly I would miss Dom.

  “Ariel!” Henry said as he came over, reached down, lifted me, and spun me around. “You’re a dream. I’m sorry about you and Dom. Just let me know if you ever need me to set you up with someone. I know some very eligible bachelors.” Then he put me back on the ground and squeezed my waist.

  “Come on, man” Dom groaned. “It’s been, like, a day. Can you not rub it in just yet?”

  “Oh, don’t worry, Dom. I’ve got the cure for you just waiting in New York City,” Henry winked as he let go of my waist and walked over to the car.

  “Or more like the disease,” I shouted over to Henry, who gave me a wide smile in return. “Keep this boy out of trouble, okay?” I continued. “You’re engaged now. You’re supposed to be the responsible one.”

  “I’ll try,” Henry said as Brit slid into the seat beside him.

  Dom shook Grayson’s hand and nodded to him, not saying anything other than “have a great summer, bro.” Dom gave me one last hug, then walked over to his SUV. Both cars started their engines.

  The three of them opened their windows and waved to us. “Bye, guys!” they shouted. It was funny, I thought, how goodbyes could oddly seem like happy moments. A time when we forget how we have wronged each other, when we remember the fun times, and breathe a sigh of relief for being able to tak
e off our polished social coats.

  I laughed as the car backed onto the main road, as Henry popped his torso out of the open roof and shouted, “I’m the king of the world! Woo hoo!”

  A hand pulled at his shirt, and Henry lowered himself in the car with a grin still plastered on his face.

  I didn’t know it then, but it would be the last time that I would ever see Henry.

  CHAPTER 36

  And then became now.

  Now—the moment I had been daydreaming about.

  I didn’t know what I was supposed to do, what Grayson and I should do. There we were, alone for the first time. And we had kissed once. Well, not just a kiss, but a steamy, thrown-on-the-counter kiss that sparked warmth in my middle every time I thought about it

  “So,” I said.

  Grayson smiled at me, and I wondered if he was bemused by my sudden nervousness.

  “Want to get lunch?” he asked.

  I was relieved that we now had a plan. “Sure,” I said.

  I wondered if lunch qualified as a first date.

  Throughout lunch, I continued to push aside thoughts of what I knew I would have to tell Grayson. Just a little bit more time, I thought to myself. I was being selfish, I knew. But I wanted to relish every moment of Grayson’s company before I told him my secret, which would likely destroy any chance of us being together.

  Grayson told me stories about work and his students, and I doubled over in laughter at some of the excuses they had come up with. “Oh man,” I said, struggling to catch my breath, “I’m sure they would appreciate you telling me those stories.”

  “Kids are funny,” Grayson said. “I love watching their brains tick.”

  “So what about you?” I asked. “What’s your most embarrassing story?”

  Grayson absentmindedly rubbed his jaw with his hand. “I’m not sure I can think of any. I usually block those kinds of things out.”

  “Oh, yeah, sure,” I said. “But there must be one you remember.”

  He thought about it for a minute, then nodded. “Okay, fine. There was this one thing. Me and Emily—that’s my ex-girlfriend, by the way—we had just moved into this new apartment. The owners had left a few things there—nothing major—but we ended up getting rid of a lot of it. Well, except for this one plant in the entranceway. We thought it was nice and worth keeping.