Chapter 8
And… Cue Mom Guilt…
Vivian
Group Text Between Zara, Zaylee, and Vivian:
Me
All is going well here. I’m shooting some preliminary footage this evening to tease the big reveal of Mister X. I’ll post tonight.
Zara
Perfect. Go with two teaser posts, no more than that. You should have Frank fly down there for the big reveal video, then start on wedding prep posts.
Me
Already talked to Frank. He’ll be here on Thursday.
Zaylee
Honestly, Viv, I didn’t think you’d be able to salvage the dumpster fire that is your career, but now I think you might have a chance.
Me
Thanks.
This is so much more awkward than I thought it would be.
Dominic scarfed down some salad and garlic toast, then took off for the resort, leaving me here with Ben and Henry.
I’m wishing it was just Henry and me. He’s a delight.
Seriously, he may be the cutest child I’ve ever met.
The little grin? The round red glasses? The floppy dark hair?
Gah! I want to scoop him up and take him home.
If Ben would allow me to include him in my posts—which he won’t, I already know without asking, but if he would—I’d have the most viral of all the viral videos ever made.
Especially if I made the video out here on the deck, where we’re eating supper.
It’s breathtaking. So peaceful and serene with the sun low in the sky over the gentle waves lapping at the white sand.
I watch Henry, who is licking his finger tips with a loud smacking sound.
He’s already eaten three pieces of garlic toast, so I’m pretty sure he and I are kindred spirits.
Ben is silently eating a heaping plate of spaghetti while he avoids looking at me.
We shared a pleasant moment on the deck earlier, but the truth is, he wants me out of their life, like right fricking now.
I get it. I’m about to disrupt his family.
Up to this point, Dominic has been an integral part of making Ben’s life work, and I’m about to put an end to all of that.
I feel a pang of guilt, then remind myself what Dom said last night about how the plan has always been that he would move as soon as Henry starts first grade.
So I’m not exactly to blame for the end of life as they know it, but I am hurrying things along.
I have a sip of water, glancing at Ben over the rim of my glass.
If he wanted to, he could ruin everything for me.
He could convince Dominic not to go through with the wedding, he could go public with the truth, he could manipulate Henry into guilting his uncle to change his mind.
I don’t think he would, but then again, I have no idea how badly he wants his brother to stay.
For that reason, I need to be strategic and convince Ben that I’m going to be good for his brother—because I will be. I finish my pasta and set my fork down.
“Would you like some more?” he asks in a formal tone.
“No, thank you. It was delicious though,” I say. Yes, we’re going to be endlessly, awkwardly polite. Whatever that fun, slightly flirty moment was earlier, it’s over, and it’s game on for both of us.
“Can I have more garlic toast?” Henry asks.
Ben shakes his head. “If you’re still hungry, eat your salad and the rest of your pasta.”
Henry picks up his fork and twirls the noodles around it for an excruciatingly long time, gathering as many as possible before he lifts it to his mouth. But instead of eating it, he shakes the spaghetti off the fork. “Too big a bite,” he says in a silly little voice.
He starts over, and it’s all I can do to not take the fork and do the job for him. I look over at Ben, who is watching him with the same frustration I’m feeling.
“Still too big,” Henry says, shaking the noodles free again.
“Stop playing with your food,” Ben tells him. “It’s almost bath time.”
Henry’s face lights up. “Can Vivian do my bath?”
“No,” Ben says.
“Why not?”
“Because I’m sure she’s tired too and she needs to get settled into her room.”
Henry looks at me for confirmation.
I nod. “It’s true. I do need to get settled in. I also have some work to do this evening.”
“My dad works in the evenings a lot too. Mostly on his computer. During the day he works with his tools,” he says with the authority of a five-year-old who knows what’s what.
“Sounds like your dad is a very hard worker,” I answer, ripping off a bit of buttery garlic toast and popping it in my mouth. God, that’s good.
“My dad works a lot more than Uncle Dom, but Uncle Dom is a lot more fun,” Henry says.
“His job is mostly singing and dancing, which is why he’s fun.
My dad’s work is a lot more serious because there’s lots of thinking about safety stuff so no one gets hurt and also because sometimes people don’t pay their GD bills. ”
I stifle a laugh (poorly) while Ben clears his throat. “Okay, bud, finish up your supper so you’ll have lots of time to play in the bath.”
Henry pushes the plate away. “I’m full.”
“All right then. Go pick out your pajamas,” Ben says, standing up and starting to clear the plates.
I stand and help him while Henry gets up off the bench and starts for the stairs down to the yard.
“Wrong way, mister,” Ben says, placing his free hand on top of his son’s head and turning him around. “Clear your plate and go pick out your jammies.”
“Aww, Dad,” Henry says. “Can’t I just play for ten minutes?”
“Nope. You’re a working man now. You need to get to bed on time so you’ll be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed in the morning.”
Henry drops his shoulders, but he walks back to the table and picks up his plate and cutlery.
I follow the two of them inside, my hands filled with the remaining dishes. “I’ll do the dishes,” I say.
Ben looks at me. “No, that’s okay. You’re a guest.”
“Not really,” I tell him. “I’m not a guest you invited, anyway. And it’s the least I can do since I didn’t help cook.”
Henry, who disappeared down the hall, calls back to Ben, “I’m ready for my bath now!”
Ben looks back at me and I nod. “I got it. Seriously. Besides, I’m guessing you have a busy evening of safety stuff and chasing people who don’t pay their GD bills.”
He chuckles a little, then says, “Yup, I do.”
I make quick work of packing up the leftovers (including making a plate for my future hubby for when he gets home), loading the dishwasher, scrubbing the pots, and wiping down the counters.
I can hear the sounds of water splashing and Henry talking away to his dad from the other room.
There’s something very sweet about the whole thing, and it makes me wonder if I’d actually have enjoyed a completely different life—one of simple tasks, raising children, and anonymity.
But in the end, it doesn’t matter what I would’ve enjoyed if I’d gone down a different road, because I didn’t.
I have a clear path from where I’m at to my future, and I need to get busy.
There’s still some sun left so I hurry outside with my phone and walk down to the beach.
I take a minute to find the best place to stand so I’ll be perfectly lit and will show the best view, then I turn on the camera and start strolling down the beach (because movement is always best for getting people to stick around).
“Hello my friends! I hope you’re having a blissful day!
I know I said I was flying home today, but I’m still on Santa Valentina Island because there has been an extremely exciting turn of events.
” I smile and pause for just the right amount of time to build suspense but not long enough for my fans to get bored.
“Mister X has agreed to come on camera, but not tonight. He’s actually at work tonight, and I am here outside his beachside villa.
That’s right, my mystery man is from the Benavente Islands!
Now, as you’ve seen from my posts this week, I have been here visiting my bestie, Paige, but what you didn’t know is that I’m also here to see Mister X.
And let me tell you, we’ve been enjoying some sun, sand, and romance.
And we may or may not be about to make a very big announcement!
” I put on a serious face, and say, “Now, I know there has been some recent talk about Mister X being a figment of my imagination, which is totally giving mean girl energy. I’m not going to retaliate because here at Blissful Living, we’re having far too much fun to bother wallowing around in the mud.
And I get it, I do. I know why some of you have grown skeptical about Mister X, but the thing is, we weren’t ready to go public with our relationship until we knew things were getting serious.
Breakups are hard enough without having the entire world chime in about why it happened or whose team they’re on.
Am I right?” I nod, then say, “Drop a comment if you think I’m right about that.
“Anyway, we had to make sure this relationship had what it takes to make it before we shared our love with the world. And we’re finally ready!!”
I grin at the camera while I spin around slowly to reveal the ocean behind me.
“So stay tuned to meet the man of my dreams, and to be the first to hear what we’re up to!
And if you haven’t already, hit that subscribe button and like this video.
It’s a huge help for me if you do. Take care, my friends!
And remember to make the rest of your life the best of your life. ”