Chapter 31 #2
Because I was in love with him. Because he promised we’d be together. Because I didn’t want you to have a reaction like this and then be heartbroken if he broke his promises.
But instead, Kiki replied, ‘To be honest, I completely forgot…’ Then she turned to Caden and added, ‘…until I saw you here tonight.’
Ginny must still have been stuck on the ‘same school’ thing, because she was also very obviously surprised. ‘That’s so funny. That means you must have been in the same school as Ollie too.’
Kiki nodded. ‘I was. He was a couple of years older than us though, so I didn’t know him.’
Caden still hadn’t said a word, but Ginny was barrelling on, oblivious to his stunned silence.
‘It still blows my mind that you and Ollie went to the same school,’ she told Caden, before bringing the conversation back to Kiki and Ava.
‘Caden and I had been together for years before I started working here, and I had no idea they knew each other. It was only when I got the job here that Caden told me. Imagine keeping that to himself.’
Kiki had to clamp her mouth shut so that she didn’t make a comment about him being good at keeping things to himself.
He’d been going out with Ginny for years?
Years? She remembered seeing a photo on Instagram of them together at a show opening night a while ago, but she’d just assumed Ginny was one of the other cast members, not a long-term girlfriend.
Until six months ago, he’d also been showing up at Kiki’s flat every time he was back in Glasgow and sleeping with her too. What. A. Reprehensible. Bastard.
It had taken a few moments for the shock to wear off, but Caden finally found his voice.
‘Well, some things don’t need to be broadcast,’ he said, replying to Ginny, but staring straight at Kiki when he said it.
She wondered if that was a subtle message.
Keep quiet. Say nothing. And she truly hoped that he was afraid right now.
‘Of course I remember you, Kiki. Great to see you again. That’s a talented daughter you have there.’
‘Oh, I know that,’ Kiki agreed, another flush of pride consuming her, followed instantly by a different emotion. Defiance? Anger? A twisted sense of satisfaction? See what I achieved without you, you cheating scumbag.
She’d come here tonight determined to get what she felt she was due from him, but in the last sixty seconds, that desire had completely evaporated.
No. She didn’t need him. She wasn’t going to ask for his money to pay for Ava’s extra lessons. Look what they’d achieved on their own. Hadn’t they already proven that they didn’t need anyone else? Especially this pathetic liar of a man.
In her head, she heard Ava’s comment from the scene with Netta on the documentary earlier.
‘I just want to make my mum proud of me.’
Well, that went both ways. Kiki wanted to make Ava proud of her too, and she wasn’t going to do that by taking anything from this guy. Her dignity and integrity were worth more than this turd of a guy could afford.
‘Anyway, nice to see you again after all this time,’ Kiki told him, her carefree act still intact. ‘And, Ginny, thanks again for taking such good care of Ava. She thinks you’re wonderful and it’s been lovely for me to see that there are such kind, caring, decent people in this world.’
When she met his gaze, she knew for absolute certain that he got her message that he wasn’t included in that.
‘You’re so welcome, but, honestly, the pleasure is all mine. Ava, I’ll come and find you later and let’s hatch a plan to celebrate. I’m going to have a wee party at my sister’s café next week, so prepare for cake. Kiki, you’re invited too.’
‘Count us in. We’d love that,’ she replied, and oh, it was glorious to watch him squirm.
She also had the strongest feeling that Ginny needed to know exactly who and what he was, but not tonight and not here.
That was something she would think about later, and maybe run past Netta, because she’d sensed how close they were.
As Ginny and Caden walked away, Kiki felt her whole body begin to shake. All those conversations in her head, the payback, the justice, the retribution… Turned out she didn’t want any of it. She just had to see his face as she made it clear she didn’t need him. That was justice enough.
‘Mum, don’t look, don’t look, but I think Moira is coming over here.’ Ava was whispering now, awe in every word. Over the last year, Moira Chiles had become her daughter’s hero. After tonight, Kiki understood why.
‘Ava! And I take it you’re Ava’s mum? Oh my, you look like sisters,’ Moira said, warmth oozing from her words.
‘Yes, I’m Kiki. So great to meet you.’
‘And you. I hope you don’t mind me interrupting, but I wanted you both to meet Jacque Leon.’ She turned to the gentleman who was standing beside her, and at the same time, Kiki heard Ava let out a quiet gasp.
‘Ava,’ Moira went on. ‘As you probably know, Mr Leon is the president of the Glasgow Conservatoire. And he’d like to speak to you about a scholarship position.’
Nope, they didn’t need anything from Caden Church.
Because Ava could reach the stars all on her own.