Chapter 36
The night of the fundraiser finally rolls around, and I link my arm with Sam’s as we stroll into the hotel ballroom, both of us looking around in wide-eyed surprise and awe at the magnitude of the room.
Sam, like he’d never believe such an event could be held in the name of the small charity he started alone so many years ago.
Me, like I didn’t plan the whole damn thing myself.
The chandeliers cast a warm, sparkling glow over the guests that are gliding around in their floor-length gowns and suits, mingling with each other as the hum of chatter and peels of laughter dance around us.
The edges of the ballroom are adorned with donated artworks ready for auction, along with other items that will be sold off throughout the course of the evening.
In the end I was able to pull together donated gift hampers, deluxe spa and restaurant vouchers, concert tickets and an all-inclusive weekend stay at a five-star hotel to bid off in a silent auction to raise funds for Hope House.
I feel like I’m glowing when I point these out to Sam, who I think has actually been rendered speechless.
I actually did this.
I smile and wave over Sam’s shoulder at the people I recognise.
Lenny in the DJ booth, Cassie drinking champagne and inspecting the artwork, Anna and Percy in the crowd of one hundred and fifty guests, speaking to my family.
The turn out is amazing and I take a moment to feel a sense of pride wash over me.
This is going to be the start of many great things for Hope House, I just know it.
“Hey Gianna, you bloody pulled it off! This is incredible!”
I turn my smiling face to Brett, who’s joined us.
“I couldn’t have done it without your help.”
I introduce Sam and Brett before Sam gives me a tight hug and excuses himself. “I better mingle with these people, I guess. Get them to open their wallets a bit wider.”
I smack him good-naturedly on the shoulder as he ambles off into the crowd in his old brown suit, head held high.
‘What do I need a new suit for?’ he’d said when I climbed into his car earlier this evening.
‘The money is better off spent around the shelter.’ That’s just Sam for you. Selfless, with a heart of gold.
I turn to face Brett, who I’ve only spoken to on the phone since the night he kissed me. “I really couldn’t have done this without your help, you know.”
He smiles at me, but it doesn’t quite reach his eyes. Things have felt a bit off between us since the kiss.
“Look, Brett, about that night- ”
“Please don’t,” he cuts me off, glancing away and taking a sip of his drink. “I’m really sorry, Gianna. I shouldn’t have done it.”
An awkward silence stretches between us before he speaks again. “My old crush was still lingering and getting black-out drunk amplified it. I know you don’t see me that way, and I won’t ever bring it up again.”
I look down into my champagne glass and watch the bubbles as they fizz and pop inside the golden liquid. Brett’s a good friend and he’s supported me a lot this semester. Having him back in my life has helped me to feel like myself again, but I don’t want to cause him any kind of pain, either.
“Can we still be friends?” I ask, looking up into his familiar face.
“Of course. That was never in question.”
We smile weakly at each other and I can’t help but wonder if our friendship will ever be the same again.
Then Anna, dressed in her gorgeous gold strapless gown, interrupts our conversation.
“G, a moment?”
She yanks on my hand and drags me a few metres away from Brett before she spins and says, “You look gorgeous. This event is amazing. Your mum is on the war path.”
“What?”
“Your mum. She’s on her way over here and oh my g- ”
“Gianna Morello!” Mum shrieks when she approaches from behind Anna.
She looks perfectly put together in a red cap-sleeved gown and her black hair swept back in her usual chignon, but the look on her face is enough to make me wither like a sultana, along with the use of my full name that she still uses when I’m in trouble.
I shrink down between my shoulders, but it’s not nearly enough to shield me from what’s about to come.
“Where on Earth have you been? You’ve barely been answering my calls.
Your text messages are vague. You haven’t been at your apartment!
” She takes a deep breath, as if suddenly remembering that she’s standing in the entrance of a ballroom in front of over one hundred people.
She smooths a hand over her hair and hisses, “You have a lot to answer for, young lady!”
I stare at my mum with my mouth hanging open. Is she seriously doing this now? On my big night? Can I not have one single moment of peace?
“You realise I’m a grown woman that doesn’t, in fact, have to tell her mother about every single thing she does, right?
” I say between clenched teeth. Fury simmers dangerously beneath my skin like an active volcano that’s been teetering on the edge of erupting.
My whole life I’ve been told what to do and how to live my life.
I can’t escape it. But I know I’ve had enough of it.
“We’ll speak about this later.” I go to walk off before I say something I’ll regret, but Mum stops me.
“We’ll speak about it now! You’ve been acting so strange lately. Even Daniel doesn’t know what’s gotten into you-”
“Daniel? What does he have to do with this?”
Mum glides her hands down the front of her dress. “I spoke to him to find out if you were staying with him this week.”
“You called Daniel looking for me? Why would I be staying with him?” I say, my fists clenching at my sides. “You know we’re separated, right?”
“Yes, but I had hoped-”
“Hoped what?” I grit out, no longer wholly in control of what comes flying from my mouth. “That I would get back together with that fucking psychopath? It’s his fault I’m such a fucking mess in the first place!”
My chest heaves as I walk away from my mother, who looks like she’s just been slapped across the face.
I can’t believe I just swore at her. Circling widely around the rest of my family, I stop in front of an abstract painting, pretending to admire the dark, swirling pattern while I shake off my residual anger.
After a few moments a woman sporting a slicked back bun and a no-nonsense A-line dress approaches me.
She’s a reporter from the local newspaper I invited for extra publicity.
But as I chat idly to her, my back to my family, I can’t stop my mind from racing.
I’ll have to explain to my mother later what I meant when I called Daniel a psychopath.
It’s about time I let my family in on the truth, anyway.
If I had been more honest about what was going on in my marriage, I wouldn’t be in this situation now.
But as much as I say Daniel and I hid the ugliness well, there’s still a niggling part of me that thinks how could they not know?
My own mother. How did she not see what was happening?
How did she not see the misery behind my eyes?
“I’ll be writing up a little piece about tonight for Monday’s news. Such a worthy cause that I think our readers will really get behind,” the woman says to me as she pushes her gold-rimmed glasses up her nose.
“Thank you so much, all of us at Hope House are so appreciative.”
I smile warmly, shake her hand, then wander to the next guests, slowly making my way around the room.
Sam often joins me in thanking people for their contribution to the evening, whether it’s via donation, bids on the auction or their presence alone, and before long we’re being called to order for the main auction to begin.
Only two items are being auctioned off the old-fashioned way, and they’re both unique paintings by a well-known local artist. When the auctioneer begins and hands start flying into the air, I feel a tug on my arm.
“Gia, you have a minute?”
I glance over my shoulder, then turn back to the stage. “Not now, Tony.”
“Please. I’ll be quick.”
A sigh escapes my lips, but I relent and follow Tony through the crowd to a small alcove off to the side. I smile at Lenny as we pass and he gives me a thumbs up, holding his headphones between his ear and shoulder.
“Gia, what’s going on with you? Mum’s been worried sick,” Tony starts the second we’re out of ear-shot. He looks handsome if not out of character in a smart, black suit, but the perpetual frown between his thick brows isn’t new.
I fold my arms across my chest, more than ready to butt heads with my big brother.
“I don’t care how worried Mum is. It’s not like I’ve disappeared off the face of the Earth! She had no right to contact Daniel to try and get information on me, Tony! I’m twenty-eight years old, I’m allowed to have a bit of privacy without the world crashing down around me!”
“Wow.” He holds his hands up in defence. “Calm down, sis. You’re acting like Daniel is the devil incarnate.”
“Don’t tell me to fucking calm down!” I ball my fists at my sides, losing my cool completely.
“And Daniel is the fucking devil! He’s blackmailing me, Tony!
” My chest is heaving, but I’m too far gone to stop there.
“He abused me our entire marriage and now he’s trying to keep me locked away in his fucking torture chamber for good! ”
“Wait, wait, what?” Tony’s head jerks back with shock. “What do you mean he abused you?”
Tony grabs my shoulders and stares into my eyes, as if demanding the answers to reveal themselves in my irises.
I shake him off and cross my arms again.
I don’t want to tell my brother that Daniel raped me.
That’s far too personal and I don’t want to deal with the backlash of exposing that kind of secret, but I’m also not covering for Daniel any more.