Chapter Twenty-Two
ChapterTwenty-Two
Elissa
Collette and I are standing outside the Black Wells tower. The murky March sun streams through the clouds, warming up the slight chill in the air. I linger, feeling incredibly awkward as I wait for my mother to dismiss me, or say goodbye, or something. But she just stands there, staring at me. It’s almost like she doesn’t know what to say or do either.
“Well…thanks for lunch, Mother.” My tone is stiff, only increasing the awkwardness. I shift my weight, bite the inside of my cheek, and look away. My mother clears her throat and tucks a wisp of hair behind her ear, then looks down to tap on her phone, presumably to call her driver.
“Yes, it was nice.” She steps forward and wraps her arms around me, plastering my arms to my sides. I’m unsure of what I should do. She presses a light kiss on the side of my cheek, and a part of my hard exterior cracks. What the hell is going on? Collette never gives affection unless there’s someone watching. I glance around, trying to find a camera, a board member, someone. But there’s nothing, no one. What the hell…
“Let’s do it again soon, darling. Maybe next week you can come for dinner, and I’ll have Alessandra whip something up for us.” My brows furrow as my eyes grow concerned, but my mother says it without flinching or sarcasm. I’m so confused as to what’s going on with her right now. “And please think about Theo. I think you two would make a wonderful couple.”
“Thanks Mother, but I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Just keep an open mind and think about it, please.”
“Sure,” I say, just to appease her. With a small but warm smile, she dips her body into the black sedan that’s pulled up beside us. I watch her car pull away, and I stand there, feeling a whole lot of confusion. This lunch was clearly meant to be used to set me up with someone, but it was different. It was the most pleasant meal I’ve had with her, and she didn’t push the issue of me meeting Theo. Just then, the sky tears open with a rumble and rain starts pouring down on me. Risking looking like a drenched rat, I stand under the chilly rain anyway and let the droplets wash away the feeling of this weird lunch.
I decide to duck out of work early because of my drenched outfit, and the fact that my mascara was running down my face, leaving me looking like a really ugly trash panda. I squish through the door of my apartment and I hear a muffled crash, then Riley’s bedroom door clicks open. A flustered Riley, her hair wild and eyes wide, pokes her head outside of the door. Her head turns toward the living room first, then finds me at the foyer. Her eyes widen even more as she sucks in her lip and a nervous smile twitches on her face. She looks rather guilty, and I can’t understand why, until another bump comes from behind her as she maneuvers herself out of the door and closes it behind her. Riley’s face is now burning red.
“Oh. My. God. Rhys is here, isn’t he?”
Her face drains of all colour and tears rim her eyes as her breath catches in her throat. She gives me a shy, curt nod. And that’s when I really take her in — her clothes are mussed and her lips are swollen and red. The hair would have been an identifier, but she tends to nap hard, so messy hair doesn’t always mean this.
“You’re hooking up with Rhys right now? After how he treated you and denied the baby was his? Guilt molds her face, her brows furrowing and eyes quivering as she searches my gaze for some sort of acceptance. Something to tell her it’s okay. When she doesn’t get it, she sighs.
“’Lissa, I’m sorry. I know how you feel about it. But he…he called and seemed apologetic. He asked to talk —”
“Isn’t that what happened last time?! Isn’t that how he got you fucking knocked up in the first place?!” I’m fuming. Rhys is here, taking advantage of a broken Riley, again. “Get the fuck out of here, Rhys!” I shout, anger seeping into every syllable of my words. My eyes cloud red, my blood is boiling.
The door clicks again, and Rhys pops his head out of the door, looking drained and scared. He’s buckling up his belt as he shimmies himself around Riley. His eyes are avoiding mine, his shoulders are slumped, and his mussed black hair matches Riley’s. For fuck’s sake. He pushes past me, grabs his coat, and whispers a goodbye before disappearing out our front door.
“Seriously, ’Lissa? You really had to do that?”
“You’re fucking right I did. Especially before you made another mistake.” Riley’s face reddens as she grits her teeth; her jaw pulses.
“Who the fuck are you to tell me about mistakes? Who let Brandt fucking slip through her fingers because she couldn’t own up to her feelings? Huh? Who always keeps people at arm’s length so she doesn’t get hurt? At least I try. At least I give myself a chance to find something I’m looking for. Sure, maybe I was about to make a mistake. But that’s my choice to make! Fuck, Elissa. And you know the worst thing? You didn’t even let me explain anything before throwing Rhys out. It should surprise me, but it doesn’t.”
My heart aches as I stand here, letting my best friend yell at me. But there’s nothing I can do or want to do. She’s right. Everything she said. When she finally finishes her rant, her face and eyes are red, she’s got tears streaming down her face, and her hands are balled into tight fists. I raise my hands in surrender and hang my head.
“I…I’m sorry, Riles. I didn’t mean to spin out like that. He just gets under my skin. He uses you and then throws you away like garbage when he’s finished with you. I just didn’t want to see you hurting again after another hookup. Especially now that you’re pregnant. You don’t need all that extra stress.”
My eyes plead with hers, begging for her forgiveness. Her arms cross, locking into position like she’s bracing herself for impact, but a moment later, she drops her arms. She lets them fall to her sides, her fingers wiggling nervously. She looks away, and the hair that’s not all tangled swishes in her face. After a few more seconds, her shoulders fall, curling inward, as she wraps her hands around her small belly bump. Another long sigh slips from her lips and her eyes meet mine. She gives me a weak smirk and I rush forward and pull her in for a hug.
“I’m sorry, Riles. I’m just protective of you. You and little Kiwi, now.” My hands slide down her arms and I lock our fingers together as I wait for her response. Her eyes glimmer with sadness and happiness, two conflicting emotions, and I don’t know which one I’ve caused. Probably both. Fuck.
“I know, ’Liss,” she says, her voice a weak, wobbly whisper. She clears her throat, rolls her shoulders back, and nudges her head toward the living room. I kick off my shoes, my feet squishing as they land on the tile, and Riley giggles, tugging me along until we both plop onto the couch. The moisture from my wet pants seeps into the couch, I groan, hoping that it doesn’t make the couch smell like mildew.
“Look, Riles. Let’s do this in a minute. Let me change first, pretty please.” She playfully rolls her eyes and sticks out her tongue. I hop off the couch and make a quick exit to my room. I peel off my clothes, letting them slide to the floor in a puddle, and unclasp my drenched bra and hang it over the door to the en suite washroom to dry out. Digging through my dresser, I find a ratty, oversized sweater and a pair of cozy black leggings and put them on. I cross the room over to my bed and crouch to the floor to reach under my bed and find my slippers. My feet push into the soft, fuzzy slippers and I feel immensely warmer. I pad back to the living room and Riley has laid down a towel on the couch from where my ass left some water.
“So…” Riley starts. Her eyes shift as she chews on the inside of her cheek.
“So.” I confirm. She wriggles in her spot and releases a heavy breath.
“I don’t want to hear what you think. I know what you’re thinking, but I love him. I can’t help it.”
My lips tighten into a thin line.
“I know you do, but I just don’t want to see you hurt when he freaks out and leaves again. Who knows? He might freak out when the baby is born and disappear on you, leaving you to raise it alone, anyway. I think you just need to be careful, and tread lightly. I just don’t want to see you hurt. You know I always have your back and am here for whatever you need.” Her posture and face soften. Her hand slides off her lap and into mine, grasping my hand.
“I know you do, E. I love ya.”
“Love you too, Riles.”