Chapter 31 #2
“Oh my word, Cecelia….” Jenny looks me dead in the eye, victory beaming out of her even as she says, “You’re acting so crazy right now.”
“No, you’re acting fucking crazy.”
“How? I’m just trying to remember a classmate who can’t be with us today.”
“Fuck you,” I spit. “You helped ruin Rhys’s life. You and all your friends. And now you’re trying to stand up here and act as if none of it happened. It’s disgusting.”
“I’m sorry you feel that way,” Jenny sniffs. “But I’m not responsible for Rhys’s decisions. We all make our own choices.”
“And yet you choose to do the worst thing every fucking time. Why are you like this, Jenny? What possible motivation can you have to be such a repulsive person at every stage of life?”
Hayley Dean climbs up the stage to stand in position behind Jenny, because of course she does. The netball centre and her goal attack. The dance team captain and her vice-captain.
“Cece, you’re not supposed to be up here,” Hayley says. “Jenny’s emceeing this event.”
“Oh, fuck off, Hayley, you’re as bad as she is. And everyone remembers what you did with Jeremy Appleworth in the church garden ’cause you were mad Fletch went to Wānaka for New Year’s without you.”
Hayley gasps. And in the roaring quiet that follows, the familiar voice of Fletcher Dean floats towards me. “I don’t know what she did…?”
“So, ask her,” I snap, without turning to look at him. I keep my eyes on Hayley. “It’s a wonder God doesn't strike you down every time you walk through that archway.”
“You fucking bitch,” Hayley screeches. She turns to face her husband, who I know for a fact is the associate pastor of that very church. “She’s lying, babe!”
Unfortunately, Fletcher is too busy staring at his best friend, Jeremy, who’s rubbing the back of his neck. “Sorry, mate.”
“Shut up, Jeremy,” Hayley screams.
Jenny rounds on me. “I think you need to leave, Cecelia. You’ve done enough damage.”
I haven’t. There’s nothing she can say or do that will stop me now.
I step closer, right in her face. She’s half a foot shorter than me, and has the physique of someone who hasn’t enjoyed carbs since Dolly Magazine told her to avoid them during puberty.
I could take her in a fight if it came to that, and if it doesn't, what are her other options? Destroy my livelihood? My reputation? Talk shit about me in my hometown? She’s done all of that already. And I’m still here, still going.
“You need to apologise, Jenny. You’re a bully, and I’m sorry your ex-husband is a dick, but you are, too.
You always have been, and I don’t care if you had a shit home life or whatever made you turn out like this, because it doesn’t excuse what you’ve done.
You hurt people, on purpose. That’s fucked up.
You did it to Rhys, to Ada, to me. You know it, I know it, and now everyone else gets to know it, too. ”
The shocked look on Jenny’s face says my point has hit home.
I give her my widest beauty-pageant smile, then walk off the stage and down the stairs.
Around me, murmurs begin. Davis is waiting for me with serious eyes, and Betty’s still grinding her teeth as Gavin talks her down.
But Ada’s wearing a big old grin. “Jesus, Cee. As far as stepping up goes, you just shot the fuckin’ moon. ”
“Thanks,” I say. “It was past due. I’m sorry, Addy.”
“Don’t be. That was all-time.”
I move to hug her, but before we can, Tristan materialises out of nowhere, somehow managing to look condescending even with a black eye. He glances at Ada and Jake bristles like a Rottweiler. “The fuck do you want?”
“To talk to my sister,” Tristan says apologetically. “Cee, can I have a word?”
Oh my God, it’s all happening now…
“I’m busy with my friends,” I say.
And I don’t want to talk to you.
One of his eyes twitches like he’s trying not to roll it. “Please?”
“Jesus, fine. What do you want?”
“I’ve been thinking about your lease,” he says.
I don’t say anything, just blink at him.
“For the building? That your bar is in?”
“I know what lease you’re talking about, Tristan. What do you want to tell me?”
“I have been thinking,” Tristan repeats, “I should turn everything Mitch left over to you. You’re already running the pub, and Mitch and I weren’t that close. So… Is that all good with you?”
I stare at him, stunned. “Um, sure? What does that mean?”
“We’ll put everything in your name. You won’t have to pay rent to me anymore.”
His gaze slides sideways toward Ada. “I called my mate who specialises in commercial property, and he’s already put together the paperwork. All you’ll have to do is sign.”
I feel like the ground is shifting beneath me. “Why are you doing this? You’ve never once done something to make my life easier. Why now?”
“I know I haven’t always been the best brother, but I’m trying to do better. You run the business, you live there, you should be the one controlling everything. Besides, I have a couple of other property interests in Auckland. I can stand to lose this one.”
So close. He almost got through the conversation without saying something twattish.
“Okay. Well, thanks, I guess.”
“You’re welcome.” My brother gives me a tight smile. “Will I see you again before I go?”
“No, probably not.”
He looks startled. Probably because every time he’s come home, I’ve tied myself into knots to see him, because that’s what good sisters do. But Tristan was right, he hasn’t been the best brother to me. If he wants a chance at a real relationship with me, he can make the effort.
“Maybe Christmas then?”
“Maybe.” I turn away from him and look directly at Davis, raising my eyebrows. He holds his bouncer poker face, but opens his arms, letting me settle into his safe embrace.
Holy shit.
It’s all going to be mine. The building, my apartment, my business. No more lease, no more landlords, no more living hand-to-financial-mouth to make sure I can afford the space to run Afterglow without going under.
My legs go unsteady at the enormity of what’s just happened. Davis holds me close, keeping me upright.
“You okay?”
“It’s mine,” I tell him. “Afterglow’s finally all mine. I can do whatever I want with it.”
“That’s amazing. Congratulations, sweetheart.”
“Thank you!”
“That’s fantastic,” Ada says, and I allow myself to tumble out of Davis’s embrace and into hers.
“Thank you!” I’m giddy with joy and relief. “It almost makes me feel bad for telling Caroline that Tristan is a cheating bastard.”
“What?” Ada blanches.
“Not you! I’d never tell her about you. But I called her this morning and said that I’d found out Tristan cheated before they were married. I thought she should have all the information.”
“What did she say?” Ada asks.
“She thanked me for telling her and hung up.” I shrug. “It’s her business what she does now, but all I could think about was that I’d want to know if it was me.”
Ada lets out a breath. “Shit. I wonder what the fuck’s going to happen now?”
“That’s Tristan’s problem. He did this to himself. I thought about what you said in the car on Friday, about how people always blame the other woman. But he’s the one who cheated. He can deal with the consequences.”
Davis links his fingers through mine and raises our joined hands to press a kiss against the back of my hand.
“I like this side of you,” he murmurs. “All feisty.”
Gratitude rushes through me, and I smile at him. “Thanks. I couldn’t have done it without you at my back, though.”
He nods, effortlessly handsome.
“Hey, Cee,” Ada nudges me with her hip. “Betty and Gavin have to get home to JR after the kapa haka closing thing, but Jake’s making a dinner reservation. You guys want in?”
I look down at my best friend, her dark eyes wide like a Disney princess.
The air of sadness that’s been trailing behind her since she came back to New Zealand seems to have vanished.
I don’t know what our futures look like—Jake and Davis, the bar, our living situations—but I know we’ll get through them.
Sometimes together, sometimes separately, as the music of our lives weaves us tighter and looser through different seasons.
Parts will probably move faster than we expect, some slower.
Marriage. Kids, maybe. Pets, politics, and the price of groceries.
All the little notes that form a friendship like ours, fitting into each other’s symphonies where we can, while still crafting our own beautiful songs.
But after all we’ve done, everywhere we’ve been, the hardships of the last year, I know we’re in it for each other. We just have to make it through the rest of this goddamn reunion.
“We’re in. Come on.” I hook my arm through Ada’s and grab Betty’s hand, as well. “Let’s get another drink. Ruining lives is thirsty work.”