Chapter 21
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It was Sunday and I was intending to go around to my parents’ place, but I wasn’t ready to see Mark just yet.
It still hurt too much, but I had no choice.
Maybe it was better to get it over and done with instead of avoiding him, as it may make it worse.
Although I couldn’t imagine feeling worse than I already did.
I made sure I was early so I was able to see my parents before my siblings and Mark arrived. My mom was so happy to see me, the moment I entered the house she had hugged me tightly while weeping silently. No words had been needed.
I had also come to the conclusion that there was nothing that could be done to change the past so I had to make peace with it even though there was still leftover anger and sadness I was still trying to work through.
Maggie had sent over the picture of me that I had admired and notified me that once I had enough space she would send some more over. I had hung it up in my living room, feeling a closeness to a stranger each time I studied it.
The painting made me feel something about myself that kept me pushing forward even when at times I wanted to curl into a ball and admit defeat .
Seated beside my mom in the kitchen, we had a cup of coffee and talked, but I didn’t want to talk about the secret she had kept from me. Instead, I found myself telling her about Maggie and my half-brothers.
“I’m not sure your brother will like the competition,” my mom said with a knowing smile.
I laughed. “I’m sure he’ll cope.”
Nothing could replace the relationship we had. The relationships I was building with Sebastian and Cole would be different. Matthew I knew well but I was still getting to know my half-siblings.
“Is Matt coming?” I asked, not sure if he had changed his mind.
“He said he was.” My mom’s voice was strained. I leaned closer and placed my hand over hers.
“He’ll come around.”
If I could show him I had put it behind me then he would find it easier to come to terms with it himself. I was sure of it. I heard the front door open and close. I felt a moment of nervousness but was relieved to hear Sophie’s voice.
She was happy to see me seated at the kitchen table when she entered. “It’s good to see you.”
“You too,” I murmured, getting up to hug her.
Only a few minutes later the sound of the door opening made me stand. It was probably Matthew.
I smiled when he entered and Sarah followed behind, holding his hand.
He gave me a dimpled smile when his eyes settled on mine and I rushed over to hug him. “You came.”
“For you,” he breathed into my hair.
“You don’t know how much it means,” I whispered, feeling overcome for a few moments.
He pulled away and studied me. “How are you doing?”
I swallowed my heartache. “I’m good. ”
He didn’t look entirely convinced but let it go. While I greeted Sarah, Matthew walked over to our parents. Out of the corner of my eye I saw him hug them.
It felt like something had been repaired. In that moment, I felt a sense of completion. Even though things with Mark would be complicated, the weight I had carried since discovering the truth about Robert lessened.
This time when the front door sounded, I knew it was Mark, since it couldn’t be anyone else. My heart galloped like it was going to break free from my chest but I refused to look up when I heard him enter the kitchen.
Even when he greeted everyone, I couldn’t lift my eyes to meet his. Just the sound of his voice and his presence was enough to make me feel raw again.
“I need to talk to you,” Mark said in the direction of my brother. I snuck a look in to see my brother nod. His chair scraped back as he rose.
Mark exited the kitchen into the backyard and Matthew followed. I couldn't help feeling curious about what they had to talk about. Mark had sounded super serious, although he was rarely anything but.
I nursed my coffee, refusing to allow myself to be concerned with what was going on outside. It was none of my business.
It was only when I heard the raised voice of my brother that I followed Sophie and Sarah to the back door. My parents were just behind us.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Matthew yelled before shooting a glare at me, which stopped me in my tracks.
I had no idea why he was yelling. Mark looked across to me and I felt my stomach dip. His eyes said everything.
“I care about your sister,” he murmured in front of my entire family, including my furious brother, while our eyes held.
I was stumped and unable to process what was going on. Sarah made a move to approach Matthew but he shook his head at her and she halted.
“What do you mean, man?” Matthew was breathing hard and I was unable to look away from the unfolding drama.
Mark was telling him about us. Why?
“You know what I mean.” Mark shrugged, looking at him. Realization dawned on the horrified features of my brother. I found myself moving to put myself in the way of my brother, to stop him from doing something he might regret doing in the heat of the moment, but my father grabbed my arm.
“Don’t get in between those two,” he said firmly. “Let them sort it out.”
“You and Tracy?” The silence that followed was deafening. Then my brother turned to me. “Is this true?”
I nodded, feeling all eyes on me.
“How could you?” my brother exploded. I tried to pull free from my father but he held me firmly so I was unable to stop what happened next.
Matthew swung and hit Mark in the face, and I gasped at the sound. Mark had stood still, making no move to defend himself, which he was more than capable of doing.
My brother rubbed his hand and Mark touched his face, working his jaw. “That I deserved.”
“Matthew,” I yelled, urgently trying to defuse the situation before it blew out of proportion.
“Don’t ‘Matthew’ me,” my brother spat at me. He raked a hand through his hair, trying to contain what he was wrestling with.
“You can say and do what you like to me but you be careful what you say to her,” Mark warned. His tone was quiet but deadly.
“You’re not supposed to fool around with your best friend’s sister.” Matthew shot him a look that told him to back off.
“It wasn’t planned. ”
My brother turned his back on Mark before swinging back to glare at his friend. “I know what you’re like.”
“She’s different.”
Matthew looked between the two of us before he threw his hands in the air and stalked off. Sarah followed closely behind and I was left with the aftermath of Mark and my family.
I didn’t know what to say but, when my dad released me, I rushed over to Mark. He let me tilt his face so I could take a closer look at the bruise already starting to develop where he had taken the hit.
“You didn’t even try and defend yourself,” I muttered angrily. “You need ice.”
I left him there to go back in the kitchen. My hands trembled as I got a kitchen towel and put some ice in it.
My parents had vanished along with my sister, leaving just the two of us standing in the yard.
He winced when I put the ice against his cheek.
“Serves you right,” I muttered. I don’t know why I felt so annoyed.
His eyes held mine and I wavered.
“Why did you do that?” I whispered, feeling the intensity of his gaze.
“You know why.”
I hated when he spoke like that, instead of saying it outright. Why did I always have to feel like I was dragging everything out of him? When I refused to say anything, his hand brought mine down from his face.
“Opening up to you scared me.” He looked vulnerable and I couldn’t look away, even the anger I had felt only a few moments before evaporated. “I thought it would be easier to walk away.”
“What changed?” I asked softly.
“I can’t. I need you… ”
There were no declarations, just an honesty that made the warmth unravel in me.
Lunch had been a little awkward with Matthew and Sarah’s absence. They had left immediately after the confrontation in the back yard. Mark sat beside me at the table and it felt weird now that my family knew about us especially when I wasn’t sure how my parents felt about it.
I helped my mom and Sophie clear the table while my dad spoke to Mark. I wondered what was being said.
“What did I tell you?” Sophie gloated when we entered the kitchen “I think I may have to become a professional cupid.”
I rolled my eyes at her as I set the dishes beside the sink.
“I’m surprised it took this long,” my mother said while she stood on the other side of me.
“Really?” I asked, a little taken aback.
She nodded. “You’ve had a thing for him for a while and he always seemed to act differently around you.”
“You knew I liked him?”
She smiled. “Of course I knew. Mothers know these things. I think you’ll be good together.”
How had I never known this?
Later, when we were leaving, my father hugged me close while Mark spoke to my mom.
“So, you and Mark?” my dad whispered.
“Yeah,” I murmured, feeling a little shy about it.
“He’s a good guy,” he murmured beneath his breath, which made me feel warm inside.
Well, that was a first. I don’t think I had ever heard my dad say that about any of the boyfriends I had brought home.
“I know that.” I nodded. I had known Mark for a long time, I might not know the details about his life, but I knew who he was deep down inside. That was what mattered to me.
His actions today had been unexpected. I had no idea he’d been planning to tell Matthew, and now that I’d had time to think about it, I wished he had said something beforehand so I could have at least prepared myself. Although I wasn’t sure it would have changed the final outcome.
It was later, when we walked into my apartment, that I finally had the chance to talk to him.
“You’ve been very quiet,” he said when I dropped my purse on the nearest table and sank into my sofa.
“It was a lot this afternoon.”
He came to a stop beside the armrest. “He’ll come around. It’s just going to take time.”
He studied me. “There is something else bugging you. What is it?”