Chapter 21 #2
I watch as she straightens her posture and smooths her blouse, as if rebooting a computer to fix a glitch.
“Right, well, I’m going to get in contact with Connor and Greggory and see how we can manage this.
There was no way to hide the ambulance leaving the estate this morning, so there will be questions.
We’ve got to strategize what we’re going to say. ”
“Why not just tell everyone the truth?” I suggest.
Her eyes widen. “Are you serious?”
“What’s the harm?” I ask as Mercury watches us parry back and forth.
She lowers her voice. “The harm is that as soon as everyone knows your father is dying…” I wince at her bluntness. “The spotlight suddenly shifts to you.”
“It’s already on me,” I argue, throwing my hands up. “It’s been on me for years.”
“I know.” She scoffs. “That’s the problem.”
My eyes narrow. “Are you ever going to get over that?”
“That my son ran off without so much as a word, and that the only times I ever see him for the next thirteen years are splashed across the pages of gossip magazines?” she snaps under her breath. “No, I’m not sure I’ll ever get over that.”
“It goes both ways, you know?” I snap back, making sure to keep my voice low.
The people in this room don’t need our family drama added on to the horrible day they’re already having.
“I was just eighteen when I left. Practically still a child. You were the adult. You could have come after me, Mum. You could have done something to let me know you—” But I stop short because I’m too fucking scared to finish that sentence.
“To let you know what?” Her eyes are wide and full of something I don’t recognize. Vulnerability, maybe?
“Kn—Blackstone family?” someone calls out.
We all turn our heads at once—even Mercury, who figured out almost as quickly as I did that my mum had asked them to use an alias, which I’m grateful for—although not a very good one. I may be all about being truthful about my father’s illness, but not until he’s released and far away from here.
I don’t want to cause the hospital undue stress because of my presence here.
The physician notices and avoids making us respond or disturb the other families. She’s a young woman, probably not much older than me, with dark skin and kind eyes.
“Hello,” she greets us as Mercury moves back to the seat next to me and takes my hand. “I’m Dr. Wright, one of the consultants looking after your father.”
Knowing how high-strung my mother is right now, I step in before she can reply, “Nice to meet you, Dr. Wright. I’m Asher, and this is my mother, the—”
“I’m Theodora.”
My mouth nearly falls open. I’ve never heard my mother refer to herself simply as Theodora. Even growing up, when we were in public, I had to use her title. She really must be paranoid about this getting out before she can control the narrative.
I’m still surprised she allowed the two of us at the hospital. All it would take is a single photo from one of the random people in this room…
“It’s nice to meet you, although I wish we were meeting under better circumstances.”
I have a feeling she says that a lot.
“Do you have any updates for us?”
“Not as much as you are probably hoping for, I’m afraid.” She offers us a sad smile. “Lord Dunloch—”
My mum raises a finger. “Is it possible to use only his first name while we’re in public?”
The doctor’s eyes dart around to the other families in the room, who don’t seem to be paying us the slightest attention. But then again, I’ve had paparazzi hide in bathrooms and impersonate wait staff just hoping to get a shot or a juicy piece of gossip, so who knows what else they’d do?
“Of course.” She nods. “Would it be better if we took this conversation somewhere more private?”
“No,” I reply again before my mother can. “This is fine. We don’t want to impose. Once we know his prognosis, Mercury and I will be heading back to the estate anyway. I don’t want our presence to draw unnecessary attention or cause a scene.”
“That’s very considerate of you,” Dr. Wright replies. “And I know this must be difficult.”
I refrain from answering as Mercury squeezes my hand. It’s a small gesture that says so much.
I’m here for you.
I’ve got you.
We’re in this together.
“Right now, Mr. Blackstone’s prognosis is still up in the air. We know his cancer has stopped responding to treatment, but you already knew that.”
We all nod.
“The tests we’re waiting for will tell us what we’re dealing with. It could be internal bleeding or an infection. It could be something as simple as dehydration or an electrolyte imbalance.”
“Do you think it might just be dehydration? I’m always telling him to drink more water.” A spark of hope alights in my mother’s eyes.
“It could be. But at this stage, it’s more likely something more severe.” I see that spark in my mom’s blue eyes wither and die. “I tell you this merely to prepare you for what lies ahead, since I know there are special circumstances.”
Special circumstances?
She doesn’t know the half of it. Like, how my mother’s been acting like we’re Scottish royalty for years, and thanks to my music career, we might as well be, with all the attention I’m bringing our way.
Or how I’m fake-dating my manager’s daughter, who also happens to be my mate’s little sister.
Special circumstances, indeed.
We thank the doctor, and she promises to give us any further updates as she hears them.
As soon as she walks away, my mother goes into damage-control mode.
It seems the previous conversation we had about being truthful about my father’s cancer has been completely forgotten since hearing the news from the doctor.
After a quick, somewhat involved text conversation with Connor, she looks up at Mercury and me and says, “How do you two feel about going on a trip?”