36. Delilah
DELILAH
The bakery is closed by the time Leanne and Vivian arrive.
I'm upstairs in my apartment, going over supply orders for next week, when I hear the knocking downstairs.
I ignore it at first. The hours are posted on the door. We're done for the day.
The knocking continues.
I set down my laptop and head downstairs, flipping on the lights as I go.
Through the glass door, I can see them. Leanne in a navy coat. Vivian in white.
I unlock the door and open it just wide enough to speak. "We're closed."
"We need to talk to you," Leanne says.
"About what?"
"Can we come in?"
"No."
Vivian crosses her arms. "Delilah, don't be childish."
"I'm not being childish. I'm enforcing my business hours."
"This is important," Leanne says.
I study her face. She looks tired. Older than I remember.
"Fine. You have five minutes."
I step back and let them in, locking the door behind them.
They stand near the counter, looking around like they're cataloging everything.
"What do you want?" I ask.
Leanne clasps her hands together. "We need your help."
"With what?"
Vivian shifts. "The wedding venue."
I wait.
"Connor was supposed to make the final payment last month," Leanne continues. "But he hasn't been able to. And now they're threatening to cancel the booking."
"Okay."
"So we need you to ask Kane to cover it."
I gawk at Leanne, then at Vivian. "You want me to ask Kane to pay for your wedding with Connor?"
"It's just the final payment," Vivian says, already pouting. "Fifteen thousand. That's nothing to him."
"Then ask him yourself."
"He won't talk to us," Leanne says.
"I wonder why."
Vivian's face hardens. "Delilah, stop being petty."
"I'm not being petty. I'm saying no."
"You're saying no because you want to see me humiliated," Vivian says. "You've been waiting for this since Christmas."
"I'm saying no because you're asking me to beg my boyfriend for money to fund your wedding to my ex-husband. The ex-husband you were sleeping with for four years while he was married to me."
"That's in the past," Leanne says briskly. "We've all moved on."
"Have we?"
"Yes. We have."
I cross my arms. "So you've apologized?"
Leanne blinks. "For what?"
"For covering up the affair. For knowing about it since Dad's funeral and lying to me for months."
She hesitates. "I did what I thought was best."
"That's not an apology."
"Delilah—"
"And you?" I look at Vivian. "Have you apologized?"
Vivian shifts. "I told you I was sorry."
"No, you didn't. You said you meant to say it. That's not the same thing."
"Fine. I'm sorry. There. Happy?"
"No."
"Then what do you want?"
"I want you to leave. Both of you."
Leanne's voice sharpens. "You're doing this because you're jealous."
"Of what?"
"Of Vivian. Of her relationship with Connor. Of the fact that she's getting married and you're not."
I almost laugh. "You think I'm jealous of Vivian?"
"Yes."
"Mom, Connor forged my signature on a four-million-dollar loan and nearly destroyed my business.
He spent four years of our marriage sleeping with my sister.
And when I divorced him, he asked me for money to save his wedding deposit.
" I shake my head. "Why on earth would I be jealous of someone stuck marrying him? "
Vivian's face flushes. "You don't know anything about our relationship."
"I know Connor gambled away his trust fund. I know he's been trying to postpone the venue payment because he doesn't have the money. And I know you're here because you're desperate."
"We're not desperate," Leanne says.
"Then why are you asking me for help?"
She remains silent.
I step toward the door. "Your five minutes are up."
Vivian grabs her purse. "This is who you are now? Someone who withholds help just to watch people suffer?"
"No. I'm someone who refuses to reward people for hurting me."
"We didn't hurt you. You hurt yourself by overreacting."
I unlock the door and hold it open. "Get out."
Leanne looks at me like she's waiting for me to change my mind.
I don't.
She turns and walks out. Vivian follows.
I lock the door behind them and lean against it, heart pounding.
It feels good.
It feels terrifying.
It feels like the right choice and the wrong choice all at once.
I pull out my phone and text Kane.
ME: Can you come over?
His reply is immediate.
KANE: On my way.
Kane arrives thirty minutes later.
I let him in through the front door and lock it behind him.
He takes one look at my face and says, "What happened?"
"My mother and sister were here."
His eyes darken. "What did they want?"
"Money. Well, they wanted me to ask you for money."
"For what?"
"Connor's wedding venue. The final payment. Fifteen thousand."
"And you said no."
"Yeah."
"Good."
I cross to the counter and lean against it. "They said I was doing it to humiliate Vivian. That I'm jealous of her relationship with Connor."
Kane follows me and stands close enough that I can feel his warmth. "You're not jealous."
"I know."
"Then why are you upset?"
"Because part of me wants to say yes."
He frowns. "Why?"
"Because it would make them leave me alone. It would stop them showing up here and demanding things. Sometimes, it's just easier to give them what they want than to keep saying no."
Kane cups my face. "Easier doesn't mean right."
"I know."
"And you don't owe them anything."
"I know that too."
He studies me. "But you're still thinking about it."
"Not seriously. But yeah. I thought about it."
He pulls me close and wraps his arms around me. I lean into him, letting myself take the comfort he's offering.
"You did the right thing," he says.
"Did I?"
"Yes."
"Even though it means they'll keep coming back?"
"They'll keep coming back either way. Giving them money doesn't stop the demands. It just shows them you'll fold if they push hard enough."
I close my eyes. "I know."
"I could pay it," Kane floats out there. "If you want me to."
I pull back and look at him. "What?"
"I could pay the venue. Without telling them it's from me. Let Connor take the credit."
"Why would you do that?"
"Because I hate that they're hurting you. And if paying fifteen thousand makes them go away, I'll do it."
I stare at him. "You're serious."
"Yes."
"Kane, no."
"Why not?"
"Because it would make my refusal meaningless. I said no because I don't want to help them. If you pay anyway, you're just doing what they wanted in the first place."
He nods. "You're right."
"And because it's not your mess to fix."
"Your messes are my messes. You know that, Lilah."
I do. But I also need him to understand.
"Kane, I appreciate that you want to help. But this is my decision. And I need you to let me make it."
He searches my face. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"Yeah. I'll stay out of it."
I lean my head against his chest. "Thank you."
"But if they keep bothering you—"
"Then we'll handle it. Together."
He kisses the top of my head. "Together."
We stand there for a while, just holding each other.
Eventually I say, "I think I want my mom to apologize."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah. More than I want the wedding canceled. More than I want them to leave me alone." I look up at him. "I want her to admit she was wrong."
"Do you think she will?"
"No."
"Then what?"
"Then I keep saying no. And eventually they'll stop asking."
Kane's arms tighten around me. "And if they don't?"
"Then I keep saying no anyway."
He kisses me. It's soft and reassuring and just what I need.
When we break apart, he says, "You're stronger than you think."
"I don't feel strong."
"You are. You stood up to them today. You told them no. That takes strength."
I rest my forehead against his. "I hate that it's this hard."
"I know."
"And I hate that they make me feel like I'm the one being unreasonable."
"You're not."
"I know. But it doesn't stop them from trying."
He strokes my hair. "Do you want me to talk to them?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Yeah. If you get involved, they'll just say I'm hiding behind you. And they'll be right."
"You're not hiding."
"I know. But they'll say it anyway."
Kane lapses into thoughtful silence. "I won't pay the venue," he says finally. "And I won't talk to them. But if they show up here again, I want to know."
"Okay."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
He kisses me again. Longer this time.
When we break apart, I'm breathless.
"Take me home," I say.
"I was planning on it."
He takes my hand and leads me to the car.
Gratitude washes over me. If there's one thing I know for certain, it's that I don't want to face tonight alone.
And with Kane, I don't have to.