He laughed at the memory. I winced at it.
So many times my dad would sugarcoat an exit, with offers to bring me back candy or a jacket or something I’d been begging for for months. I’d loved him so much when he was there. Both him and my mom looked at me like I was their world. I believed it too until they packed a bowl, shot up in their arms, and took their bus somewhere new.
Even that last time they were home, I think I held onto hope. My father had said he’d be home in a jiffy and I was fifteen but I still asked to go with.
I’d begged them, but my grandmother was done. She’d quit talking to them. She took my arm and pulled me inside. I heard her telling them to stop the bullshit and not come back if they couldn’t stay. I screamed at her for that.
Then, only days later, I cried with her when she told me that they’d crashed their bus.
“Like my parents?” I whispered, not able to let go of his words. They sliced at me, leaving a wake of pain.
He squeezed my arm. “Hey, I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“No. It’s fine.” I shook my head, knowing the town had dealt with them as much as I had. “My father wasn’t good for any deal, and my mother sucked the life out of everyone. I get what you mean though. They didn’t agree to much because they knew they wouldn’t follow through.”
“Yeah, but they went with love, Mo. They followed their heart and their feelings. They lived even if they died doing it.”
“They were addicts, Bradley.”
“So, an addict doesn’t have a heart?”
I didn’t argue with him. I wouldn’t. Some people in town loved my parents. I did too in my own way. But I resented them too. I’d walled off the parts of my heart that reminded me of them, avoided memories even if they might have helped me understand myself better in some way too. If I dwelled on why they left, asked myself questions about why they couldn’t commit to parenting me and wonder over and over again what had been so wrong with me, I’d dwell on it, fall into the abyss that it was, and find myself in darkness I couldn’t escape.
“So, the party should be fun. It’s a charity for the oil company. My grandma had…” I hesitated. “Some stocks in it. So, I’m going to rub elbows.”
“She owned shares?” He repeated.
It wouldn’t be long before everyone knew. “I think she had a majority vote.”
He stared at me, his eyes wide. “That can’t be true. That… that company is worth billions, Morina.”
I took a deep breath. “I’m aware.”
“So that means…”
“I don’t want anything to do with the money or even the company, but I want to make sure our town is safe.”
He nodded but I didn’t think he took much in.
“Bradley?” I snapped my fingers in front of his face. “She was a partner that kept her identity within the company hidden and I will be until I get rid of the shares too.”
“Fuck me, girl. You got a lot on your plate. Maybe you should have brought that Bastian guy with you. I don’t know anything about rubbing elbows with these people.”
I laughed. “I don’t either. I’m just here because I’m supposed to show up and the tabloids are getting wind of my situation with Bastian.”
“All I can do is help you make that man jealous and provide the revenge fuck of the century.” He laughed at his own joke.
I shoved him and laughed too. It was all a show but in his mind, that’s what it would be. I shrugged. “Sure. Maybe.”
We reminisced a little more and he was the best sport about me using him.
We exited the vehicle a half hour later at a large mansion on the outskirts of town. A large shareholder of Tropical Oil was hosting the event.
Hooking my arm in Bradley’s, we navigated through throngs of people and the glass doors opened to a magnificent entryway. A woman who introduced herself as Ronald’s wife greeted us. I didn’t know Ronald or Patty and wasn’t sure what to say.
Bradley took the lead and told her the place looked extraordinary.
She fluffed the collar of her dress because there were literal feathers spurting from it. Glancing around, I realized most women were dressed similarly.
Opulence, luxury, indulgence.
Crystal champagne glasses on silver trays whisked past, and the double staircase wrapped around both sides of the entrance hall.
We left Patty to welcome more guests, and Bradley’s stare darted to mine. “You rolling with bigger people than even Linny now, huh?”
“I wouldn’t say I’m rolling with any of them.”
Skirting the crowd, we made our way to a quiet corner and I scanned the whole scene. I didn’t know anyone, didn’t feel like I wanted to know them either. How would I go to board meetings with people like this?
A moment later, Ronald made his way over to introduce himself. He was an older man, strong jaw, full head of silver gray hair, and a winning, straight toothed smile.
“My wife tells me your name is Morina.” He stuck out his hand. He had a gold ring similar to Bastian’s on his finger. “I’m Ronald of ShellOil and Tropical Oil.”
Bradley’s lips curled. We all knew Ronald had been blamed for some of the oil terminal troubles in the past. He pushed the companies to their limits, and I now wondered if my grandma had been on board with that.
“Nice to meet you. I’m Maribel’s granddaughter. I appreciate the invite here.”
“Well, you’ll be a part of the family now.” He glanced at Bradley. “And you? You must be her lucky partner tonight. I was surprised after reading some of the tabloids.”
It was a bold statement from him. Like a weasel, he wriggled in his true reason for approaching me. Bradley stuck his hand out to shake though, ready to play the game. “I’m Bradley. And I’m damn lucky, that’s for sure.”
He pulled me close as he shook Ronald’s hand. The man smiled and his teeth were too white and too perfect to be real. All of this exchange felt the exact same.
Ronald continued talking to Bradley as if I wasn’t there. He explained they were holding a silent auction down the hall, that there was a powder room that way too. He invited us to take a self tour of his grand place and even started explaining his part in the company to us.
A friend of his that was more my age than Ronald’s meandered over and introduced himself as Quinton. He shook my hand and stared at me with blue eyes and a smile that seemed a bit more genuine. Then he said, “By the way, Morina, I know your ex, Bastian.”
“Well, nice to meet you here without him,” I said as I pulled my hand out of his, not asking him to elaborate. I’m sure many people knew Bastian. This was his scene, not mine.
Bradley and I nodded and hummed at all the right times. I got to hear about how the oil terminals needed to be expanded and our town had just the right coastline for it.
“You know, your girlfriend here holds the cards, Bradley,” said Ronald.
My friend was nodding and nodding but his mind had clearly wandered off.
“Bradley, why don’t you get us another glass of champagne or an hors d’oeuvre?” I said.