27
Luke
I changed out of my bathing suit, rushing to get back to Lily and the others to announce that I’d be buying Bernie’s Bar. I couldn’t believe that I was actually going to do it, and I knew it was going to be a lot of hard work, but with Lily by my side, it’ll be worth it. As I walked down the stairs, I saw Charley curled up on the couch, watching cartoons. I walked over to her, kissed her on the head, and as she looked up and smiled, her eyes were ready to close. As I grabbed a beer from the kitchen, I sat down next to Lily, taking her hand in mine.
“I have an announcement that I’d like to make”—looking around the room—“I’ve decided to buy Bernie’s Bar.”
“Dude! That’s awesome!” Sam exclaimed.
Lily looked over at me, smiled, and put her hand on my cheek. I knew she was happy.
“Luke, my boy, that’s wonderful news. If you need any help, let me know,” my dad said proudly.
My mom got up from her chair and hugged me. “I’m so proud of you, son. You’re finally going to put that settlement money to good use.”
Maddie stood up and high-fived me, because she’d be managing the bar once I take over, which meant better hours for her. I leaned over and kissed Lily on the lips.
“It makes me happy that you decided to follow your dreams,” she said.
“It’s because of you, babe.” I smiled.
My good news didn’t last long as my father decided to say something to Maddie about Charley’s dad.
“Charley tells us that her dead beat dad is coming to visit in a couple of days.”
Maddie looked at him and said she didn’t want to talk about it right now. Maddie was good at avoiding things, believing that it she didn’t think about it, then the issue didn’t exist, but Charley’s dad does exist, and she needs to learn to deal with it.
“He said he’s changed; that he’s off the alcohol and the drugs, he wants to form a relationship with his daughter, and he wants a better relationship with me,” Maddie said.
I didn’t believe it for a second because I knew Adam too well. We used to be friends in high school, until he started hanging with the wrong crowd. Maddie was infatuated with him because he was the bad boy with the tattoos and piercings all over his body. I warned her to stay away from him and told her he was trouble, but she didn’t listen. They went on a few dates, and she ended up pregnant. He was her first, and I’ll never forget the night she told our mom she was pregnant. Of course being the dead beat that he was, he denied the baby was his, and my mom cried all night while I went out and beat the shit out of him. Lily sat there and didn’t say a word while we went back and forth about what a loser he was. As I got up from my seat, I asked Lily if she was ready to leave. It was getting late, and I just wanted to spend time with her alone.
***
The next morning I found Lily arranging bagels and muffins on the kitchen table.
“Good morning, babe,” I said, kissing her.
“Good morning.” She smiled.
“What’s all this?”
“I went out and grabbed us some breakfast,” she said as she held up the plate to me. “We have blueberry, banana, and chocolate chip muffins on this side. Now, on this side”—turning the plate—“We have plain, salt, and cheese bagels, with your choice of regular, honey-walnut, strawberry, or non-fat cream cheese.”
“Who’s going to eat the non-fat cream cheese?” I asked.
“Gretchen will, because her and Sam are coming over. They should be here in a few minutes.”
“Do I have time to jump in the shower?”
“Yes, just make it quick,” she said as she kissed me.
“I really wish you would have woke me up earlier and told me.”
“Sorry, baby, it was sort of last minute!” she yelled as I already made my way down the hallway.
After I finished my shower and getting dressed, the voices I heard grew quiet as I entered the kitchen. Looking around, Sam and Gretchen were sitting at the table, and Lily was staring at me with tears in her eyes.
“Babe, what’s wrong?” I asked her as I walked over to where she was sitting.
“I’m sorry, Luke, I had to tell her about Giselle seeing her mom in Seattle. I got a phone call from her mom saying that she’s on her way here and she wants to talk to Lily,” Gretchen confessed.
Lily looked at me with sad and disappointed eyes as she got up from the table and walked into the kitchen area. “I can’t believe you knew and didn’t tell me,” she said.
“I’m sorry. I wanted to tell you, but I didn’t want to upset you,” I said as I went to hold her.
She moved away from me and looked down. “There’s one thing I will not tolerate in a relationship and that’s keeping secrets. I hate secrets; they do nothing but ruin your life.”
I moved closer, but she still continued to back away. “Lily, please. I think you’re overreacting,” I said.
Gretchen and Sam got up from their seats. “Hey, bro, I think we should leave. Call me later,” Sam said.
Gretchen walked over to Lily and put her hand on her arm. “Don’t stress, we’re all here for you.”
When they left, my attention had immediately gone back to Lily. I wanted to wrap my arms around her and take away her pain, but she wouldn’t let me. “Lily, tell me what you’re feeling,” I pleaded with her.
She walked over to the table and started cleaning up the plates. “I feel betrayed that you didn’t tell me about this. I feel sad because I trusted you to tell me everything, and I feel angry because you knew something about my family that I didn’t.”
“Babe, seriously, don’t you think you’re overreacting just a little bit? Come on, so what if Lucky told her where you are. So what if she comes here and finds you; she’s your mom, and you should talk to her. You were with my family last night; that’s how a family should be, not full of anger and resentment. I understand what she did was wrong, but you have to find it in your heart to forgive her at some point.”
She turned around and looked at me with fire in her eyes. “Don’t you dare tell me that I need to forgive her! I told you about my family and what kind of childhood I had. She was going to ruin my life by letting me marry that cheating bastard!” she yelled.
“You need to calm down, Lily,” I said as I cautiously approached her.
“Don’t you tell me what I need to do! You have no idea what path of destruction my family has left inside me, so you don’t get to tell me to calm down.”
I was getting angry by her unreasoning, and I raised my voice to her, “Don’t yell at me. I’m not Hunter, your mom, or Brynn!”
“Since you’re so big on forgiveness, why don’t you take your own advice and forgive Charley’s dad?”
“That’s different, Lily, and you know it,” I said as I shook my head.
“No it isn’t. What you feel for him is what I feel for my mom and sister. Why is it so easy for you to tell me to forgive and forget when you can’t do it yourself?!” she spat.
“It’s a totally different situation, babe.”
“No, it isn’t, Luke.”
As I walked closer to her to tell her that everything was going to be alright, she folded her arms and turned away. “Lily, I’m sorry, but you’re being really childish right now.”
“Then leave this child alone,” she replied.
“Do you really want me to leave you alone?” I asked.
She spun around and looked at me. “Yes, I do!”
“Fine, then consider me leaving you alone. You won’t hear from me until you decide you want to talk, but I don’t know if I’ll be around when that happens!” I yelled as I opened the door.
“You’re an a*shole!” she spat.
“Watch your mouth!” I yelled as I walked out and slammed the door.
I stood there for a second with my hand on the knob, listening to her yell, “F*ck you—f*ck you—and a triple f*ck you!”