“Thalia, do you think we should go down?”
We’d promised to stay put, but I really wanted to. “Let’s give them another five minutes.”
Chapter 57
Jack
––––––––
Walking downstairs, I felt sick and by the look on Liam’s face I’d say he was feeling the same. Confronting our parents wasn’t something we’d done before. I mean we’d had disagreements and in high school they’d constantly been on my back about the band, which they still had no idea about, and that was going to stay that way.
“You ready?” Liam asked about to open the kitchen door.
I nodded and pushed forward. Both our parents were sitting at the table drinking coffee, having already eaten, by the look of things.
Seeing the coffee brewing, I walked over and poured both Liam and me a cup, gulped some of mine down then turned to face my folks, knowing I had to start this conversation.
“What’s wrong?” Mom asked.
“I’m not marrying Mia. I never loved her, but I love Thalia.”
They were both speechless for all of a few seconds, before Mom found her tongue, “You’re in love with your brother’s girl. Is that what you just said?”
“Mom, what Jack said is true, but it might help you understand better if I admit that I’m in love with Mia and always have been. We had a kind of misunderstanding three years ago, but it’s all been resolved. I wasn’t dating Thalia when we arrived here. Yes, we went on a few dates, but nothing worked because my heart wanted Mia, so I became friends with Thalia instead.”
“This is ridiculous. Jack you have to marry Mia. She’ll be an asset when you become a lawyer. I’ve already been through this with you. Why can’t you just go with the flow?” Dad ground his teeth together and started to rise from the table.
“Graham, calm down. Didn’t you hear what they said, Liam is in love with Mia, and I presume she loves him.”
“Yes, I do love him, and I always have,” Mia answered walking into the room with a nervous looking Thalia behind her.
Liam walked over to her, wrapping her up in his arms while Thalia looked at me.
“Come here, babe.”
I held my arm out and as soon as she was in reach, I pulled her in to my side. “What happened to staying upstairs?” I whispered into her ear.
“I needed to be here with you.” She wrapped her arm around my waist.
“Fucking hell!” Dad yelled, sitting back down rather heavily on his chair. “What am I going to tell Lewis? He’s not going to take this lightly, that I do know.”
My dad had seemed to change his tune as soon as Mia and Thalia walked into the room, which surprised me.
“About my tuition...”
Dad was shaking his head. “Don’t worry about that, it was all talk. I really did think you’d get on well with Mia and assumed you just needed a shove in the right direction, that’s why I agreed to this wedding idea of Lewis’. I used the threat of no tuition to get you to agree. I must admit at first I refused to even mention it to you when Lewis came up with the idea, but he eventually talked me into it.”
“Graham, you told me Jack had been seeing Mia for a while in secret. You told me he loved her and that was why they wanted to get married. Are you telling me that you lied to me?”
He sighed. “Slightly... I’m sorry, but you can’t tell me you didn’t think it was a good match between Jack and Mia, although I have to admit that seeing her now with Liam makes me realize how wrong I was to begin with.”
“I can’t believe you would lie to me.”
Dad took hold of my mom’s hands. “It’s the only time I’ve ever lied to you, because I really did think they belonged with each other, or rather I’d let Lewis convince me they belonged together. Lewis kept telling me that if I didn’t step in Jack would hook up with someone who really wasn’t suitable, full of body art, etc., to take to charity functions representing the law firm... So I agreed,” he whispered the last bit, resting his head in his hands.
My dad’s comment had me cringing inside; little did he know that I had quite a bit.
“We need to head over to Mia’s house so her folks know there won’t be a wedding,” I told my dad, pulling Thalia in closer to me.
I needed her close to me because I was afraid if I let go, I’d wake up and discover I’d been dreaming, which would crush me like nothing else ever could.
My dad stood and walked over to me; Thalia moved out of my arms slightly, but kept her arm around my back.
“Jack, I owe you a huge apology. You’re my son and I love you. I should never have threatened you with your career. I’m so sorry.”
Hugging my dad, I sagged in relief. I hadn’t expected the response we’d received from him or his easy acceptance.
“Ah, Dad,” Liam said.
“Liam and Mia, I owe you both an apology as well. I’m sorry and I hope you’ll forgive me.”
“We do Dad, but about the wedding...”
“Don’t worry about that,” Mom said.
“Mom,” Liam shouted to be heard. “The wedding is not being canceled. I’ve asked Mia to marry me and we’re going to get married on Saturday.”