my mind to jump all over the place, but I felt a little like I was going insane. I was finally about to tell them I was gay, and I was thinking about a garage top terrace. Actually, I was tempted not to tell them at all. Just get in my car and leave. Send them a text or something.
Deep breath. I could do this. The door opened, and my father didn’t even speak, he stomped down the hall towards his office. I watched him go, glancing between his retreating form and my mother and sister, who were staring at me.
“Where were you today?” my mother hissed. “Your father was expecting you to be there.”
“I’m aware of that, Mother, but something came up.”
“Something came up? Something came up? That’s your excuse?”
“It’s not an excuse, Mother. It just is. As a matter of fact, I need to talk to both of you about it.” I guess talking to Becca would have to wait.
“Well, you had better give your father some time to cool down. He was so livid all the way home.”
Or not. “Okay, I’ll do that. I need to do some things at the pool house. Rebecca, why don’t you come with me and keep me company while we wait for him to calm down.” I didn’t give her time to protest, I just grabbed her hand and pulled her with me out the back door.
As soon as the pool house door closed behind me, she jerked her hand out of mine. “What are you doing? He was really mad you didn’t come in. First, Fredrick was reporting that you were making your way in, then he said you left.”
I went into the little kitchenette and opened the fridge. “Do you want a soda?” I asked her, holding up her favorite kind.
She let out a sigh but nodded yes and slid into a stool at the bar. I put two glasses and one soda on the bar and sat across from her. We’d rarely been allowed soda as kids, and when we were, we always split one. She opened the bottle and poured equal amounts in both glasses.
“I couldn’t do it, Becca. No, that’s not true, I could, but I won’t. Not anymore. Everything I believe in politically is exactly the opposite of what he promotes. Everything. I wouldn’t vote for him, so how am I supposed to stand up there and pretend I think others should?”
“But—”
“No buts. I’m done. I’m moving in with Roman.”
“Roman? You mean your bodyguard, Roman?”
“Yeah, he took most of my stuff to his place while you guys were gone.”
“But I thought you said you didn’t have the money to pay him if you left here.”
“I’m not paying him. I’m not staying there for him to be my bodyguard. I’m moving in with him. Like permanently.”
“The two of you are…” She paused like she wasn’t sure what to say next.
“We are. And Becca, I know you say you want to stay and marry Corey, but I want you to know you always have a place with us. If you change your mind now, or if things don’t work out down the line, you have a place to go.”
“What about Mother and Father?”
“I’m going to tell them here in a few minutes. It’s going to be ugly, but it’s what I have to do.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but the door to the pool house crashed open. Our father stood there glaring at me with hatred in his eyes, and I knew that he knew. I don’t know how he found out. But he knew.
He turned his glare to her. “Get to the main house,” he growled.
“But…”
“I said get to the main house, and don’t come back out here. Your brother and I need to sort some things out.” She hesitated for just a second, and he practically screeched, “Go!” She turned and rushed out. I’d seen my father worked up before but not like this. He looked a little crazy, and a whole lot scary. I stood my ground and waited for him to turn his anger towards me, but he just stared at me. Finally, he walked over to where I sat and said, “Where is Roman?”
“He had to go into his office for something.”
“Good.” He picked up his phone, hit a couple of buttons, then set the phone down on the bar.
“Yes, sir?” Fredrick’s voice came over the speaker.
“I need you to contact whoever is working the gate and let them know