Heat Wave(105)

Another loud sigh. “If that’s what you think, then I guess that means you’re not changing your mind. You know dear, if it were up to me, I would give Logan time to buy us out and own it outright. But we can’t let this happen. Your mother…it’s her career that made us all who we are.”

“And I hate who I am.”

“Sometimes I do too. But this is life. And you have to make sacrifices sometimes. I’m sorry that this is yours but you have a choice. Come back home and start again. Or stay with him, and he’ll lose the hotel. There is no other way here and you know it. I know you do. Do the right thing for us all. For you, for Logan, for Juliet, for us. Do the right thing Veronica.”

I shake my head, dead tears falling from my eyes. “Juliet would have understood.”

“No, dear. Juliet is the reason we are doing this. To honor her, even if you won’t. I’ll book you a flight home so you don’t have to spend your money, you have enough experience now on your resume anyway and can start again. We all will. Together, as a family. See, this might even be a great thing. It might be the reason for everything.”

I don’t know what happens next. I’m caught in some kind of vortex, alternating between going numb and pulsing with rage. I’m at once a child, helpless and afraid, and then I am me, I am now, and I am the same. Angry, lost, and so fucking desperate.

When Kate comes in from reception, hours later, I’m sitting in the armchair and staring blankly at the wall, the wicker creating grooves into my sweating skin.

“Ron?” she says, appearing in front of me, hands on hips. “What are you doing?”

I can’t even look at her. I’ll have to say goodbye to her too. There’s no way I can do this to Logan and then stick around to watch our love collapse.

“Ron?” she says again and now her voice is higher, concerned. She comes closer and crouches down at my level. “Hey,” she says, putting her hand on mine and then recoiling. My hand is covered in sweat. “What’s wrong with you?”

I slowly bring my eyes over to meet hers, but I can’t do anything but blink.

I’ve never seen her look so worried.

“Are you having a seizure?”

“I need your help,” I whisper. That wasn’t at all what I was going to say. I was planning on saying nothing, on leaving her in the dark. But now I’m not so sure. I can’t do this alone.

“What is it?”

I lick my lips. My mouth feels like sandpaper. “Can you keep a secret? I mean a big secret.”

She cocks her head, unamused. “What do you think I’ve been doing this last month?”

She’s right. She kept me and Logan secret this whole time. No one knew.

I burst into tears.

Big, sobbing tears that spill from my eyes, tears that torment my body.

“Oh my god,” she whispers. “What’s happened? Are you dying?”

It feels like it. Fuck, help me, it feels like it.

“I have to leave,” I say between sobs. “I have to go.”

“What, why?”

Somehow I manage to explain it, I explain everything my parents told me and everything that I know they’re capable of.

When I’m done, Kate is stunned. “I don’t get it. You sure they aren’t bluffing?”

I shake my head. “No. They don’t bluff. My mother is a politician.”

“A born bluffer.”

“Not when it threatens her career.”

“But I don’t get it. I mean, yeah okay I can see how bad it would look, but people get used to things, and really it’s not a big deal.”

“Kate. Believe me. This is a big deal. And this, what they’re doing, is nothing to them. It’s minor. But it will ruin everything we have. Kate, you’ll lose your job. We’ll all lose.”

“Fucking Charlie,” she swears. “I’m going to chop his perfect dick off.”

“Don’t get me started on Charlie,” I tell her. “Right now, he’s not important. What’s important is…”

I take in a deep shaking breath. I can’t say it again. I can’t do it.

“Just stay,” Kate whispers to me, taking my hand. “Stay and fight it. Maybe Logan has the money.” I shake my head, closing my eyes. More tears spill. “Maybe he’s ready for a change.”

“That’s why I can’t tell him what’s happening,” I tell her. “Because no matter what happens, he’ll give it up for me. I know him. He’s good. He’s too good for me. I have to do this or he’ll lose it all and I can’t be the one to make that happen.”

“So what are you going to say to him?”