“If it were true, surely you would’ve said something earlier, sweetheart,” Mom tries to placate me.
My raised voice must have alerted Luke to my argument because he’s standing looking utterly concerned for me. Just seeing him there gives the strength I need to continue, “You made sure you raised a woman who wouldn’t say anything. You raised a woman that even though her entire world was crumbling around her, that her heart had been ripped out of her chest, that she was utterly humiliated on a daily basis knowing the entire camp knew her fiancé was fucking every woman with a pulse, that she’d take it with a fucking smile on her face. Any of you know the reason why?” Before they get a chance to answer, I state, “Because she was so damn scared to disappoint you both.”
“Do not use that foul language,” Dad adds.
“That’s what you’re concerned about?” Tears are falling fast now, and as soon as the first teardrop falls down my cheek and drips off, Luke is beside me, linking his hand with mine. “You’re worried about the use of the word fuck, not that your daughter’s fiancé has been cheating on her from the moment we touched down in Africa.”
“Robert has a very stressful job, sweetheart,” Mom adds.
Is this woman fucking serious?
“We do the same fucking job. Actually, I’m the one who graduated from university with honors, not him.”
“It’s not a competition, Lilly,” Dad adds.
I’ve never wanted to punch anything more than I do right now.
“And yet, you want me to marry a cheating asshole so you will look better to all your friends.”
“I can’t deal with her,” Dad yells down the phone. I hear his footsteps fading into the distance.
“Rob made a mistake, sweetheart. He’s young and handsome. He probably got caught up in the adventure of it and took it too far.”
Is my mom delusional?
“And that makes it okay?” Maybe now we are woman to woman, she’ll get me.
“No, I don’t, sweetie.” Ah, finally. “But, in all honesty, you’re not going to do any better than him.” Oh shit! That was like a dagger to the heart—my own mother has just split my heart in two. “Maybe some time apart will do you both good. Once Rob’s finished sowing his wild oats, you can be together.”
“No.”
“Excuse me?”
I don’t think I have ever said no to my parents before.
“I said… no. Rob and I are done! I’ll courier the engagement ring back to you.”
“Lilly, think about what you’re saying.” She sounds panicked, and I can imagine she’s twisting her hair around her finger and pulling. “You’re going to ruin our reputation.”
“I don’t care.” She gasps down the line. “What about me? What about what I deserve? You’re more worried about your society friends than your own daughter. You would rather I live a horrible life with a man I don’t love, who’ll never stay faithful to me, just because it makes you look good. I’ve only now realized just how selfish the two of you are.”
“How dare you speak to us like that. We’re your parents,” Mom seethes down the phone line.
“No, you’re not because a real parent would not sell their child off because it benefits them.”
“You’ll be disinherited if you continue down this path, Lilly,” my mother threatens me.
“I don’t care,” she gasps, obviously surprised at my answer. “And guess what? I’m disinheriting you. Never call me again.” And with those words spoken, I hang up the phone and stare at it for the longest time, just blinking.
“Are you okay, Lilly?” Luke gently asks.
That’s when I lose it completely.
15
Luca
“Hey,” Lilly answers the phone in her bedroom on speaker. She hasn’t been her bubbly self since her phone call with her parents. As soon as she hung up, she crumbled as if everything had finally caught up with her. I held her as she cried herself to sleep while feeling utterly helpless. But I was going to be there for her no matter what, that’s what friends do, and I was determined to be the best. While Lilly slept, I sent Lauren an email telling her what happened and that she should call her because I doubt her parents were calling Lauren to tell her what happened.
“God, I hate our parents,” Lauren grumbles.
“It’s not their fault, they suck.” Lilly still tries to find the good in her parents after what they just did to her.
“To say the things they said to you… it’s unforgivable.”
“It is what it is.”
She sounds defeated.
“Maybe we should come home?” Lauren asks.
“What? No. You’re not packing up and coming home to look after my pathetic ass.”
There is nothing pathetic about Lilly.
“You just don’t want us to cramp your style with your Italian Stallion.”
Say what now? Italian Stallion?
“Shhh, Lauren. You’re on speaker, he might hear you.”
Lauren laughs. “I’m still waiting for a photo of him.”
Why does she want a photo of me?
“No way. I’ve told you that.” Lilly laughs.
“You haven’t been chopped up into little bits yet, but as I said, it’s security just in case something happens to you.”
Wow! That’s morbid as fuck.
Mental note—send a photograph to Lauren to ease her mind.
“Well, it would be your fault for not doing the proper checks before hightailing it to Africa.”
It’s nice hearing her laugh again.
“Well, I didn’t think my sister would be sharing a cottage with the stranger I rented it to, now did I?” Lauren comments through her laughter.
“What are your plans for the new year?” Lilly asks.
“We’re off on a safari to Botswana. Like camping in the wild with lions and stuff,” Lauren says excitedly.
“That sounds amazing. You’re going to have the best time.”
“What about you? Does the Italian Stallion have plans?” Lauren asks.
Shit! No, I do not. I just thought we’d stay here and ring in the new year naked.
“We’ll probably just stay in.”
“Booo,” Lauren yells. “You should be ringing in the new year in style. Go to Edinburgh, do Hogmanay there.”
“Edinburgh is sold out a year in advance
