Page 68 of Under the Influence

Betty frowns and asks, “Go with what?”

“I’m sorry I lied,” I announce to stop Otto and Betty from babbling to fill the silence. “I was trying to help Val and Lola enjoy their new relationship. Also, in the beginning, I worried about upsetting the alliance between the clubs. But mostly, it was the Lola and Val thing.”

“Duke’s the hickey guy,” Otto mutters as if that weren’t obvious. “And the overnight guy.”

Frowning at Otto sizing me up, I demand, “Stop thinking of me having sex.”

“Should I beat on Duke?” Otto asks our pa. “Is that where this is leading?”

Our father stares at me. “Everyone go somewhere else. I want to talk to Edith and your ma alone.”

“Go where?” Ike asks while Oana and Betty stop standing on my side of the couch and glue themselves to their men.

“Ike’s room.”

“And do what?”

“Figure it out,” Ma-Journey grumbles and points to the room.

Once the four of them shuffle away and lock themselves in Ike’s bedroom, Pa-Donovan walks around the couch and rests his hands on my shoulders.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Rather than have me answer, Ma-Journey explains, “You’d be forced to keep it from Court. And I wasn’t sure you could act normal around Duke.”

“Were you all sneaking around together behind my back?”

“Of course not. You know where I am at all times, ya stalker,” Ma-Journey tells her husband who nods after a moment. “You knew Edith was dating someone. You knew she was spending the night with him. I’m surprised you didn’t have her followed.”

“I did,” Pa-Donovan says and pats my shoulders.

“Wait, what?” I ask while Ma-Journey frowns at her husband.

“I followed you on your first overnight date.”

“What?” Ma-Journey and I ask together.

“I wanted to make sure this guy wasn’t dangerous. I stayed overnight at the hotel and made sure you left safely the next day. I did lose you for a while when you went on the motorcycle ride, though.”

“You told me that you were gone on club business,” Ma-Journey demands. “I mean, yeah, I suspected you were lying, sure. Why didn’t you tell me the truth?”

“I figured if you knew, you’d want to talk to Edith about it. I wanted her to keep her secret if that’s what she felt was necessary.”

“Screw you, Mooney,” Ma-Journey snarls and yanks out her phone. “I’m going to inform my sisters that you kept a secret from their husbands.”

My father rolls his eyes and tugs me into a hug. “I don’t like how you had to lie, but I trusted you to have a good reason.”

“So why did you seem so angry at Duke outside?”

“To keep the ruse going,” he says and kisses the top of my head. “I’m glad you found someone special, baby.”

Tearing up, I whimper, “I hated lying to everyone.”

“I know, but that’s over.”

“Except for the baby,” Ma-Journey says and shoves her phone into her back pocket. “Duke doesn’t know, and Edith isn’t ready to tell him.”

“The secrets never end,” I mumble.

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