Page 7 of A Boy Is a Gun: Part II
Four
Taylor
After the reception, Cameron and I went back to our suite.Heather wanted Mia to spend the night with her and Eric, and I didn’t object.Despite my personal feelings towards Cameron’s parents, they are hands-on grandparents and dote on Mia every chance they get.
I have to keep a close eye on them because, as they spend more time with her, I also have to make sure that’s all they are doing.Indoctrination starts early.
I slip off my shoes and collapse on the sofa as Cameron makes his way to the bar.He pours himself a tumbler of whiskey and a glass of wine for me.He gives me the wine glass and sits at a comfortable distance from me.I want to confront him about what happened tonight, but I also know it’s pointless; Cameron won’t tell me anything.
I’m also afraid that what happened tonight is going to cause more problems between me and Jamie.We already had one confrontation before, and that was a nice-nasty conversation between us.
With Cameron upping the ante, I don’t think Jamie will hide her feelings very long, considering it was her wedding day.Cameron and Ethan are in a dick-slanging contest with each other, and it’s only a matter of time before more people get hurt.
“That was a nice wedding,” I start.
Cameron nods and sips from his tumbler.“It was.”
Silence follows, and I don’t know why I’m surprised.Cameron never says anything more than what he’s required to say.If it’s a yes or no question, he’ll give a yes or no answer with no follow-up explanation.Nothing is ever grey with him, just black and white.No one can ever call him a Chatty Patty.
Against my better judgment, I can’t let this go.“Can we talk about what happened at the reception?”
“It was a beautiful reception,” Cameron replies.
“Cam, you damn well know what I’m referring to.”I press him.Jamie pressed on as if the reception of her dreams was still happening.She and Ethan didn’t even get a chance to have a first dance.“What happened tonight?”
Cameron takes another sip and turns his head towards me.“Nothing.”
“Nothing?About a hundred officers suddenly left the reception, including Ethan, the groom.”My voice is calm, but the anger inside of me is building.“And I’m supposed to believe you when you say nothing happened?”
“Taylor...”Cameron’s voice is low, and his eyes darkened.He’s warning me, and I’m not deterred.
Just like how Cameron warns me to stay out of it, I let Cameron know I’m all game on it.“Cam, in case you forgot, I own a business with your sister.If you had something to do with what happened tonight, I need to know this.”
“Why?”Cameron cuts me off.
“What?”I’m surprised by his reaction.
“Why do you need to know?What happened tonight won’t impact your business with Jamie.”Cameron replies.
“How do you know that?”I challenge him as I try to remain calm.Cameron is oblivious to what he did; it almost feels like everything is a joke to him.“Ethan had to leave at the beginning of his reception.He couldn’t even get a bite of food.”
“He had a to-go plate made for him, as did all of the other officers who were there,” Cameron replies.“As well as the Krispy Kreme donut box parting gifts.Whatever happened tonight will not impact their all-paid honeymoon to Italy, a wedding gift from us.”
Whatever plan Cameron had, he executed it with surgical precision.I also know whatever plan it was, it was payback for what happened at Mia’s birth.While I’m still angry at what happened, and neither Jamie nor Ethan offered any apology, I still don’t believe this petty back-and-forth is going to solve anything other than offer more heartbreak.
I was not going to get any answers from Cameron, and I doubt Jamie would want to talk about how her brother ruined her wedding reception.Knowing Cameron, he would tell her that’s all he did.He could’ve made sure the wedding never took place at all.
“This is how everything will be, huh?”I sip my wine and shake my head.“You do some fuckshit and I’m just left in the dark about all of it as usual.”
