Page 30 of Mine for the Holidays
“Delaney,” her mother says as she flicks through the pages. “Is all of this true?”
“It’s true, Gladys,” I admit, meeting her eyes as her mouth gapes and she grabs onto her husband’s hand for support.
“Where did this even come from?” Joan asks, scrutinizing it in a business-like manner that has me thinking that’s exactly how she became as successful as she is.
“Our cabin,” I inform her, placing my hand over Delaney’s as she turns a bright shade of red and seems to shrink back into her chair. “It was tucked away in my luggage, actually.” I let my eyes fall on Tony who’s just looking self-satisfied. Then they move to Tommy who shakes his head at me, as if saying this wasn’t him.I hope that’s true.I’d hate to think I trusted him only to have this come out of it. My anger isn’t even about me. It’s about a brother doing something to purposefully call out his sister.
“And what is it, exactly?” Joan asks, bringing my attention back to her. “I know what itlookslike. But I’d like to hear it from you.”
“When Delaney and I first met, it was to hire me to play her boyfriend for the holidays,” I say.
“Toplayher boyfriend?” Gladys balks. “What does that even mean?”
“It means that he’s an actor, Mom,” Tony says, a look of sheer delight in his beady eyes. “Delaney has been lying to us this whole time. They’re pretending to be together just so they can trick Aunty Joan.”
“But why? I don’t understand.” Gladys blusters.
“Explain yourself, young lady,” Roger booms.
“I…” Delaney blinks rapidly, trying to keep her tears at bay, but can’t even get the words out. This isn’t how it was supposed to go down.
“She did it because you people won’t get off her back,” I snap, refusing to sit here and listen to them attack her like this is her fault. As far as I’m concerned, they pushed her to this point, and her brother should be the one who’s getting questioned over being an insidious asshole. “Just because she was single doesn’t mean she needed to be set up with every random guy you thrust at her. She was perfectly capable of choosing a man for herself. And she did. She chose me.”
“I have no idea what’s going on,” Tarryn mutters, picking up her champagne glass and signaling for a refill. Our poor waiter—who’s incidentally doing a wonderful job of pretending not to hear the drama unfolding in front of him—scuttles over and tops her off, probably relieved to have something to do.
“Liam is an actor,” Lucy says. “Remember that episode of Law & Order where the guy is wrongly accused of murder and is almost killed in prison? That’s him.”
Tarryn’s eyes go wide as she slurps at her drink. “Ithoughthe looked familiar.”
“Ohmigod,” Delaney gasps, sinking lower in her chair. “Kill me now. Thisisn’thappening.”
“Yes, I’m an actor,” I say. “I’ve been a small part actor for most of my adult life. But I think you’re missing the point here—regardless ofwhywe met, Delaney and Iareactually dating. We fell for each other right at the start.”
“Wait. So your real nameisLiam?” Gladys asks.
“His name is Nathaniel Charmers,” Tony puts in.
“I prefer to be called Nate,” I say, trying to keep track of the conversation. “But my name doesn’t change the fact that I’m in love with—”
“Lying!” Tony yells over me. “You came into our lives and blatantly lied about who and what you are—you’re nodentist—and what makes things worse is that our sister is the one who put you up to it! She lied to you, Aunty Joan. Took advantage of your generosity by faking a relationship just to stay in your good graces—we all know you love being the favorite, Delaney—and if I were you, Aunty Joan, I’d feel so used that I’d cut her off altogether. She doesn’t deserve to be rewarded for her duplicity.”
“What did I ever do to you?” Delaney yells as tears stream down her face. “Why would you do this to purposely embarrass me at Christmas?”
“Your little stunt made you embarrass yourself, Delaney. I just brought it out into the open.”
“That’s quite enough!” Joan yells as more voices get thrown into the mix and the noise escalates. Her volume is quite impressive for her stature. “Shame on you. Both of you.” She presses her lips together and looks between Tony and Delaney. “Shame on you, Delaney, for thinking you could lie to us and we wouldn’t find out. And shame on you, Tony, for embarrassing your sister and ruining a family tradition with your jealousy and callousness. How dare you evensuggestwhatIshould do withmymoney. Don’t think I’m unaware of those dollar signs in your eyes, young man. But the joke’s on you. You have no idea who or what is in my will.”
I can’t help but notice Tommy smirking, and it seems Joan doesn’t miss it either. “Do you want to tell them or should I?” she asks him with a conspiratorial smile.
Pushing his sleeves higher up his arms, Tommy straightens in his seat. “Oh, can I?”
Joan lifts her hand in a flutter. “Go ahead. Let’s put the record straight once and for all,” she says as she picks up her champagne glass and drinks while Tommy informs the family that none of them are in the will and all of Aunty Joan’s estate is going to charity when she dies. I don’t get a chance to see anyone’s reaction, though, because Delaney is quick to take that moment of stunned silence to slip from the room, and I don’t waste any time in following her.
“Delaney,” I call out, rushing to catch up with her. “Are you OK?”
“I’m humiliated,” she sniffs, hitting the button for the elevator that will take us to our cabin. “Tonystolethat from our cabin andhumiliatedme with it. Why? What’d I ever do to him?”
“I don’t know, baby.” The elevator arrives, and I wrap my arms around her as we step inside, enveloped in jaunty Christmas music as we make the climb to our floor. “Maybe he’s jealous of how close you and your aunt are? Or maybe he resents you for leaving and starting your own life without them? He comes across as a bit of a curmudgeon to me, so maybe he just enjoys being a dick.”
