The Lies I Believed

Help Wanted

Vincent, Asher, Hayden, and I went out to dinner before returning to the hotel to retrieve our things. On the way to Asher's house, I checked up on the kids with Brad, hoping he wouldn't ask me to pay him to take care of his grandkids. They seemed to be doing alright. Since Jordan didn't want to come without Diane, he was playing grandfather when Brad and Tasha were too busy. As long as he didn't fill their heads with lies, I don't mind him spending time with them. Better late than never.

I woke up the next morning, dreading what was to come later tonight. I tried coming up with ways to sneak away, but I couldn't think of anything. Asher said that I was to tell him if we needed anything and he'd go and fetch it. Unless he's busy with someone else, then I'm stuck by his side all night. Vincent probably couldn't care less about where I'd be tonight. All eyes would be on him.

"Vous venez de dire que vous ne venez plus?" Did you just say you're not coming anymore?

I sat up in bed and sighed. Why this early in the morning? The office door was closed, but I could still hear everything he was saying. I really hoped Vincent couldn't.

"Maman, on planifie ça depuis des mois et tu as promis que tu serais là. Il ne t'a pas vu depuis presque deux ans. Comment penses-tu qu'il va se sentir quand je lui dirai que sa grand-mère ne veut plus le voir?" Mom, we've been planning this for months and you promised you'd be here. He hasn't seen you in almost two years. How do you think he's going to feel when I tell him his grandmother doesn't want to see him anymore?

Ah, his mother. I really hate that woman. I tried being nice and understanding with her, but I've made too many mistakes to be in her presence anymore. She probably doesn't want to come because of me. That's okay. It's all on her when Vincent no longer wants to see her. She's going to ask herself what happened and remember this day. Even I'm not this stupid to let some other woman get in the way of spending time with my family.

"Amende! Oubliez-le. La prochaine fois que tu veux le voir, ne me le dis pas. Il vaut mieux qu'un seul d'entre nous soit la déception évidente." Fine! Forget it. Next time you want to see him, don't tell me. It's better that only one of us is the obvious disappointment.

That's harsh.

I ended up getting up, because I couldn't go back to sleep. Aaron kept popping into my head with a gun to Vincent's head. I can't let him die. I refuse to let him die. Maybe I should just set an alarm and hope for the best. Something's bound to happen, so I can slip away without anyone noticing.

"Asher..." He turned around with a scowl. "Don't look at me like that! I'm not the one refusing to come to my grandson's party."

"I'm sorry." He sighed. "You know how my mother is. She's always wanting to do other things when I'm not present."

"What's her excuse this time?"

"She wants to look after the company for me. I've been doing that since my father died. I don't need her help."

"Don't you think she knows that? I know there's another reason she doesn't want to come. Is it me?"

"Of course, not."

Obviously, it's because of me.

"Ash." I stepped into the office and closed the door. "We both know your mother doesn't like me being with you. She probably blames me for getting pregnant."

"She doesn't!" Asher exclaimed.

"Yes, she does. Nikki said that to me before I came back home. She was mad and I get that, but your mother has no excuse. She's never even sat in a room with me for longer than she had to."