Lies

Chapter 16:

"Grandpa!" Ryan exclaimed as we all made our way inside of their house. My mom had invited us over for dinner because my dad was off of work. Whatever his work was. He seemed full of smiles when we burst through the door and I noticed that his mustache had begun to grow back. His hair was perfect again and he wore an expensive suit with a watch on his left wrist. His eyes reminded me as I looked into them that he in fact had another son that he had regretted to talk about.

It had been a full day since I had met Lee and his family; a whole day of keeping a secret of my own. I had kept plenty of secrets while I was a child up until I was a teenager but this one seemed to top them all. I knew about my father's mistress and his son now and I could use it against him. But did I really want to blackmail someone I loved?

"Hello there, Ryan! How are you, my boy?" My father asked, grabbing Ryan and picking him up. I watched as he twirled him around the room in such a careful way that I could've almost believed he didn't have any secrets. He was smiling, just like Lee's smile and Ryan was smiling along with him. It was truly a happy moment. It was as if I could see my father as he once was; the happy, loving father that I could trust. But like all good things in the world, it was gone in an instant.

My father put him down and smiled over at me. I smiled back and walked over to give him a hug. It was awkward for me since I knew what he had done but he went on as if nothing new had changed. I let go and grasped his hand for comfort even though he didn't like it. He let go of it, quickly and moved onto Harper.

I made my way into my mother's kitchen where she looked like she was slaving away at the stove. Sweat dripped from her forehead and onto their glistening floors and heavy breaths emitted from her nose. I laughed before putting the 24 pack of Doritos chips I had bought for walking tacos on the smooth countertops in her kitchen. She turned towards me with a smile on her face.

"Hey, honey." She greeted, turning back towards the stove. I could smell the familiar smell of taco meat roasting over the hot stove and it created a rumble inside of my starving stomach. My mom only laughed. "Sounds like someone's hungry."

I nodded and patted my stomach. "I didn't get to eat lunch today. I had too many students after class today."

"Iris," My mother scolded, shaking her head. "You must eat. I've told you that since you were a kid."

"I know. But sometimes adults don't find the time to eat. You have to understand." I concluded, watching as she took a packet of cheese next to the stove and poured it inside of a nearby bowl. Her hands shook as she did this, making it difficult for me to watch. I looked away and out the window in their kitchen. The window looked out into their backyard that housed a play-set most likely for our children and a deck with lawn chairs spread out along a glass table. A fire ring sat in the way back of the yard that was used to grill marshmallows and to just sit by.

"So, what have you been doing lately?" My mother asked, making me turn around. I clasped my hands out in front of me and looked down at the floor. I couldn't tell her the truth. It would break her. But the truth was what I had been doing lately. It consumed my every thought.

The truth was bitter and a lie was sweet.

"The usual." I answered, rocking back on my heels. I didn't make eye contact and I didn't feel her eyes on me which was good. Her being was occupied by making the supper. I walked over to her and put my arm on her shoulders before walking out of the kitchen.

I passed the hallway and walked into the living room where my kids were playing and Colton and my father were speaking. I sat and admired them from afar, hiding in the shadows of the hallway. Harper was playing with a doll she had brought over and was having it walk across the coffee table as if it was a runway. Ryan was laying on the couch looking at a Curious George book upside down. Nolan was nuzzled up against Ryan most likely looking at the pictures of the funny little monkey named Curious George. It was funny how much I had become just like him in the last few weeks. I was now curious about everything. I wanted to know every little detail and why someone was hiding something. Except that I wasn't a monkey and I didn't have an owner wearing a yellow suit.