MELROSE

CHAPTER 37

Day ten

We were at the pool, all except Lucy and Don. His royal highness had claimed not to have a bathing suit and refused to come down. He'd also said his parents had called to tell him they had a surprise for him and he was cracking his brain, trying to figure out what it was. It was his loss, the way light from the house reflected on the water at night time was simply breathtaking.

I wasn't the only female as Hannah was here too, chatting animatedly with Tyler. They weren't a couple yet because Tyler, fucking coward that he was, was still afraid of getting rejected. Looking away from them, I drifted my eyes shut, focusing on the new information I'd gathered from Mum's call earlier. She said Ethan had returned to the Chandlers, refusing to speak to her or anyone else. That included me. I was not surprised by this. She'd also excitedly said she'd gone to a gala, and surprise, surprise, Samuele's mother was there. She didn't recognize mum at first but when she did she burst into tears, saying she was sorry for the way she treated her and up till this day, her son had never completely forgiven her for it. Mum had asked after her son unprepared for the answer.

Samuele left UK in search for mum years ago and when he didn't find her, he'd gone to Florida to start a new life, away from his parents. The news that threw me off balance was he now resided in California, right in LA. It was funny that any one of us could've passed him in the streets, not knowing who he was, but then Fletch and I knew nothing about this until recently. Can you imagine? Mum was so excited to hear that he wasn't far, she didn't realize she could've easily asked his mum for his address or number until the next day.

Adults sometimes.

"Guys I'm hungry. Lucy should be done with her famous kitchen surprise by now, whatever that is." Fletch said sourly. He was unhappy that Lucy had refused to let him help her in the kitchen.

I watched with one eye open as they all got out of the water, walking back to the house. Roman stopped. "You coming?"

"Nah. I'll just stay here for a little while. Catch you later."

I was left in my silent peace for about fifteen minutes until I heard the small footsteps coming in my direction. Without opening my eyes, I spoke. "I'm not hungry."

"I know." Lucy replied me. "I came to talk to you."

I looked at her. "About what?"

She sank into a chair. "Two things. First, why I am the last to know about what is happening under my roof?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Your relationship with Gotti of course. I have to say, nice catch. I'm sixty eight yet I still think he is one sweet piece of candy." She winked at me.

My face was red. "Lucy we're not in a relationship."

She frowned. "You're not? Well you should be. There's a lot of, what do young people call it again, chemistry, there's a lot of chemistry between you two."

In an attempt to change the subject, I questioned. "What was the second thing you wanted to talk about?"

"My son."

My face was still red, but for an  entirely different reason. "What about him?"

She sighed. "Do you think you can ever forgive him for what he did?"

I laughed humorlessly. "That's a complicated question. Which one of his deeds are you asking me if I can forgive? The fact that he missed all our graduations, birthdays,  important holidays because he was too busy becoming more rich and famous than he already was? Or that he made Mum cry for many nights on a row? Or that he cheated on mum thrice? Or that he was too much of a coward he couldn't tell mum he had a mistress and she didn't find out until the child they had together was already two years old and she was heavily pregnant with a second?"