11. Alyssa

My family was congregated in my room thanks to Mom, who shared the suite with me. I walked through the door, and they were all just sitting around drinking and waiting. "Haha, you're all here; what a surprise. Dad, how come Helen let you stay here with your real family? I would've thought she and her spawn would've dragged you off to their room by now."

"They haven't arrived."

"Haven't arrived? What time was their flight?"

"They were supposed to be here hours ago. I guess they changed their mind about coming."

"Did you call?"

"No, if something was wrong, I would've heard. I don't really wanna talk about it; this weekend is all about you."

My ass. If I hadn't blocked that witch, she'd have been up your ass like a pike. "That's for the best because I didn't want to see their faces anyway. So, fire away; I know you have a lot of questions, all of you. Let me say now: I don't know nothing about nothing. That man is nuts."

"Did you agree to marry him?"

"Well, yeah, he bought my house."

"Is that the only reason?"

"What do you think? When have I ever been materialistic?"

"It's not that; it's just… you've been acting kind of off the last few weeks."

"The word you're looking for is manic."

"It's not funny; we need to know that you're okay."

"Bri, you're always telling me how smart she is; why are you questioning her now?"

"Thanks, Daisy. All kidding aside, I thought about it logically, and there's no reason not to marry him. I like him, I felt a spark when we first met, but since I was engaged to that jackass, I didn't acknowledge it. Now, there's nothing standing in the way."

"But marriage?"

"Hey, Mom and Dad spent a lot of money to make this wedding happen. Look at it this way: an annulment cost less. If I don't like him, come Sunday morning, I'll kick his ass to the curb."

"Will you be serious? What is the plan?"

"Oh, that, now that you mention it, I have to look for a place to go in New Zealand."

"You've been dying to go there since you saw Lord of The Rings."

"Yeah, I know, right? Oh, by the way, he's picking us all up at nine tomorrow to take us out on his yacht."

"Ooh, fancy." Jilly was busy eating her way through a charcuterie board.

"Where did all this come from?" There was food on every possible surface in the room.

"Your beaux had it sent up to the room, along with some lovely wine."

Mom was acting kind of weird, if you ask me. She's been more talkative than I've seen her in years, and she was in the same room with Dad without looking like she wanted to die. I can't think about those two now, though; I have to think about what the hell I'd gotten myself into saying yes to his proposal.

Of course, they didn't leave me alone until they were satisfied that I really wanted this and wasn't being forced into anything. I don't know where they get these ideas. Dad was getting a firsthand up close and personal view of how we interact as a family, something he hasn't seen in years because he was never invited to shit with us, and when I was forced to go to his home back in the day, we usually spent all of our time away from the common areas in his house.

I guess I should feel some guilt about the way I've treated him over the years after Mom's story, but I don't. He was an adult, and more so, Helen wouldn't have had anything to threaten him with if he hadn't fucked her in the first place. As for their dead bedroom and Mom hating him after giving birth, I'm not an expert, but they should've both sought help before things got out of hand, but that's just me.

I was too little back then, and even now, I don't have the answers; that's between the two of them. What he did wrecked my innocent life and the lives of my brothers, who were still learning about life, and that innocence is something I will never get back.

It was their responsibility to love and raise us as healthily as possible, and now that I know what I do, they both dropped the ball. But, that being said, I believe in checks and balances. Once Dad realized his mistake and tried to rectify it, that bitch escalated shit; that's why she's about to lose her whole damn husband. Let's see how she likes that shit.

A house built on another woman's tears will not stand, not on my watch. So, what did I do? I secretly recorded Mom and Dad's interactions, the way they teamed up as parents while sitting on the same couch together. The way they just seamlessly jumped back into parent mode when it came to one of their kids. Why they waited until we were adults to get their shit together is anyone's guess, but I guess for them, it's a case of better late than never.

"So, you're doing this, you're sure."

"Yes, Bri, I'm sure. I think I like him."

"See, when you say shit like this, it makes me worry."

"Mom, did you marry Dad for love?"

"Why yes, I did."

"See, and look where she is now."

"That's low, sis." Cam chastised me.

"No, Cam, that's life, that's reality. People screw each other over every day. I can get screwed over and walk away with five million dollars for my troubles. I'm taking the cash, baby."

"Stop playing tough, or we'll get back on a plane home right now."

"Trey, I don't think she's playing. Anyone who would walk into their Dad's house and beat everybody doesn't really play about life."

"Jilly, your ADHD acting up or something? Mom doesn't know about that."

"What is she talking about? What happened?" I'm going to kill Jilly. Bri filled Mom in on the theatrics from weeks ago. She'd only learned about Denny and Lacey in the last week and was already having a hard time dealing with her baby being cheated on, now this.

"Oh, she must've been having one of her spells." What now?

"Mom, you know about my spells?"

"She does; she has them, too," Dad answered, and all their kids' mouths fell open.

Now you've got to understand Mom is even shorter than I am. She's also one of those women who wrings her ankle in flats, which means she lives in heels; even her house slippers are about three inches high. Her nails are always done, and she's never left the house without at least foundation and lip gloss on, and that's to go to the neighbor's house.

The idea of her taking a baseball bat to anyone is comically laughable, but now, at least, I know where I got it. Dad spent the next half hour regaling us with stories of her antics when they were younger before us kids came along.

"But I didn't raise my daughter to be that way."

"She had no choice; Helen and Mitzie made her life hell."

"When was this?" Dad had the nerve to ask. The boys tore into him for that one.

Apparently, according to him, he never knew that things were that bad. Helen told him over the years that I hated her and was always acting up and taking it out on Mitzie. First, I was hearing of it. His seeming ignorance of the truth only pissed me off even more because I found it hard to believe that for all those years, he didn't know what was going on right under his nose.

I guess it made sense because the boys were always there until Trey went off to college when I was thirteen, and by then, I had a routine when I went to Dad's. Things weren't as easy once all of the boys were gone, but Bri was back home from college by then, and Helen knew he was just a phone call away if she tried shit.

But her mission to drive a wedge between Dad and his kids while having him play white knight to her own kid never stopped. I should probably be thanking Jilly for her little slip-up because it took the heat off of me and put it squarely on Dad, who was fighting for his life.

Mom was getting mad at old shit that we kids had kept from her because she was so vulnerable back then, but it was new to her, and she was fit to be tied. "You let that bitch mistreat my kid?" Oh boy. Looks like I'm gonna have to find a way to help Mom release some of her anger. I'm here for this shit because it keeps them out of my business.

While they were hashing their shit out, I was replaying the evening in my head and weighing everything. I had the piece of paper that I had used to write the pros and cons in my purse, and the truth is, there was only one con: the fact that we didn't really know each other.

Top of the pros list was the fact that I was wildly attracted to him, not to mention the fact that everything he did was right up my alley. I like a man who takes control, not sure why, because I hate not being in control of things. But the thing that stands out glaringly is the fact that he seems to know me and has no interest in changing who I am.

I'll just have to push him to the limit this coming year and see how well he hangs in there. Look, I was going to go the distance with someone I barely liked for free. So, why not marry one of the wealthiest men on the planet with the same deal going in?

I got a little tingle at the thought that I might get even more than money out of this union. He wasn't looking too small in those swim trunks, though I didn't get to see nearly enough. A little sound escaped my lips; I guess because they were all staring at me like I was standing there naked.

"What?"

"Why are you making that sound? And why the hell are you blushing?" Why are my brothers always watching me? Nosy as shit! I waved them off and headed for the bathroom giving them the impression that that was the cause for my odd behavior.

The fact that I walked crooked because I was trying to ease the sudden ache in my crotch gave credence to my lie. Dammit, maybe I should've fucked him first. Now I'm really going to buy a pig in a poke. Whatever, he can't be worse in that department than Denny, and I've put up with his shit for four years, with nothing to show for it but a burning bed, I might add.