25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

NIC

I really had the absolute worst timing. Or perhaps perfect timing for once. Both, really, today, because I’d never imagined when I’d heard the angry, rushed voice behind the bathroom door that I’d find Izzy in there on the ground. That was a moment I was grateful that I’d stumbled upon.

I’d heard the stories of her PTSD, but I’d never witnessed it before today. The ashen color of her features and the way she’d sagged against me had truly scared me in that moment. So, when she asked for me to find both Tucker and Annie, I rushed to comply. Tucker had been easy, already coming in from outside. I just pointed him in her direction with what happened, and he’d taken off like a shot to reach her. It was finding Annie that I now wished I’d protested.

I’d skimmed the backyard, just to be sure, but I’d remembered seeing her disappear inside with Jet some time ago. They’d been fighting. Which was my fault. I knew asking about the living situation would irritate her, but I honestly hadn’t meant to send her into a full-blown fight with Jet just hours before their graduation.

Confirming she and Jet weren’t outside or in the kitchen, I asked Jenna in passing if she knew where they might be and found my way down a back hall she suggested. Just one twist of the door handle told me it was locked, but before I could walk away, I heard a rapid series of whimpers turn into a loud, satisfied moan.

I froze, my heart pounding in my ears as I listened to Jet praise Annie for her orgasm. My breaths became shallow, in shock for those few torturous seconds that I was forced to listen. A soon as I could move, I backed away, taking off for the now vacant loo as I tried to regain control.

I needed composure. Izzy was the only one who’d seen me raw here besides my father, and he was so certain I was getting better. I needed to be getting better. Overall, you are. I tried to reassure myself even as doubt set in again, and as soon as I’d collected myself, I slipped the mask of indifference back on and headed outside, grabbing a cup of iced tea from the buffet table and finding my father in a corner of the garden with his brother.

“Are you interested?” I heard Uncle Stef say as I approached from the side.

“For the first time since Soph.” Dad looked down at his drink before looking back up, and Uncle Stef pressed his lips together in a thoughtful frown.

“I’m not going to lie, Mitris. There’s a lot of trauma there to break through. If you’re serious.”

Dad looked out at the crowd. “I have a feeling it would be worth it. That sixth sense that hits. Do you remember? ”

“I do.”

My brow furrowed, deciphering, and Uncle Stef cleared his throat when he saw me. Dad glanced over, his thoughtful expression immediately replaced with a smile until he took me in. “Are you alright?”

I glanced at Uncle Stef, and he walked off without another hint. “We’ll talk later.”

“Sorry to interrupt. That was something about Mum?”

“Something between brothers. I’ll ask again. Are you alright?”

“I will be.” I sipped the iced sweet tea. It was good and cool but nothing like the hot tea I’d grown up with. I wish it were liquor instead.

I stiffened for just a moment and then shook my head to dispel the thought. I hadn’t let myself turn to that yet, and I refused to let myself now.

Why the hell am I so tempted all of a sudden, anyway? I’ve barely craved it since I came here, and the pain that kept threatening my control isn’t as severe as it was.

Relief and surprise fell over me with that thought. I’d just spent that time inside trying to rid myself of doubts, and here my mind reassured me on its own.

Maybe there was hope.

I spent the next bit of time quietly enjoying my father’s company when I caught a glimpse of Jet and Annie slipping outside, both wearing dopey grins while Annie ran her fingers through her ponytail like a comb. I rolled my eyes and went back to assessing the crowd.

The younger kids were running around in a game of tag, and the twins’ cousins were at a table talking with their grandparents. I’d talked to them some earlier. They’d seemed nice. I hadn’t realized they were half- Hispanic, having only met Blake before today, but the influence was heavy here in Texas, so my surprise was minimal. Gabe was darker like his mum while Kurt was lighter. He could easily pass for white like his dad while Gabe’s wife, Julia, was the opposite with rich, mocha-colored skin.

I was glad to find the twins’ family didn’t care about race. It would have made it hard for Jet and Annie if they did. I’d been on the negative end of it once or twice while dating years ago. Which was mostly why I’d agreed to attend prom with Emma. She and Mateo had deserved an actual shot, even if they weren’t the right fit in the end, but her dad had been brutal, and it made me thankful that my dad had always been so fond of Anna.

I gritted my teeth with the turn of my thoughts. I didn’t want to think about Anna today. So, I kept my focus on the crowd, watching as Izzy and Tucker slipped outside, their reappearance a little more discreet, and Tucker kept his hand around her waist as they waded through the crowd to meet up with Annie and Jet by one of the tables where my cousin was now scarfing down an abandoned plate of food.

Micah came through the back door a few minutes later, and Tucker grew tense until Izzy placed a hand on his chest. Jet got up, taking his place at his best mate’s side as Micah walked up. I halfway thought to walk over, remembering Izzy on that bathroom floor, but before I could decide if I should move, Micah and Tucker shook hands, and he was invited into their fold.

Watching them talking and laughing with each other, I never felt more alone than I did at this moment. There was a sting to the feeling but a contentment as well, knowing I’d willingly placed myself here.

“You could go join them,” Dad said, watching me, and again, I found myself debating.

“How about we take the opportunity to introduce you to Izzy? You missed meeting her before.”

Dad smiled. “I’d like that.”

Izzy was the first to spot us coming over, and she held her hand up in a wave as she stepped away from the group. “Hey! I was about to come get you. Micah just told us that Jenna and my mom are getting ready to bring out the cakes.”

“Perfect.” I faked a smile. “Before they come out, do you mind if I introduce you to my dad?”

“Oh, of course.” She tucked her hair behind her ears, a blush already forming on her cheeks at meeting someone new. “I should have come over to meet you before. I’m Izzy.”

“Dimitris.” Dad took her hand. “It’s so nice to finally meet the young lady that managed to break through some of those walls my son put up. I wish there was more, but Nic assures me there’s not.”

Izzy flushed again. “No, I’m sorry. I’m engaged to the Hulk back here.” She pointed over her shoulder. “But Nic and I are still very good friends. I plan on working on a few more of those walls.” She smiled, bumping into my hip with hers and dragging out a smirk.

“Well, if not the other, then at least that.” Dad grinned. “Congratulations, by the way. When is the wedding?”

“Does everyone have to keep talking about that?!” Bridgette yelled, eyes blazing with a Happy Birthday, Jet cake in her hands. Jenna stepped back, balancing the one for me as Bridgette came to an abrupt halt. “Today’s supposed to be about graduation and birthdays. It’s not about this so-called wedding!”

All the chatter and laughter of the party stopped as everyone turned to look, and Jenna hurried around Bridgette to set my cake down.

“So-called wedding?” Dad asked.

“Yes,” Bridgette snapped at him. “This wedding that my daughter thinks is a good idea.”

“Bridge, stop,” Jenna hissed as she came to take the second cake from her hands, only receiving a heated glare from her best friend.

“Mom, please,” Izzy whispered, looking like she wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground.

“No, Isabel. I’ve had enough. You’re too young to get married. I refuse to support it.”

“But you gave us your blessing before.” Tears sparkled at the corners of her eyes, and Tucker walked up, placing his arm around her.

Bridgette just glared. “I take it back.”

“Why?” Tucker’s low voice boomed through the quiet air, though he barely raised it.

“I just said why. You’re too young.”

Izzy shook her head. “We had this argument the last time. If you’re taking back your blessing, I deserve a better reason than that.”

Bridgette closed her eyes, her hands fisting at her sides. “Don’t ask me for one. I can’t give it to you. You’re just too young to get married.”

“Why?” Izzy demanded .

“Bridge.” Blake approached. “Calm down, okay? This isn’t the right time. You and Izzy should talk about this later.”

The look she sent back to her brother was a mixture of fire and ice. “It is later. I’ve kept my mouth shut about it for weeks. Just like I’ve kept my mouth shut on just about everything since I got back. Like I’m not allowed a voice with my children’s lives anymore. My daughters push me away at every turn, and I’m forced to bend to their wills just to get a semblance of being in their lives again. I agreed before, but I won’t be bullied on it anymore. This wedding is a mistake, and I don’t understand how not one, single, person here besides me can’t agree.”

Jenna went to stand beside Blake. “This is not the time or the place. Stop it. You’re embarrassing both Izzy and yourself,” she whispered.

“I’ll stop it when everyone stops talking about it like I’m going to let it happen,” Bridgette hissed.

“God, Mom, just what do you have against it?” Izzy cried, throwing her arms in the air before tucking them under her chest.

“I’m against you getting hurt!”

“And why will she? Why are you so sure she’s going to get hurt?” Jenna pressed.

“Because your son has made a mess of her life already, and it’s just going to get worse the deeper they get.”

Jenna reeled back.

“Bridgette, watch where you’re going with this,” Blake warned.

It was like a train wreck you couldn’t look away from even if you wanted to. I watched as Chuck came up and put his arms around Jenna. “No, Blake. Let’s hear it. She’s already created a scene. Let’s hear what she has to say. What she’s been holding back since Izzy and Tucker first told us they were engaged.”

Blake shot him a look, clearly worried for his sister.

Bridgette hesitated as Aunt Helen and Uncle Stef walked up to stand by Chuck and Jenna, and Izzy leaned into Tucker, visibly drinking in his support. Annie and Jet came up next to flank them at their sides.

“Go on, Bridgette. Say it. Let it out,” Chuck barked.

Aunt Helen sucked in a breath.

Bridgette sighed, and her nostrils flared as she breathed. “You really want to hear it?”

“I do.” Chuck leveled her with a narrowed stare, his expression daring her to say it.

“Fine. If you really want to know, I don’t want my daughter to end up in a marriage she’s going to regret. She and Tucker have been through hell. Between the pregnancy and the accident and her apparent PTSD she didn’t think I needed to know about.”

Izzy cringed as Bridgette sent her a withering look, staring just long enough to make her point before looking back at her friends.

“And while they’ve found a way to lean on each other now to get over the pain, what’s going to happen as they go off to school? Everything is going to change, and Izzy will just end up feeling stuck while Tucker will be wishing he could be off with every other girl that walks past like he used to. Maybe he even will. That’s why I refuse to give my blessing.”

I’d never seen Tucker so disgusted, and his jaw set with his glare. “I would never do that to your daughter. ”

“For now, maybe,” Bridgette shot back. “It's just a matter of time before you take advantage of her like you did last summer.”

Tucker reeled, looking like he’d been slapped, and Chuck flew forward. “Now, wait just a minute.”

“Stop!” Aunt Helen cried as she jumped between them. “This isn’t helping anything! You’re going to say things you regret! You’ve already said too much.”

“Helen, don’t,” Uncle Stef warned.

She looked back at him. “I have to. Don’t you see where this is going? I have to interfere.”

“And why you ?” I growled, the words ripping from my throat before I could stop them. Aunt Helen startled as all eyes shot to me, but I wasn’t done. All the anger and resentment that had been festering in me since Greece was suddenly bubbling to the surface. At the thought that she should be trusted to fix anything. “Why should you be the one to interfere? You just ruin the lives of everyone when you do. What good is your advice?”

“Wh– What are you talking about?”

I ignored her confusion, fuming with something close to hatred as I glared. “I’m talking about what happened back in Greece all those years ago. What you did that caused my father and uncle to leave and lose all contact with their parents. Whatever it was that made them have to leave their bloody country and tear my mum away from her parents.”

Aunt Helen paled and looked desperately back at my uncle and dad as the three of them exchanged wary looks. All restraint I’d held for months was unraveling before me, and I couldn’t stop it, everything in me fuming .

“Son, I really don’t think you could have a full understanding of what happened back then and still be able to place the blame on your aunt.”

My face twisted in disdain. “I know enough to know that if she had never come into your lives, then you and Uncle Stef would never have lost contact with your parents. You never would have had to leave Greece. Mum never would have been in that accident because we wouldn’t have been in London, and I never would have been forced to endure this gut-wrenching pain. These past five completely miserable , shit- filled months of my life would never have happened. But no … Aunt Helen had to step in and muck up every bloody person’s life in our family that she touched.”

I looked at my aunt, every bit of malice I felt for her displayed on my face. “I hate you for it.”

Her face crumpled, and Uncle Stef pulled her into his arms, shooting me a look of distaste. Jet shot forward, but Tucker blocked him while Annie pulled on his arm, holding him back.

“Enough!” Dad’s voice was just enough to pull me back from the fury. “I know you’re hurting, Nicolas. What Enzo and Anna did to you was dreadful, but it does not excuse this reprehensible behavior.”

I shot him a wounded look at the reference. For exposing what I’d only shared with Izzy so far here in the states, but he shut me down.

“You lost your right to discretion when you decided to attack your aunt over things you know nothing about. Anna cheated on you with your best friend. It cut you deep. So deep that I worry if I’ll ever get my son back, but if you think you have to blame someone to get past that, then you’re looking the wrong way. I moved our family away from Greece because of a job offer. I chose to leave. I was not forced to.”

I stared, dumbstruck. Not sure how to process. It twisted everything.

I looked over at my uncle and crying aunt, wanting to be mad at her. Needing to be mad at her.

Gathering the vestiges of my anger, I said, “I know what I heard when we were in Greece. All the coded conversations in Greek? My dad might have been the one that moved us away, but you did do something back then. You still damaged our family.”

“You know Greek?” Uncle Stef looked from me to my dad.

“I know enough. I started learning it after my mum died.” After Enzo helped me scrape the pieces of my humanity back together. Funny how he was the one that had shattered them into permanent disrepair now.

“Nic, sweetie.” Aunt Helen lifted her head from my uncle’s shoulder.

“Don’t call me that,” I growled.

She swallowed and tried again. “Alright. Nic . What do you think I did ?”

“No one ever gave a clear answer. But I wish I knew. I wish I could make sense of it and finally understand how and why our family was torn apart.”

“Some things are better left alone,” Uncle Stefano interjected.

“No, Stef. I think I should explain.”

“Helen.” Dad and Uncle Stef said in unison.

She looked between them, her expression infuriatingly calm, like she was telling them it would be okay .

“Trust me. Please. It’s time. There’s no reason for this misunderstanding. Besides…” She looked around at their friends, her gaze landing on Bridgette last. “I think it may help y’all understand why I insisted you stop.”

“Helen, what could this possibly have to do with us?” Chuck asked.

“Oh, I promise you, it relates,” Uncle Stef replied. “Come on, why don’t we all step inside so our families can continue while we talk? I’m sorry, everyone. Please, excuse us for a while.”

“Drew, do you mind?” Chuck gestured to the party.

“Of course.” He waved his brother on.

I just glared at my aunt’s back as I followed everyone inside.