Drive or No Drive Part II
Thirty minutes later they were in Gulliver’s suite, and she was at the patio doors of the balcony, arms wrapped around her middle while Kaylee was squealing with delight at the notion of the king–sized bed she was going to get to sleep in.
She heard Kaylee scream an excited, “yes please!” at something Gulliver offered and January closed her eyes and rested her forehead against the glass.
“It’s not a death sentence,” Thisbe’s quiet words from behind her made January tense up.
“Easy for you to say. You’ve been part of a mafia family your entire life. You’re used to it. Me? My daughter? Not so much. She noted right away one of the guys were carrying a gun. I saw every single one of those men as potential killers, soldiers, mercenaries and before you say they aren’t, I know they are. Back then, in New York when we were in school, you all played it off like we needed the security because you were stupidly wealthy.”
“It is true. We do need security because we’re financially
well-off.”
“Yeah,” she turned around to look at Thisbe and leaned against the closed patio door with her arms folded over her chest. “So many times, Thisbe. So many opportunities. You were given117
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you did, then it would have segued into you telling me that the man I love was lying to me about everything. I wasn’t his wife. I was a mistress. A side piece he was putting up in his mansion, trying to impregnate to keep me tied to him forever.”
“January.”
“I would have told you.” January said seriously. “I would not have hidden such deep secrets from you Thisbe. This wasn’t hiding a Christmas present or a birthday surprise. This was a huge betrayal of my trust and my love and you, my so–called best friend, knew when we went to city hall to do the little ceremony, that it was all a lie.”
“I’m sorry, January. I was scared.”
“Of your own family? Do you know how fucked up that is? You want me to join a family, to let my daughter be part of a family, one you fear!”
“I’m not afraid of my family January. I was afraid of you.”
“Me?”
“Yes. We gravitated together in college. We were so much alike. We were inseparable. I never had that growing up. God. All of my friends back in England, where I grew up, were socially acceptable heiresses who were looking to hook up with one of my brothers. I was more a commodity in friendships. had 12:17
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commiserated with me over grades. We shared shitty cafeteria lunches and worse coffee, and we worked together so well. You were my first true friend, and I valued that more than anything.”
“Not more than anything.”
“Yes. More than anything. If I told you, if I told you the truth, he was going to send me away,” she flung a frustrated hand in the direction of the room where Kaylee and Gulliver were laughing over all the things she was finding in the bathroom.
January listened for a moment to her daughter roaring with laughter and her eyebrows met in the middle as she realized there must have been a shower cap in the bathroom and Gulliver must be wearing it.
“You robbed him of that,” Thisbe judged her again, repeating words from earlier in the day, “and I understand why you did it. I get that you were scared. I do. However, you have never been a woman who was afraid, January. If I thought, for a moment, that you really thought you would be killed over it, then I wouldn’t be upset with you at all. You forget though, I know you. I know you’re brave and strong and feisty as hell. You jumped two agents tonight in a public restaurant without a second thought. You deprived our family of your daughter out of spite because you’re angry with us for lying.”
“You still didn’t say why you lied other than you were afraid gf/being sent away.” January fought the urge to deny Thisbel2:17
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wouldn’t want to be with me anymore because I’d be a reminder of him. I would also get sent away to London or Crete and I’d never see you again. I didn’t want to lose you. I was terrified of losing the sister I gained when I moved to New York and,” she sniffed and wiped a tear off her cheek, “I loved you so much, like you were the other half of my heart, January and the fear of losing the only true friend I had in the world made me terrified. I was so mad when he set eyes on you because you were supposed to be mine and he took you and he ruined it with his secrets and his lies. I understand now why he did it. Duchess is a mean viper who would shoot her own dog for barking, true story, she did,” Thisbe shuddered, “and it was the best way to keep you safe. He lied to keep you safe. I lied to keep you. Full stop.”
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