Moving In
I rush to her and wrap my arms around her shoulders. She’s thinner than I remember but just as solid in presence. The familiar scent of her perfume, gardenia and something woodsy, floods my senses.
“Oh, oh, careful there, child,” she says, laughing. “Grandma’s not as strong as she was when you were throwing yourself at her.”
I release her with a sheepish smile. “Is this really you?”
“What? Is your eyesight getting worse?”
“Absolutely not. My eyes are perfect.”
She smirks, then peers past me. “I can see that. Who’s this fine young man?”
I glance back. Knox is standing by the boutique’s entrance, looking far too innocent for someone who just bought thousands of dollars’ worth of clothes like it was groceries.
I reach for Grandma's arm and lead her toward him.
“Grandma, this is Knox, my boyfriend. Knox, this is my grandmother, June Mercer.”
Knox transfers all the bags into one hand and extends the other. “It’s nice to meet you, June.”
She takes his hand. “Nice to meet you too, Knox. You look… familiar. I’m trying to place your face.”
He smiles. “A million people look like me, I guess.”
“No. I’m good with faces. And yours is quite distinctive.” She squints. “Ha! I remember. You own that underground club. Obsidian, isn’t it?”
Knox’s eyebrows rise. “That’s correct.”
But I’m the one more shocked. “How would you know about that, Grandma?”
She looks at me, amused. “I’m not that old. I know all the dope places in this city. Knew the previous owner closely, too.”
I grimace. “I don’t even want to know what that means.”
“That we had sex?”
“Eww.”
“Grow up. You’re twenty-eight.”
Knox is visibly holding in laughter.
I shake my head, then ask, “I thought you retired to Monaco. Why are you back?”
“Your dad. You people won’t even let me enjoy retirement.”
My heart gives a small, startled jump. Dad? Why would Dad call her back?
A sick thought slips into the back of my mind, uninvited. What if Jade never told Mom what he said he did, that I was dating his artist boss? That boss being Knox. Because if he didn’t tell her… and Mom, who has been quiet lately, went to Dad with it, that would explain why Dad called Grandma. The one person he knows I listen to.
“Dad called you?” I ask carefully.
“Not him. His wife. Said they were going through some issues.”
“Issues?” Well, I didn't expect that. “I was just there a couple of days ago. They seemed fine.”
“You think they’re going to scream at each other in front of you?”
I wince. “Touché. What’s the issue about?”
She exhales, tugging her fur coat tighter around her. “Your father’s being paranoid. Refusing couples therapy.”
“Couples therapy?” My stomach twists. “Why do they need couples therapy?”
“Daniel thinks Daphne’s cheating on him. She insists she’s not. And she called me.”
“Cheating?” I echo. “Did he catch her physically doing it?”
“No.”
“Why is he so convinced then?”
“That’s what I want to know too. But I’ve got more important things to do first. Like, change my wardrobe.” She points at herself from head to toe. “Then I’ll head over there to sort it out.”
A strange heaviness blooms in my chest. Not again.
“I want them to work out, Grandma.”
“I’m sure they will, child. Your father’s been burned before. He’s paranoid. The truth is, I’m not just here to settle things between them. I’m here to make sure history doesn’t repeat itself.”
“History?” I pause. “Wait… are you saying Mom cheated?”
She doesn’t answer. She smiles softly instead. “It was really nice to see you again, child. Call your grandmother one of these days so we can hang out.”
She leans in, kisses my cheek, then turns to Knox.
“Bye, Knox.”
“Bye, June,” he says, watching her walk off.
The moment she’s gone, Knox returns to my side.
“You okay?” he asks.
I swallow. My fingers tighten around the handles of the shopping bags.
“No. I think my mom cheated on my dad.”
\~~~
By evening, Knox and I have gone over the same conversation a million times. He's behind me, zipping my dress up from behind. His fingers lightly brush against my skin, just enough to make me shiver. I hold my breath, trying not to think about the conversation we're currently having.
“Why does it matter if she cheated?” he asks, voice calm but edged with exhaustion. It’s the third time he’s said it today.
I stare straight ahead into the mirror. My reflection looks calm. Polished. Glossed lips. Hair straight. But my stomach is in knots. “I just want to know,” I say. “I spent my whole life thinking my dad’s emotional unavailability sent her away, made her leave me with him. And now—what if she cheated?”
He doesn’t answer right away. The zipper hums softly as he finishes pulling it up. Then he sits down on the edge of the vanity, eyes on me.
“Well,” he says, “you don’t know that. Besides, it’s in the past.”
He reaches for my hand, pulling me gently between his knees and placing a kiss on my cheek, just inches from where my lip gloss glistens.
“You’re gorgeous,” he says. “And see how good you look in the peach I picked out?”
I roll my eyes and pull away, half-smiling despite myself. “Don’t gloat. It’s nice, all right.”
“I know.”
There’s a long silence between us. I glance down at the sheen of the dress, then back at myself in the mirror. “I deserve to know if she cheated or not, Knox.”
He sighs, resting his elbows on his knees. “I don’t see the point in bringing that up, but if you have to, don’t do it today. Your sister’s getting engaged. Today’s about her.”
“Of course.”
I smooth the hem of my dress and reach for my earrings.
“What time should I come pick you up?” he asks.
“You don’t need to. I’ll just find my way home from there.”
“No.” He stands. “I don’t want you going home. In fact, move in with me.”
The laugh that escapes me is involuntary, light and disbelieving. “Knox, that’s too fast.”
“Too fast? I’m not asking us to get married right now.”
“Moving in together is the same as getting married.” I slide a ring onto my finger and glance at him in the mirror. “I don’t think I should leave my house just yet.”
“Then we’ll stay at your house.”
I shoot him a look. “Stop being unreasonable. You’re not staying at my house.”
“It’s either you move in with me or I’m going to keep breaking in every night until you say yes.”
I shake my head. “And you think I’m the stubborn one? I’m not moving in, and you’re not moving in either.”
Knox steps closer and picks up a set of keys from the vanity table, handing them to me. I recognize them instantly—Soraya’s keys.
“Take it,” he says. “It’s yours.” Then he pulls another key from his pocket. “That’s for one of the cars outside. Drive it to your mom’s place. That way, you’ll have no choice but to come back with it.”
I take the keys, feeling the cold metal bite into my palm as I close my fist around them. “Don’t wait up, Knox. I’m not bringing it back.”
“Then I guess I’ll meet you at your house,” he calls after me as I shut the bedroom door behind me.