Lydia’s P.O.V
“If I knew your mansion was this big, I’d have crashed here instead.” I told Lyric, eying the magnificent three storied house splayed out in front of me.
The party had been organized at the backyard where there was a huge pool, a basketball court and a grand garden. I haven’t seen it yet since we just arrived at the Donovan mansion, but Lyric had given me a verbal layout of what to expect. I had already made a map in my head about what the house would look like, but now, looking at the size of his house, I had to rethink the entire layout.
“It’s a mansion alright…” Lyric sighed while scratching his nape. “Huge and cold and pretty much always empty.”
I didn’t like the forlorn look in his eyes. “Don’t your parents stay here?”
“Nah.” Lyric shook his head. “Dad’s an hotelier and mom’s a lawyer who owns a law firm and deals with the legal side of dad’s business. They’re hardly ever home and even when they are; they stay for a week or two at most. It had been just me alone ever since I could remember. Things changed five years ago when Derek got into that accident. And then, it’s been him and I.”
Lyric had told me countless times how his parents were mostly absent from his life and how much he wished he had a family like mine, but I never quiet understood the impact it had on him until now. Quietly, I took his hand and intertwined our fingers in a silent show of support.
Smiling down at me, he nodded towards the house and we both stepped forward. The guards at the front gate opened it wide for us to enter and we strode past some expensive looking cars towards the house.
There were people everywhere, but mostly adults and it made sense since it was Lyric’s parents’ anniversary party. Lyric didn’t take me inside the house, however. We walked beside the house on a side-lane that led directly to the backward.
“My parents aren’t even inside and I want to avoid certain friends of the family who pretty much think I’m useless.” Lyric explained when he asked him.
“It’s okay,” I rubbed my free hand up and down his arm as we rounded the house and came to the party hub.
Several men and women stood in elegant clothing surrounding a couple who were raising a toast to the guests. The environment was cheerful and festive and for an instant, it felt like no one here had even realized the fact that the younger son was missing from the party.
Lyric’s father looked to be in his early fifties with slightly graying hair and a few wrinkles around his eyes and lips. He wore a white suite and trousers with a blue shirt underneath, one of his hands wrapped firmly around his wife, who wore a floor length designer gown in the same shade as her husband’s shirt. Beside them, was a man in a wheelchair with long dark hair tied back in a ponytail and a beard. He and Lyric looked completely different though, with Lyric taking after his father and Derek taking more after their mother.
I was about to ask Lyric if we should go and greet them when another male voice beat me to it.
“Lyric!”
We both snapped our attention to Derek, who was waving towards us to join their parents. And I immediately noticed how everyone’s attention was now on us, including Lyric’s parents.
That sly bastard!
Lyric’s hand tightened on my arm before we began moving towards them. I noticed the frown on his parent’s face as we got closer and I knew things might get difficult for Lyric and I. There was hushed conversation all around us but even though everyone else was minding their own business, I knew some were listening in to get all the juicy gossip.
“Lyric, you made it.” Derek smiled at Lyric before nodding his head in acknowledgement towards me. “And this must be your new girlfriend, Lynda?”
“Lydia.” I answered before Lyric spoke something in front of his parents that he would later regret. I cast a glance towards Lyric’s parents’ under my lashes to find they were both frowning, but there was something in his mother’s eyes that told me she recognized me. “Lydia McKenzie.”
The atmosphere changed instantly as soon as I told them my last name.
“McKenzie? As in, Senator McKenzie’s daughter?” It was Lyric’s mother who spoke first as she looked at her husband with wide eyes. Realization dawned on his face an instant later and both of them came forward to greet us.
“How are you, honey?” Lyric’s mother instantly pulled me into a hug before pulling back and inspecting me from head to toe. There was no sympathy in her eyes, just genuine concern.
“You know her?” Lyric asked his mother in astonishment.
“Of course!” His dad answered before turning towards me. “Your father and I have known each other for quite some time now. He even asked for legal advice after your accident. He wanted to file a lawsuit against the shooters family.”
“Ah! So you must be the friend he had been talking about.” I told them, recalling the time when my parents had been driven to madness by my condition. I had been in a coma for almost a month without any hope of ever waking up, but it was a miracle that I did wake up and I was able to stop my dad from filing the lawsuit.
This had been a long time ago, just after I had woken up and with everything that followed after the incident, I had pretty much forgotten about it until now.
“Derek, why didn’t you tell us that Lydia was Senator McKenzie’s daughter?” His mother scolded him lightly. “But never mind that, I’m so glad you and my David are getting along! I’m so happy for the two of you!”
With that, Lyric and I were pulled inside the house where dinner was being served and the rest of the evening passed by in ease, making merry with everyone and just being with the family. Lyric was suddenly the centre of attention and even though he kept cool about it, I knew he was happy on the inside, elated even.
It wasn’t until after dinner that I found myself alone with Derek on the other side of the pool where there were hardly any people loitering around.
“That was a mean trick you played.” Derek’s eyes narrowed at me. “You made me look like a fool in front of my parents.”
“Did I?” I tilted my head to the side, taking a sip of my apple juice. “Or are you trying to blame me for your problems? Just like you’ve been doing with Lyric.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Derek snapped.
I turned to face Lyric’s house, spotted him talking to his parents on the other side of the pool. Good. From the smile on their faces, they seemed to be getting along well. It was best to give them their privacy…and get on with what I came here to do.
“Can we talk somewhere private?” I turned back to face Derek.
“Why?” His eyes were stormy. “What’s so important that you can’t say it here?”
“Oh, please.” I shook my head. “We’re both cripples here. What could I possibly get from getting rid of you?”
“You think it’s that easy to get rid of me?” Derek gave me a sarcastic smile. “I’ve only lost my legs, Lydia. The rest of me is fully functional.”
“Then there shouldn’t be any trouble to find a private chamber to talk in.” I pointed out. “Unless you’re a sucker for public humiliation.”
If looks could kill, I’d be in hell right now. “This way.” Derek spoke in a hard voice as he turned and wheeled away.
He took me to the pool house that basically turned out to be a store room for pool cleaning supplies and a whole lot of boxes. I shut the door and stood close to it while Derek turned to face me a good two meters away from me. There were a couple seats available inside the small room but I preferred to remain standing.
“So?” Derek spoke after a couple minutes of silence. “What’s so important that you needed to speak to me privately?”
I sighed. Here goes everything…
“Please stop living your life through Lyric.”
“Pardon me?”