I take another deep breath and glance over at her. Her face is neutral, and she’s listening intently.
I continue, “I want you to know that the whole time we were ‘together’ again, he didn’t touch me once. He didn’t hold my hand, he didn’t reach out and accidentally graze my fingers passing the salt. He didn’t help me zip up a dress. He didn’t help me out of a car, he didn’t even open a car door for me. He didn’t touch me one time. We didn’t share a bedroom, and barely shared a life. He didn’t talk to me about you, he didn’t talk to me about anything. He made it clear that he was there against his will. And then one day, he left again. Because it turns out there is one thing he loves more than his company. You. I did it because I thought I was never going to find love. That it was a fairy tale. And when he told me he was in love with you, I thought he was deluded. That we understood each other because we both knew that it was a myth. And that one day he would realize that I did him a favor. Because together we could be a good team.” I swallow. “What I didn’t understand then was that we lacked the one thing that would’ve made it bearable for a lifetime. What you two have now.”
She doesn’t say anything, just plays with the necklace on her neck. I recognize it as the Baxter boys’ grandmother’s wedding necklace. It was supposed to be in their father’s care. The only way she has it is if he gave it to her. I’d had my eye on it for decades. And now, I know, the right woman owns it.
I clear my throat, nervous. “And your other question?”
She nods. “Are you doing the same thing to Matthias?”
“No.”
The length of the two answers makes us both chuckle, a moment of brevity in a sea of tension.
But I owe her more than that. “Matthias is the one who originally came up with the idea. I need a green card to stay in the States and I don’t want to go anywhere else. The person… I was supposed to marry didn’t work out.” I unconsciously touch the side of my temple where Patrick struck me. The bruise is gone but the ghost of it is still there. My-Linh notices and frowns, but doesn’t say anything. “And Matthias, well, you know, he needed a little stability for his reputation, leading up to the IPO. So… he approached me. When he first mentioned it, I thought he was pranking me. But he wasn’t.
Over time, granted, not a long time”-I chuckle-“something happened between us. And here we are. But no, this is not the same thing. I would never hurt him.” “Okay.” That’s all. Just one word.
Something compels me to say something else. “Wait, My-Linh, one more thing.” I swallow, not sure how to word the next thing I’m about to say. “I want to tell you; I am so sorry. I can’t tell you how sorry I am. I had no idea what I was doing, how much hurt I was causing. And I can only hope that one day you and Damien can forgive me. Although Damien”-I roll my eyes and then grin-“can hold a grudge.”
She rolls her eyes and lets out an unladylike snort. “Tellin’ me.” And then she smiles. “Do you have anything to wear to the wedding? We have a rehearsal dinner tonight at my cousin Jasmine’s winery, Simpatico Wine Estate, down the road. And then the wedding will be here tomorrow. It would be so lovely if you could come. It’s very laid back, you can wear whatever you like. I just wanted to make sure you felt comfortable. I mean, I’m short and stumpy”-we both look down at her short, yes, but anything but stumpy body-“but Kiara’s clothes might fit. Just be careful, though. She’s still pretty mad at you.”
I blink. Is this woman for real?
I was bracing for a screaming match, ending with her kicking me out onto the streets of Barossa Valley. Not this… this understanding and kindness. How does someone become like this? Or is kindness God-given, planted in a soul like the little drop of blue or brown tint He colors into our eyes?
Either way, even though I cannot even aspire to this level of kindness, I’m privileged to be the beneficiary. “You are an angel,” I say, genuinely awed. And secretly hope that her good nature will rub off on me.
“Ooh, no, no,” she waves her hand. “Don’t let Kiara hear you say that. That’s what Kylian calls her.”
“What does Damien call you?” I ask, curious. I can’t imagine him having a nickname for anyone.
She laughs, a deep blush sprinting up her face. “You don’t want to know.”
“Matthias calls me ‘hellion.'” I admit with a snort before I can stop myself.
My-Linh’s face stiffens, eyes wide, and then she bends over and howls with laughter, grabbing my hand for support. She laughs for whole minutes. Now and then she screams “hellion” again, reinvigorating her own laugh. Her mirth is infectious and I find myself falling onto the floor, gasping along with her.
We’re still howling when the door opens.
“Rissie, I just talked and Damie-” Matthias and Damien freeze at the threshold and their faces adopt a look of almost cartoonish surprise at the sight of me on the floor, grabbing My-Linh’s hand, as she doubles over clutching her stomach.
“‘Rissie?’ Don’t you mean ‘hellion?'” My-Linh shouts, and we fall back into laughter, ears bursting from the sound,
When we look back up, the door is closed and the guys are gone.
***
“Clarissa, tell us more about your club? Matthias has been raving about it to anyone who’ll listen to him for ten seconds. But I’d love to hear it from you!” My-Linh says, settling down next to me on the flower bench when there’s only the family left at the rehearsal dinner.
She tugs on Kiara’s arm and plops her down on the seat next to us. Kiara hasn’t said much to me, but that’s not surprising. She’s definitely My-Linh’s protector, and is playing her role as bridesmaid to a T. It’s hard not to brand her as a bitch, but in moments where she thinks no one is watching her and Kylian, she becomes putty in his hands.