Playing Pretend by Cassie-Ann L. Miller
Fifty-Three
Eliza
Liam gets changedout of his damp clothes and we spend the rest of the afternoon in the living room, fielding questions from my concerned family.
Clementine toddles around the place, getting herself into all kinds of trouble. The adorable thing wears Dad out from having to chase her around. Liam and I squeeze onto the mismatched loveseat.
The whole time, he clutches me against his shoulder like he’s afraid someone will jump out from behind the front hedges and snatch me away. It melts my heart, having him so protective of me. And I know that he must be anxious about meeting my parents and my sisters, despite his usual bravado.
My mom and Dana eventually disappear into the kitchen, where I hear pots and pans banging around. I grin to myself, knowing they’re likely about to whip up some of Mom’s Brazilian cheese bread. I’ve been away for so long and I’m craving the comfort of my mother’s cooking.
The sun is setting as we all squeeze around the kitchen table. After saying grace, Mom smiles kindly at my husband. “Up until this morning, I didn’t even know you existed, Liam.”
Dana did, but she’s loyal to a fault, and she didn’t breathe a word of my adventures to our parents.
Mom continues. “But I’m so thankful for you. I’m so thankful to know that my Eliza was in good hands. We were so worried about her all these months and I’m so happy to know that a good man was taking care of her.” She sighs reverently with genuine faith in each word she says. “You, Liam Kline, are an angel.”
My devilish husband smiles uncomfortably. “Please, don’t thank me, Mrs. Alonso. I’m definitely far from an angel.” He winces when he and I make eye contact. I struggle not to crack up at his pained expression.
When I announced to my parents that I’d gotten married, I may have left out the parts about the nuptials of convenience. And the messy Varner Resorts deal. And...the wild office sex a few days ago that ended with Liam having to pick out a handful of staples stuck in my hair.
Elopement or not, my parents have never really been the ones to judge. They’re pretty great like that. I mean, seriously—my folks didn’t bat an eye when I forged thousands in illegal bank loans. They sure aren’t going to shun me for marrying my sexier-than-sin boss.
Still, the circumstances that kicked off this entanglement are far from conventional. To be honest, it’s downright embarrassing how we ended up hitched. I don’t want Mom and Dad to worry about me. I don’t want them to know that I’m in over my head with this incredible, infuriating, irresistible husband of mine. They already have enough on their plate.
But no matter how screwed up Liam and I were when this whole thing started, it’s clear to me that at some point, things between me and my boss-turned-lover shifted.
I can’t deny it anymore. I’m straight-up in love with my husband now, and I decide that’s all my parents need to know. They don’t need to know that this relationship started out fake or that it’s doomed to end in dissolution in a matter of weeks.
My upcoming divorce…That’s the part that might break my mother’s heart.
Throughout the meal, I sit back and mostly observe. Despite the heavy cloud hanging over me, it feels so damn good to be home, and it warms my heart to see my eccentric family welcome my serious, grumpy husband with open arms.
Dinner is delicious and everyone has emptied their plates by the time Dad starts explaining the family drama to Liam. “We’ve never faulted Eliza for what happened. Never. She only did the things she did to save her little sister’s life. If anyone’s to blame, it’s me,” my father adds, his gaze softening when he stares at me.
The heaviness in his eyes hits me hard. I know the guilt weighs him down. That just makes me feel guiltier. It’s a vicious cycle.
Seated in her high chair, adorable little Clementine digs her chubby hand into her mashed potatoes and slams her palm on the table. Seeing her growing up in a safe family with both parents? Seeing Dana seated across from me with her watery expression? The rest of the world may view the actions I took as illegal, but to me, it was all worth it. Mom refuses to make eye contact with anyone but her emotions show clearly in the way her lips quiver as she pushes her dessert around on her plate.
“I have to live every day knowing that my inaction led to this,” Dad says. “That I didn’t solve my family’s problems myself. That I left my daughter with no choice but to take matters into her own hands.” He shakes his head, the heavy sprinkle of white around his temples evidencing how much he’s aged in the last few years. He reaches for my hand. “I’m sorry I left you to figure it out on your own, Liza. I failed my family, and I failed you.”
I rush to my dad’s side when his shoulders start to shake. Kneeling beside his wobbly chair, I wrap my arms around my father while he stabs at his eyes with a crumpled paper napkin.
As he continues to mumble his apologies, Liam looks on. I bet he’s starting to regret flying out here now. I wouldn’t blame my husband for wanting to bolt back to Sin Valley the first chance he gets.
He didn’t know what he was signing up for when he slid that shiny ring on my finger. Or when he drew up our marriage contract. He didn’t even know who he’d hired when he interviewed me for his assistant role. I know Liam didn't get to where he is today by filling his office with white collar criminals.
I know I’m a lot to handle. I come with enough baggage to fill the massive walk-in closets at Liam’s extravagant mansion. But this is me—flaws exposed, secrets laid bare on the creaking kitchen table. I don’t expect to be enough for a man like Liam Kline. But at this point, I just can’t hide my truth anymore.
While my father and I hug each other, I whisper. “Being forced to change my last name, move across the country and be away from this family was one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced. But nearly losing my little sister to a treatable disease was unacceptable to me. And although I know my actions were wrong, I’d do it all again to see my Dana’s heart still beating today.”
We never had much growing up. My childhood home is a funky blend of clearance section furniture finds, cheap knick knacks, and homemade artwork from me and Dana. It’s modest and not fancy on anyone’s level, but it’s full of love and kindness and compassion. That’s more than enough for me.
We’d do anything for each other. Obviously. I’d go to jail for my family, and I know they’d do the same for me. It’s just what we do.
Instead of backing away from the shitshow also known as my family, Liam leans right in. He lays a hand on my father’s trembling shoulder. “Mr. Alonso. Rest assured, I will fix this. I will see to it that Eliza has the best legal representation and doesn’t see any jail time. I promise you, sir. I’m not letting this go until Eliza’s record is expunged.”
When he says that, my heart doesn’t even know what it’s doing anymore. Jumping jacks. Crunches. Burpee jumps.
A lesser man would have run when he showed up at the front door and witnessed the condition this family is in. A lesser man would have annulled our nuptials before dawn broke the next day. A lesser man wouldn’t take on the problems of a barely-middle class family, bailing on his company in the midst of the most important business deal in its history.
I’m a goner. I’m gone, gone, gone.
After dinner, Liam volunteers—yes, I said he volunteered—to do the dishes with me while my sister clears the table. We’re practicing our new routine. I wash. He dries, stealing paw-fulls of my ass as he sets each clean dish into the cracking dish drainer.
Dana approaches my husband and her skinny arms encircle his back. Her head barely reaches his sternum. She tucks her little body against his and whispers, “Thank you for taking care of my big sister…when she was busy taking care of me.”
Grinning at me over the top of her head, he gives her a squeeze. “My part was easy. She had the hard part.”
“What was that?” Dana asks, her eyes curious.
Liam winks. “Taking care of me.”
If I thought I loved the man a few hours ago, seeing my new husband win over the hearts of my family just sends me into a deeper trap. I’m falling fast, and if I’m not careful, I’m afraid this is one hole I won’t be able to dig myself out of.