Black (Clashing Colors Book 1) (22 page)

CHAPTER 19

Family Brunch

Gabriel

Cia was quiet on the twenty-minute drive from the apartment to my parents’ home in Medina. My stepdad, Steve, is the CEO of one of the largest tech companies here in the area and his house – or rather mansion – reflects his status and wealth.

“Don’t get overwhelmed with the size of the house when we get there,” I said to warn her.

She frowned. “Why? How big is it?”

“Almost eight thousand square feet, and it’s beautifully located by the lake.”

“Wow, how many people live there?”

“Just my mom and Steve.”

She whistled low. “That’s a lot of cleaning to do for your mom,” she pondered out loud.

I drummed the steering wheel. “Yeah… about that. My parents have people to help them, so you’ll probably see a caterer today.”

“What do you mean?”

“It’s just that with Steve’s job they host a lot of social events, and they have someone to take care of the practicalities so my mom can focus on being a hostess.”

“But I thought today was only family?”

“It is, but the last time we had a family brunch my mom didn’t cook anything.”

“She can’t cook?”

“No, she can… but I think they just find it easier to let others do it for them.”

“All right. Well, I’m not really there for the food anyway.”

“I know, I just didn’t want you to be surprised and stunned by the… ehh… situation.”

“Why would I be stunned?”

I chose my words carefully. “I just figured that the contrast from what you’ve been used to would be… ehhm… substantial.”

“Because I’m poor?” she said and looked out the window.

“I’m not criticizing you, babe, I just worry that for someone who until recently slept in a closet, a house bigger than The Inn might feel a bit overwhelming.”

“Thanks for the warning.”

“Are you nervous?” I asked her, because I was.

“That’s the fourth time you’ve asked me that question, and you’re making me more nervous every time.”

“Sorry. Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” I assured her and took her hand.

Once we got there most of my family had already arrived. Janet, Brent’s wife, was balancing a Bloody Mary and sporting a new outfit to show off the results of her latest liposuction. As always, Brent was busy talking business in the garden with his father Steve, but they both waved at me and smiled. Brent’s and Janet’s three children were all there. The oldest, Mia, was on the couch with her head in a book as always. I couldn’t see the title but figured it was probably something in the genre of fantasy because last time I had asked her, she’d taken almost fully ten seconds to look up at me and tell me that it was her favorite genre. Her brother Nick is ten and three years younger than Mia but her complete opposite, and as soon as he saw me, he came storming with his younger brother Andy on his heels. They wanted me to come and play badminton with them in the garden – something I would have normally been happy to do, but today I wasn’t leaving Cia’s side.

My sister Brittany was there with her husband Gareth. They’ve been together since high school but the guy is a jerk and has cheated on her at least three times and then there was the “Oops-I-fell-into-a-door” black eye that she turned up with six years ago. I don’t trust him and he keeps his distance whenever he sees me.

My sister Melody hadn’t arrived, but my grandparents on my mother’s side were there and my mother came rushing to give us a warm welcome.

“Mom, this is Cia,” I told her and was delighted when my mom broke into a warm smile and shook Cia’s hand. “I’ve heard so much good about you.”

“Likewise,” Cia said politely and was nudged around the room by my mother to be introduced to everyone.

I stayed close by and smiled when my grandmother, who is partially deaf and a bit senile, thought Cia was Mia.

“I can’t believe how much you’ve grown, child. How old are you now?” Granny said, and Cia looked confused.

“I’m twenty-one.”

“Twenty-one?” Granny looked to Charlie, my grandfather. “How can that be?”

“No, Mom,” my mother, Katie, said. “This is Cia, she’s Gabriel’s new girlfriend. Mia is still thirteen and over there.” She pointed to the couch. “See, she’s reading.”

My granny nodded her head. “Oh, I see… I apologize,” she said to Cia. “But you do look a lot like Mia, though.”

Cia’s eyes fell on Mia, who looked up at the mention of her name, and yes, Granny was right, there was a resemblance between the two half-sisters.

Melody came when we all sat down at the table. She gave Cia a quick hug. “I’m so glad to see you decided to give us a chance.” She smiled.

It was a funny thing to sit there and observe the normal family dynamics with new eyes. I kept trying to see it from Cia’s perspective - the way we lovingly teased each other, especially Melody, who for some reason has chosen to become a vegan and start a vegan specialty shop in the University district, despite the fact that she’s a lawyer by profession.

She’s been a vegan for five years now and gets absolutely no support from the family except from my mom, who shows good intentions.

“I ordered some special bacon for you,” my mom told her and pointed to a plate in front of Melody.

Melody set down the bowl of fruit she had in her hands and picked up the small plate. “What is this?” she asked.

“Vegan bacon,” my mom said reassuringly.

Melody sniffed at the bacon. “This isn’t vegan… it’s turkey,” she said with her nose wrinkled up. 

“Well, isn’t that better than pigs?” my mom asked.

“It’s still an animal. I can’t eat anything from animals.”

“Here, have some eggs at least,” Mia said with sympathy.

Melody sighed and shook her head. “Mia, where do you think eggs come from?”

Steve sat in his captain’s chair at the end of the table like the patriarch he was.

“Melody, how is your business going?” he said and drew everyone’s attention.

“Good. Don’t worry, your investment is safe. We are expanding our market share,” Melody said and took a bite of a large strawberry.

“And are you dating anyone?”

“Nope, and please stop trying to set me up with any more men. The last guy called me fourteen times before he gave up.”

“John is one of the richest bachelors in the country,” Steve defended.

“So what? He’s over fifty and has been married four times. Just stay out of my love life, Dad.”

“We’ll see.” Steve turned his head to Brittany’s husband. “And what about you, Gareth? Did you get that promotion you talked about?”

Gareth took a sip of his juice and shook his head. “No, I’m afraid not.”

“We’re thinking of taking a cruise to Alaska this fall.” my mom interjected. It was her specialty to change the subject before Steve ruined the fun with his business talk and hard questions.

“That’s nice,” Melody and Brittany said in unison to support the change of subject.

“We went on a cruise to Alaska once,” Granny said dryly. “I didn’t like it.”

“No, honey, that was Mexico. We went to Mexico and we loved it,” Granddad Charlie chimed in. “Remember all the great food and how we danced in the ballroom.”

My grandmother, who is close to ninety and has been married to my grandfather since she was twenty-two, gave her husband a grim stare. “I’ve never been to Mexico with you. Did you take someone else?”

He rolled his eyes. “Of course not. It was in nineteen-eighty-four, and I can show you the pictures when we get home.”

“What are you laughing at?” Brent said to Nick, who snickered at his great-grandmother. “Did you even wash your hands before coming to the table? And don’t stuff your plate like that.”

“It’s okay, we have plenty of food,” my mom said softly. “He’s only ten.”

“No, it’s not okay, I don’t want a fat kid who is too stupid to wash his hands,” Brent said coldly.

Nick’s shoulders slumped down and his smile was gone. I had a flashback to Brent sitting in that same chair twenty years ago and being reprimanded for everything on this earth by his father. The fact that the only thing he had learned from taking all that abuse was how to pass it on to others made me resent him.

“I’ve got something exciting to share,” I said and felt my heart race triple-speed when everyone turned their heads to look at me.

“It turns out that we have a family member that we never knew about.”

Brent put down his knife and fork with a warning glance. But I didn’t budge.

“Twenty-one years ago, before meeting Janet, Brent had a daughter, and I’m really excited about bringing her into our family today.”

“I have another sister?” Nick asked excitedly. “Where is she?”

I nodded toward Cia. “Right here. Cia is your half-sister.”

“What is he saying?” Granny asked Charlie.

“Gabriel says that Cia is Brent’s daughter.”

My grandmother squinted her eyes. “Of course Mia is Brent’s daughter; we always knew that.”

“No, Granny… Cia. I’m talking about my girlfriend.” I pointed to Cia on my right side.

“Your girlfriend is Brent’s daughter?” Granny said with confusion. “Since when?”

“Well technically since she was born, I would assume,” Gareth said and seemed mildly amused.

“Is Brent okay with Gabriel dating his daughter?” Granny asked Charlie in a loud whisper. “You should talk to them about how improper incest is and warn them not to have children… inbreeding makes for weak and sick offspring.”

Charlie shushed her and placed his wrinkled hand on hers.

I spoke up. “We’re not blood related, Granny,” I pointed out.

A big puff of air came from Brent, who shot me a death glare. “I told you not to bring her here.”

Janet kept looking from Cia to Brent. “You had a child and you didn’t tell me?”

My mom opened her mouth to speak but closed it again and sat back in her chair. Apparently, not even she knew how to smooth these waters.

“Well, this is just nice,” Brent said sardonically, “While you’re at it,
brother,
why don’t you tell them about what kind of person she is and how she got arrested by the police? Oh, that’s right… you didn’t mention that, did you, because as always you let people use you, just like Heidi used you.”

“What the hell does that have to with anything?” I asked.

“God, you’re so naïve, G. Don’t you see – she’s just another of your pet projects, another lost soul to fix, and while you’re pouring your soft heart into healing her, she’s using you, just like Heidi and all the others did. When will you ever learn? There’s a reason no one else wanted her.” 

Mia surprised me by smiling unsurely at Cia. “That’s not true. I always wanted a big sister. I would like to get to know you.”

“Me too,” Melody said. “I think it’s great that…” She was cut off by Steve, who pounded his fist down on the table. “How do you even know she’s not an impostor? Anyone can make such a claim. Was there a paternity test done?”   

“No,” Brent said through clenched teeth.

“Don’t even go there, Brent,” I protested. “You’ve know about Cia since the beginning and it’s time for you to own up to your responsibility. You abandoned your own daughter and let her live in abuse and poverty all these years.”

Brent snorted in rage but it was Steve who spoke. “My son would never do such a thing. This girl might have tricked you.” He pinned Cia with his glare and spoke in an accusatory tone. “How can you be sure my son is your father?”

“Because my mom was a virgin when Brent took her at a high school dance,” Cia said matter of factly.

“A virgin… ha… for all we know that’s just what she told you.”

“Steve, please,” my mom said and held out her hand.

“No, I won’t have anyone make accusations at my son, in my house, without solid proof to back it up.” He raised his voice and pointed a finger at Cia. “We’re a good Christian family, and as it says in the Bible, you should never throw stones when you live in a glass house. Don’t think I can’t sniff a gold digger when I see one.”

I grabbed Cia’s hand and opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it when she abruptly stood up.

“I don’t have to listen to this shit. Now I see where Brent got his lack of courage from. You’re just as big a coward as he is.” She pushed her chair out. “Oh, and by the way, read your Bible one more time, because misquoting the book you say you live by makes you look ignorant.”

Steve flew up from his chair and his facial color was changing from red into purple real fast. “I can assure you I know my Bible inside out – how dare you say otherwise?”

Cia snorted at him and it made me love her even more. There was no fear in her eyes when she crossed her arms. “I think you’re confusing the metaphor of stones and glass houses with the story from John 8:7 when Jesus approached the men about to stone a woman to death.
He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.”