The Geary Series Boxed Set (37 page)

Finding Lilly’s brother William was the primary task to be done today, he wanted answers and he was going to find him with the help of Mickey. He needed to find out what he was up to and how that affected Lilly. He wanted to protect her from her own family, in different ways they were destructive to her mental being and he wasn’t happy about it. What he really wanted to do was talk to Lilly but it was bad timing. What he wanted to say couldn’t be said in anger or wielded as a weapon.

His own family were supportive to both him and Jack and he’d never experienced such hatred from the people who loved him. If he had his way, he would remove her completely from her family’s clutches and never let her see them again. That was unreasonable so instead he was going to teach her to stand up to them and to not listen to their negativity.

Leaving the law firm was the first step, now he needed to make her a part of his family instead. He still wanted to marry her, but she hadn’t forgiven him yet. She would in the end, he would make sure of it. She wasn’t answering her phone or her door, he had tried for days but to no avail.

First he needed to know where William was and have a conversation with him about the drug dealing. He wanted to call Mickey to see if he had found out where he was.

“Dude, have you found the little shit yet?” Elijah asked as soon as he heard the call connect and before Mickey could utter a word.

“No man, I could do with some help.” Mickey said.

“Yeah?” Elijah asked, he needed to help and was surprised Mickey needed it.

“Yeah, can you get over here, leave precious Blue’s for a while. Is your beauty working today?” Mickey asked.

“No, smart arse she isn’t, she’s not speaking to me. I’ll be over in an hour.” Elijah said.

“Please tell me you haven’t fucked it up with her. I’ll see you in an hour and you can tell me all about it.” Mickey said.

Elijah hung up the phone without saying goodbye, he was dreading telling Mickey what happened.  Mickey would kick his arse for being so stupid.  He ignored the paperwork still sitting on his desk and headed over to Mickey’s office.

Lilly braced herself for another meeting with her parents, coming to this house was a punishment to her. It felt like it most of the time she lived in it and now that she didn’t she hated coming back. It represented everything she missed out on as a child and teenager.

Nevertheless, the duty of a daughter overtook anything she may want and when summoned, she came. Walking up the driveway, the immaculate lawns and plants made her sad. Everything had to be perfect in Gale’s eyes, nothing out of place. Appearances were the most important thing and that included her garden as well. If only her parents were judged on the love they gave their children. Perhaps they wouldn’t be so respected then or they may actually make an effort to show her some love.

The rebellious side of Lilly bubbled to the surface when she entered the property of the Harrison household and the urge to run across the lawn with her heels on always came to mind. She had the same urge when she saw a bowling green as well. There was something about a perfect lawn that she wanted to ruin. Irrational thoughts but she owned them and giggled at the prospect. Maybe one day.

Hoisting her bag higher on her shoulder, she reached out for the doorknob and caught herself. She couldn’t just walk in, she had to knock first, and she didn’t understand that formality either. They weren’t the parents to walk around naked, so what she might be interrupting piqued her interest.

Lilly raised the heavy lion’s head that was on the door lifted it high and let it drop, her parents hated that she did that as it was a loud knock when the metal hit its target. She waited for the door to open looking at the door frame, studying the tiny spider in its web. It was busily playing with a fly it had just caught and readying it for its next meal. The door still hadn’t opened and she went to bang the door knocker again and the door swung open.

“Oh my God, you look amazing, who are you fucking because he is doing you a world of good with your complexion and twinkle in your eye.” Aunt Jane exclaimed.

“Aunt Jane, it is wonderful to see you, why are you here? Bloody hell you’re a welcome sight in this household.” Lilly answered.

The two women hugged fiercely and Lilly squeezed her plump Aunt until she squealed. She adored her Aunt, she was a breath of fresh air but lived down on the south coast and didn’t visit very often. Aunt Jane pinched Lilly’s cheek and kissed it better.

“Come on in and have a drink, your mother is being a bitch and I need reinforcements.” Aunt Jane said conspiratorially.

Jane and Gale were sisters and they hated each other, Lilly didn’t know why and didn’t really care. What Lilly cared about most was the fact that she rarely saw her Aunt and when she did, she liked to spend every waking moment she had with her. Aunt Jane was full of life, the exact opposite to her mother who seemed to hate life and everyone in it. How two people could be so different and be raised by the same parents was beyond her knowledge. They were only a couple years apart in age, but Aunt Jane who was older appeared a lot younger.

Lilly followed her Aunt Jane through the house and wished she had a coat with her to hang on the banister. Instead, she whistled tunelessly and skipped behind Aunt Jane, who made a swift pace through the hallway and out to the garden. Lilly’s mood soon darkened on sight of her parents. Gale was talking at Dylan rather than to him, it was rare to see Dylan appear anything other than in total agreement with his wife but he couldn’t have heard them approach. Lilly watched as he rolled his eyes at Gale and pick up a newspaper and completely ignore her.

It lifted her heart to see that her father wasn’t as browbeaten as she thought he was. There was hope for him yet. She now wondered why he put up with it. It didn’t matter why. It was their relationship and none of her business.

“Look who’s arrived, we can start now Lills has graced us with her presence.” Aunt Jane announced. “First let me get a drink, I think I need a drink first to get me through this next hour.” She added.

“What are you talking about Aunt Jane,” Lilly said and nudged her in the ribs and started to giggle, “Get me a Martini and lemonade while you are getting a drink, sounds like I will need one too.” Lilly said.

“Your mother has a plan and your place has been decided, that’s why I have been summoned, so that we are a united front.” Jane said and floated over to the drink’s tray just by the French doors and poured her and Lilly a stiff martini, she skipped the lemonade and added ice. Lilly watched as she came back and handed her the drink and they clinked glasses.

The four of them were seated around the square garden table under a large blue parasol. The day was beautifully sunny with a slight breeze, a day where you would want to be sitting on a beach reading a book and not in a summit meeting with your parents and Aunt.

“So, mother, why am I here and why are you here, Aunt Jane?” Lilly asked and sipped on her drink. Her eyes widened and she glanced at her Aunt Jane. Jane winked back at her and sipped on her own drink and showed that you could drink it without giving the game away.

“I’m here for the wedding of course,” Aunt Jane answered.

Lilly’s heart stopped functioning for a second at those words, and the air was thin. How could they possibly know about Elijah’s proposal so soon? She recovered her composure within seconds and took another long sip of her drink.

“Who is getting married mother?” Lilly asked.

“Oh that lovely Geary son, Jack, he has found himself a lovely woman. Second marriage for both of them of course but it is the swankiest wedding I have been invited to. I have been drafted in as your plus one. Apparently you’re not capable of choosing your own date.” Aunt Jane said with a straight face but her eyes had laughter written all over them.

“You’ve to be kidding me? You summoned me here to talk about a wedding I’ve already been invited to and already have a date for?” Lilly asked. It made her angry that her mother would stoop to such levels. “I don’t mean to offend you Aunt Jane, I would love to be your date, get drunk on the Aunt’s table and then dance with all the hot men but had you asked me mother I could have told you that you have wasted everyone’s time.” Lilly said.

Everyone was speechless for a minute, Gale’s face was pinched and sour. Dylan’s eyes were round as saucers and didn’t know where to look. Aunt Jane, took one look around the table and burst out laughing, real belly laugh that ended with a snort. She couldn’t stop laughing and held her sides and stamped her feet under the table.

Dylan broke first and started to chuckle and then Lilly joined in, it was only Gale that didn’t break a smile and tapped her finger on the table to gain control of her frustration.

"Lillian, who is your plus one for the Geary wedding?” Gale asked.

"I'm not technically bringing anyone mother.” Lilly answered once she had stopped giggling.

"Don't be smart with me, answer the question.” Gale said.

"I don't have a plus one, is that better?” Lilly answered.

"It would be better if you changed your tone, remember who you are talking to.” Gale reminded her.

"Why do you need to know mother, who I’m bringing?” Lilly asked.

"No daughter of mine will be going to the wedding of the year unaccompanied.” Gale said.

Lilly lost all sense of humour and Aunt Jane sensed as much and immediately stopped her laughing and remained quiet. Aunt Jane was fascinated with what was going to happen next.

“Answer a question for me mother, how did you get invited to the wedding of the year?” Lilly said and did air quotes at the wedding of year comment. She found her mother’s pretentiousness at best hard to swallow, but when she exaggerated social events it made her want to throw up.

“Oh, this is the best part Lills, Gale and Dylan and I went to school with Jack’s parents. Michael was in Dylan and my year and Ruth was in Gale’s year at school. After that, we all went to the same college and had the best summer before we all went our separate ways. Wasn’t it great summer Gale?” Jane asked, her tone had changed, there was no playfulness left, and it was stern and cold. Much like Gale’s usual tone, Lilly hadn’t heard her Aunt be so earnest.

“I don’t remember having a good summer in those days, it was all hard work. Now that you know how we are invited, you can return the favour and tell me how you are asked without me knowing?” Gale asked.

“You are so old fashioned, this is the twenty-first century. I have friends that you haven’t met you know. I’m a grown woman and you don’t get a say in who my friends are. In fact, you’ve met them, at the hospital. You remember that don’t you, you left me there to get home on my own. If you must know I do have a date, but I will be arriving alone.” Lilly said. She hated being rude to her mother but sometimes she pressed her buttons like no other.

"That is not acceptable Lillian, arrange for a suitable date and then tell me who he is.” Gale said.

"I have a date for the wedding, and he's the person I’m dating at the moment. I won't be able to go with him because he will already be there. He’s the best man.” Lilly said and sat back down, she hadn’t realised she had been standing for her speech, a habit from years of being in the courtroom.

"You are not dating Elijah Geary.” Gale stated quietly.

"I am,” Lilly confirmed.

"Well, not anymore, I forbid you.” Gale said.

Aunt Jane snorted once and sipped her drink. Lilly looked her way but couldn’t catch her eye to see what had caused her reaction.

"You forbid me? I’m a grown woman, and you’ve no say over what I do or who I see.” Lilly said.

"So it would seem. His family are awful, don’t forget I was in school with his parents, his father is a dreadful man. Elijah is not to be trusted or his brother. Jack will probably cheat on his wife within the first week.” Gale said.

“How would you know that?” Aunt Jane asked.

“The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” Gale answered to no one in particular.

“I don’t know what’s made you so bitter mother but you need to get over it. You’ve never said a positive sentence to me ever. I’m used to it, but listen closely when I say that I’ll date whomever I want.” Lilly said.

“On your own head be it, don’t come crying to me when he breaks your heart.” Gale said and folded her arms over her breasts.

“Mother, if you hate him so much, why on earth are you going to the wedding, getting your sister to come up here and insisting that I go too? Where is William in all of this?” Lilly asked her.

“William is not invited, he can’t be trusted at the moment to behave himself. I don’t want any embarrassments there and at least I can trust you to conduct yourself in a befitting manner.” Gale said.

Aunt Jane snorted again, “you’re such a hypocrite Gale, does this mean I’m off the hook and can go home?” She asked hopefully.

“No, it certainly does not, if Lillian is with the best man then she won’t be on our table and you’ll have to do, just don’t get drunk.” Gale instructed.

“I won’t promise anything Gale, I’ll come along because I am fascinated to see how you’ll behave in front of Michael after all these years.” Aunt Jane added.

“Can I go now?” Lillian asked, already standing.

“Yes you may go Lillian. Jane, see her out will you dear?” Gale said.

“Oh, it will be my pleasure Mistress, right away Mistress.” Aunt Jane said and stood and bowed to her sister.

Aunt Jane linked her arm with Lilly’s and stage whispered to Lilly “I’ll tell you all about what happened that summer on the way out.”

“You wouldn’t dare Jane, you wouldn’t dare, and we all have secrets, remember that.” Gale warned as she glared at Jane’s retreating back.

Jane laughed and dragged Lilly through the house and to the front door at double the speed they had come through the first time.

“Now, Lills, listen to me carefully, try your very best to ignore the swipes your mother takes at you and make sure you have the best time at that wedding. I may or may not come, there is a history there for me too so it will depend on how I am feeling on the day. There is something else I want to say too, what the fuck is going on with Wills?” Aunt Jane asked.

“I’m not sure, he’s not speaking to me because I quit my job and now I don’t have any spare money to lend him.” Lilly said.

“Take it from me Lills, he’s in a dangerous place and he needs help, try and get him that help before something worse happens.” Aunt Jane said.

“Oh, ok, I’ll talk to him when I see him next.” Lilly promised.

“Good, now get the hell out of here while you can and kiss that man of yours like it’s the last kiss you’ll ever have.” Aunt Jane said.

Lilly kissed her Aunt Jane’s cheek and left the house and walked down the drive. She had survived another trip to her parent’s house. She was ready to talk to Elijah.