Page 42 of Pretend I’m Yours
I looked from one to the other in shock. I hadn’t noticed them watching Drake, and it surprised me that they had gone to the efforts that they did. Clearly, they cared more about appearances than I thought. I was certain all they cared about was money, and if they heard through the gossip in the crowd that I was with a man with money, then they would be satisfied.
“For the first time in your life you choose to give a shit about me and what I’m doing, and it’s to tell me you don’t like the guy I’m with?” I asked with a shake of my head. “Because you don’t feel that he fit in with your snobby friends?”
“I don’t care what your relationship with this man is,” my father said, ignoring my question. “He’s not one of us, and he never will be. Now, I expect you to take care of this as soon as possible, and we’ll keep the news under the rug.”
I was livid. I wanted to tell them both to get the fuck out of my apartment but being that it was theirs I couldn’t do that. The absurdity of it all hit me like a ton of bricks.
I burst out laughing.
“What the hell is so funny?” my father asked. “You think this is a joke? We will take legal proceedings against him if we have to. He has no right to be living here, and we aren’t going to support yet another bad decision you’re making with your life.”
“First of all, you are the one who supported Brandon until it looked bad to the public, no matter how horribly he treated me,” I said. “And secondly, I’m not married to this guy.”
Both my parents’ mouths fell open, and they exchanged a glance.
“What the hell is going on here Hannah?” my mother asked.
“I’m doing it to get rid of Brandon, alright?” I said. I was shocked that I was telling them the truth. But, the more they were telling me they hated Drake, the less I wanted to talk about him. I was sure the man was the love of my life, and I didn’t want to fight over him only to lose him.
I couldn’t tell them that I wanted to be with him, but what was I going to tell them when he left? That it broke my heart to let him go? That I wasn’t good enough for him? That the whole thing had been a farce?
I didn’t owe my parents an explanation of anything, and yet there I was about to pour my heart out to them. If only to get them to back off and not interfere anymore. I needed to handle the situation on my own.
“Brandon has been stalking me and he won’t leave me alone, so I hired a guy to play my husband to get rid of him. When he’s finally gone and stops showing up everywhere I am, then I’m going to pay this guy and he’s going to leave, too. Did you really think I would marry a complete stranger I met in a bar?” I asked.
It hurt saying the words out loud, and I worried I was going to be sick. What I didn’t say was that with Drake gone, I was going to be alone and utterly miserable. That with him in my life the past month, I had felt more alive and more like myself than I ever had. That the thought of letting him go caused me physical pain. No, I didn’t say that. I couldn’t. I couldn’t be that vulnerable; not to them. I just wanted them off my back so they would leave.
My parents gave each other another look of disbelief, but before my father was able to say anything else, I heard the door open and close. I had been talking so loudly to my parents I’d not heard it before, and I suddenly realized Drake must have come home and heard the conversation.
Without saying anything to either of them, I hurried up the short hall and to the door, throwing it open. “Drake!”
I yelled into the hall of the complex, but he was nowhere in sight. He must have already headed back to the elevator before I was able to get to the door. My heart raced as I slammed it closed and stormed back to the living room. My father had risen, and my mother was shaking her head in disappointment.
But I was used to being a disappointment to them. Nothing I’d ever done had been good enough, and I was sure my life would continue to be that way in their eyes. But now, now I wasn’t sure what was going on with Drake. If he had heard what I said, there was no doubt in my mind I’d ruined everything.
