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“Yes. This isn’t a real wedding, Lincoln. I don’t want this confusion muddying the waters.”
“May I remind you that you agreed to play the role of doting wife around my family?”
I see her bite her lip, as she hesitates, and a flood of anger hits me. “Forget it.”
“No, no you’re right. I did agree. I’m just not comfortable being away from him with people he doesn’t know.”
I’m slightly mollified by her admission and realize we both have some adjustments to make. “I understand. Would you prefer he ride with us?”
“No, it’s fine.”
Lottie steps into the car and I follow, sitting close beside her on the seat. The ride is quiet, filled with tension that never used to be there, reminding me that I have a steep hill to climb if I’m ever going to earn back her trust.
I glance at the huge diamond ring and the diamond band I slid onto her finger a few minutes ago and can’t help thinking how right it feels, although the diamond wouldn’t have been my choice for her, but I had my mother pick it out for me.
Lunch is lively with Eric entertaining my mother and Clark and enchanting everyone with his boyish excitement.
“And then I won the prize, but I couldn’t have it.” His face falls as he tells the story of how he and Lottie went to Pizza Parlor a few years back and they’d had a coloring competition, and he’d won the fishbowl ice cream for his picture.
“Why ever not?” my mother asks before I can.
Eric looks sad and I glance at Lottie to see guilt and regret in her eyes. “Lottie?”
I see her straighten her spine and force a smile onto her face. “Eric is diabetic.”
I’m stunned speechless by the news and my mother looks at me with a question I can’t answer. How did I not know this already?
“I see, well that sucks for you, little man.” Clark breaks the tension, but I’m a simmering ball of fury. She should’ve told me.
“It’s okay. Lottie bought me the spiderman hoodie and skateboard I wanted instead, so it was fine.” He shrugs as if it’s nothing, but it isn’t. No child should have to deal with illness, and it sickens me that Eric does.
“Well, Lottie is the best.” Clark kicks me under the table, and I jump and glare at him, but I do snap out of my stupor.
My hand finds Lottie’s much smaller one under the table and I bring her fingertips to my lips and kiss them. “She’s the best.”
She’s watching me as if she’s waiting for me to strike her and it tightens the knot in my gut. She doesn’t trust me, and she has every right to feel the way she does. I’ve humiliated her and shown her nothing but contempt, but that’s going to change.
“Eric, would you like to see your new room before you leave?”
I’d wanted a honeymoon, but Lottie nixed that idea, and only agreed to one night alone. I’d thought it was because she couldn’t bear to be alone with me and I still believe there’s some truth to that but now I wonder if it has to do with her being overprotective of Eric. Diabetes is no joke, and she’s been dealing with this all alone for the last three years. I make a mental note to have my lawyer settle all her medical bills. She shouldn’t be made to pay that out of her payment for our deal. I won’t tell her, she’ll only argue with me. Lottie is much more argumentative now than she was, or perhaps it’s me who’s different.
“Yes, please.”
I snap from my reverie and push back the chair as Lottie follows, leaving my family in the dining room to their own devices.
I’m nervous as we head to the second floor. I’d had an interior designer working night and day to get this room ready for Eric. In part to please Lottie and show her I’m not the ogre she wants to believe I am, but also because this sweet boy deserves it.
“Wow, this is so cool.” Etic takes in the superhero theme of the room, with wall climbing grips and ropes on one side and a suspended den above the bed for him to do whatever it is he wants to up there. His smile transforms my mood, and I can’t help the joy I feel as I watch him racing from one discovery to another with utter happiness on his face.
I turn, wanting to share it with Lottie but instead of pleasure, I see unhappiness and annoyance on her face.
“Can I have a second with you alone, Lincoln?”
I hate my name on her lips and I know she’s using it as a shield. I was always Linc to her even when I didn’t like it, but it was us, and I hate that she’s holding that back from me.
Out in the hallway I face her, and she feels so fragile as I look down at her until I see the fire in her eyes.
“What the hell are you doing, Lincoln?”
