AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Fine, let’s go,” I grit out and don’t wait for anyone as I stomp toward the lake. The photographer, Lilly, and the journalist follow as Beth and the others stay back at the cars. I notice a few paparazzi pull up, and I assume it is because of what happened yesterday because we don’t normally have paparazzi following us around town to insignificant events such as this.
“Fucking great,” I mumble to myself, wondering if this day could get any worse.
“Here will be fine. So just stand next to each other and chat to yourselves. I will get the lighting right first,” the photographer says, and I sigh, not really wanting to chat to Lilly right now.
“So how are you after yesterday, Harrison?” she asks.
“Fine. Doctor Warner is all better so that is the main thing.” I spoke to him this morning and he is fine and holds no grudges, and while he will be sluggish for a while, he is still a staunch supporter.
“Of course, but it was such a horrible mix-up,” she says, leaving her accusation out in the air.
“Great, okay, if you two can look at me and smile,” the photographer yells out and we do. The two of us are well trained.
“It could have been much worse,” I offer her, not wanting to get into specifics. The restaurant has sent more papers to my law firm earlier. Ben and his team are going through it all this morning.
“Yes, of course, but Beth could have killed a man with her incompetence. That is something you really should distance yourself from, Harrison,” Lilly says, and I pull back and look at her, wondering how sweet Lilly, the young girl who used to follow my brothers and I around every summer, became a miniature version of my mother. As I look into her eyes, I can see the evil starting to seep out of her, her smile as fake as her nails.
“Watch your words, Lilly,” I growl at her quietly. Because the disrespect people are showing towards Beth, I am starting to take extremely personally.
“So in a few days you will be governor, are you excited?” she asks, changing her tone and the topic, looking up at me and beaming. I give her a small nod, because despite the hiccup yesterday, the polls are still strong, and my lead is still present.
“It isn’t over yet, Lilly,” I say, not wanting to get ahead of myself.
“Oh! Oh no!” she says, quickly looking down.
“What?”
“I dropped my ring,” she says in panic.
“What do you mean?”
“My ring, the diamond ring my grandmother left me.” I know what ring she is referring to. A large knuckle buster of a thing that looks ostentatious on her hand. I look down and see it sparkling in the grass.
“I see it, let me grab it.” I bend down on one knee and retrieve her ring, handing it up to her, and then I hear cheers, the camera clicks, and I look around before realizing what’s going on.
My mother and Lilly set this up. I am positioned like I am proposing and handing her the biggest diamond that a camera lens a few yards away could capture. Just right for those few paparazzi whorandomlyturned up right on time. I immediately look up to the cars and spot Beth looking right at me, her mouth agape, but she quickly disappears behind my mother, who steps in front of her, blocking my vision, giving me the biggest smile of all.
It is then I realize that, yes, this day can get a lot worse.
33
BETH
Iwatch from afar as the camera takes photos of Lilly and Harrison down by the lake. They look great. Lilly’s hair is shining in the sun, and she is wearing a beautiful floral dress that shifts in the breeze just right. They are picture perfect. My stomach feels heavy at the sight, but I push my shoulders back, burying any jealousy that starts to rise. Harrison was with me last night and has been with me for months. I take him at his word, I know that he feels for me like I do him.It is just a photoshoot,I say to myself.
After opening up to him last night, I feel lighter. My secrets and my fears have been buried for so long. The guilt I carried since a little girl was eating away at me, and after a very long and frightening night, Harrison managed to help me relieve all that a little.
“Oh, they are a perfect couple, wouldn’t you agree, Beth?” his mother says to me from the side. The only words she has spoken to me for months, aside from her public accusations of attempted murder she threw at me yesterday.
“They are both professionals in front of the camera. I would expect nothing less of Mr. Rothschild,” I say, giving her a smile, remaining professional as my grip remains white knuckled on my paperwork. Eddie steps a little closer, looking at me knowingly. I already feel deep sadness at how upset both Harrison and Eddie are going to be at knowing exactly who tried to frame me yesterday and the lengths she will go to. I watch Mrs. Rothschild for a beat, wondering if I peered into her soul what I would find. Sure, she is mean, but I have a feeling that she is also very sad and lonely.
“I cannot wait until they get married and give me grandchildren. It will be the biggest society wedding of the year!” she gleams as she claps her hands together. Oscar squints at her like she is insane, and I hear Eddie growl. My stomach drops again a little, because I know that there is literally nothing that this woman wouldn’t do to ensure Harrison is the biggest name in the country and, obviously, she has deep affection for Lilly. I look back at the perfect couple, together they fit, but I notice Harrison’s shoulders are stiff, his smile wide but not genuine. The wrinkle between his eyes has been present since he arrived today, and even though I can’t see it now, I know it is there.
My cell phone vibrates in my handbag. Pulling it out, I see that it is Jeff. I throw it back in my bag, not wanting to chat to him right now.
“So when did you set this up, Mom?” Eddie asks, clearly fishing for information and making small talk. I listen keenly, although my eyes remain on Harrison. He is tired, stressed, and I hate that I contribute to some of that.
“Oh, Edward, this has been in the works for months. I really wanted to capture the moment Harrison got down on bended knee,” she gushes, clapping her hands together in glee. My head swivels in her direction, and Eddie looks at me over her head, the two of us wondering what the hell she is talking about.
