Chapter 10 - Grayson: Take a Seat
Fuck.
Ethan’s back was to Jade so she couldn’t see his face, but I could. He glared at me with the intensity of hell fire before he closed his eyes to gather himself.
I looked over my shoulder to see an impatient and anxious-looking Jade. I looked back at Ethan who looked like he was about ready to jump off a bridge.
“Is anyone going to say anything? What is it that I deserve to know?”
Ethan whirled around to face her, and I could see the tension that was locked in his shoulders. This was about to be explosive.
“I think I’m going to go now,” I tried to excuse myself. I didn’t need to be here for any of this. It was a family affair.
“No,” she commanded. “You stay.”
I gave her a deadpanned look that read ‘I want no part of this’. After what had just happened in the car and now this, I’d had enough drama to last me the rest of the year.
Ethan looked over his shoulder at me. “She’s right, man. Stay.”
So I did.
“Is anyone going to say anything or am I just going to have to guess?” She crossed her arms over her chest, making her breasts bulge out even more. I felt my little friend stir awake in my pants, and I had to think of everything vile.
Ethan cleared his throat. “I think you should take a seat for this, sis.”
“I’m okay to stand. Now, tell me.” I heard the slight panic in her voice. “Are you in some kind of trouble? Are you sick?”
“Yes and no.”
“What?”
Ethan looked over his shoulder to me for help but there was no way I was touching this situation. I was to keep away from Jade Masters, not get dragged into more and more of her drama.
Telling Jade about Monica’s sickness would be hard on her, but it needed to be done. The girl deserved to know that her mother had been trying to set herself right and was on the road to recovery.
“Okay, well, the thing is that I may lose the practice.”
That was not what I expected him to tell her. I wanted him to open his mouth again and tell her the whole truth. I couldn’t do it. Jade would grow suspicious, and even more complications would arise.
“What do you mean you are going to lose the practice?”
“Well, it turns out Mom did some shady deals or something when she was acquiring this land and now let’s just say the people are coming in to collect. I don’t have the kind of money they are asking for and, with the renovations I just finished here, I don’t have the money to pay for a lawyer.”
Jade stood still as she processed his words. “Even in death, she is screwing us over.”
“What?”
“I’m talking about Mom. Even from the grave, she is screwing you over.” She laughed humorlessly. “So, what you are saying is you need my help to keep your practice, right?”
Ethan nodded.
“Of course I will help you, but why would you want to hide this from me, E? I am your sister. You know I would help you in any way I can, no matter what. You know this.”
“I know. It’s just… I know how you don’t like to be in Riverroad, and this would require you to extend your stay here. I didn’t want to run you off when I finally got you to come back after all these years.”
Jade looked a little guilty. Good. She should feel bad, I thought. She left when her family needed her the most. She had been selfish and now it was time for her to step up.
“Riverroad may not be my most favorite place on earth, but I would bear it all for you because you are my favorite person in the world, Ethan. You are the only family I have in this world.”