“Yes. That will have them taking a closer look into both our families. There are things my father and your granddad did that we don’t want our children to ever know, never mind the rest of the world. It wouldn’t matter who or what we are doing now, we’d be the ones answering for their actions.”
Dylan nodded. “So continue with this charade and don’t acknowledge we’re family.”
“I wish there were another way,” Brice said. “But know that I’m here if you need me.”
“Vice versa,” Gareth said.
Dylan got up and before leaving he asked, “And you trust this Roger person and Gia?”
“They are like family to me. Hendersons watch out for each other. I’d like to think that we can learn to trust each other as well,” Brice said.
Trust. That was a funny word when it seemed so much of their family history was based around lies. There was something else that bound them all together besides Audrey. They were all victims, in one way or another. Not a club any of us want to be part of.
“I guess time will tell,” Dylan said before leaving the office.
Gareth said as they got into Dylan’s car, “That went better than I thought.”
Dylan turned to him and said, “You obviously weren’t in the same room as I was, because that was a shit show. All I know is, we got some fucked-up genes.”
“Yup, but after listening to Brice, it makes me glad to be a Lawson. Sounds like their father James is a hell of a lot more fucked up than our father,” Gareth added.
Dylan laughed as he pulled the car into traffic. “Great. We’re comparing who’s more fucked up, and not which one isn’t. Not sure that makes us the winners.”
“It’s all how you look at things, Dylan. Trust me, I have a feeling we are. But I have to admit, I want to know what the hell happened in Tabiq.”
“Gareth, if our granddad was involved, it can’t be good. Do you really want to know?” Dylan couldn’t believe that had come out of his mouth. Not after he was the one who’d pushed this meeting in the first place.
“Can’t fix it if we don’t know what’s broke,” Gareth replied.
And ‘broken’ was exactly how Dylan saw both sides of the family. Two pieces that never should’ve been joined together. Thanks, Great-granddad. You really did a royally fucked-up job at keeping your legacy going. I really hope there’s nothing else you did that we don’t know about because if so, I’m changing my name.