Chapter Fourteen

Aurora's POV

The roads are completely empty on the journey back to the flat. I'm tempted to call my sister, but I don't know what I would say to her if I did.

My finger hovers over the call button on the steering wheel as I consider making the call, but I change my mind and put some music on instead.

I turn the volume up to try and distract myself. The only problem is I'm not easily distracted. I mute the music and press the call button.

It rings for quite a while, but she doesn't answer. Eventually, it goes to voicemail.

"Hiya! It's Ali; if you need to speak to me leave a message and I'll try and get back to you."

"Hi Ali." I really don't know what to say. "I just wanted to see how you are. I miss you. Anyway... I'll speak to you soon, yeah?"

I hang up just as I'm pulling into the underground parking garage. I pull into my spot and get out of the car.

When I get into the apartment, I head straight for the liqueur cabinet, pouring myself a vodka and cranberry. It's Lou's favourite drink, so there's always plenty in the flat.

I'm surprised by my behaviour. I am not my mother.

I take a sip and then put the glass down. I don't want it. I will not be like her.

I notice a note on the fridge door. It's from Lou.

Gone to bed. Cam has gone out with Zara. See you in the morning. Night xxx

I screw the note up and throw it in the bin. Just as I'm about to go to bed, my phone rings. I think it might be my sister but one look at the screen tells me it is Landon. I'm a moment too late answering the phone, but I call him back.

"Hi?"

Hearing his voice is more soothing than I want to admit.

"Hello. You called."

"I wanted to hear your voice."

It's so strange to hear him say what I feel.

"Where are you?" It sounds like he's driving.

"Driving home. I've just been to dinner with my father. It was awful."

The irony isn't lost on me. Neither one of us has had a pleasant evening, and as always you can blame the parents.

"My dinner wasn't great either." I sigh because I'm sure I shouldn't ask him my next question. "Do you want to come over?"

"I shouldn't."

"That's not what I asked."

"No, it isn't." He's laughing now, and I'm not sure if he is laughing at me. "I'm on my way. Do you live with anyone?"

"Lou and Cam," I tell him, "but Cameron is out with a girl and Tallulah is asleep."

"Okay." I tell him to park in the visitor bay in the underground car park. "I'll see you in a minute or two." He hangs up.

I take my shoes off and pad into my bedroom so that I can put them away, drink back in hand; this time to still my nerves as I move about, checking that everything is in place.

I hear a gentle knock at the door, so I make my way down the corridor until I reach the front door. Tallulah's bedroom is right next to the front door, so I put my finger to my mouth as I open the door.

Landon is standing there looking all handsome leaning up against the wall.

"Hi," I whisper, before moving aside so he can come in.

I'm feeling awkward. I've never had a guy over in the middle of the night. This is new territory for me.

"Lou is asleep in there." I point towards Tallulah's room before leading him down the hall to the living room. "Can I get you something to drink?" I ask him.

"Please." He grins at me. "I think I need one."

I close the door of the living room and make my way over to the kitchen.

"What can I get you?"

"Whatever you are having."

He smirks at me as he wanders around the living room, looking at the different photos on the walls.

"You and your sister?"

I look over from where I'm pouring our drinks, my last one finished.

"Just before she started university."

I frown because I'm angry. I feel as if that photograph is a lie. The girl in that photograph had just had her daughter adopted and never told me. I turn away from the photo disgruntled with it.

"Aurora, are you okay?" he asks. I turn back to face him. He's closer than a moment ago.

"I'm..." I don't know what to say. I barely know him and yet I feel compelled to tell him everything. "My parents told me something unsettling tonight."

He's standing right next to me now. He picks up both glasses.

"Should we sit down?"

I nod and follow him to the sofa. He hands me my drink and puts an arm around my shoulder, pulling me close. It's a very intimate gesture, considering we are just two people who had a one night's stand last night.

"Tell me what happened."

"I found out tonight that just before that photograph was taken my sister had a child."

If he's shocked, he hides it well.

"That must have been very shocking for you," he says kindly as he rubs soothing circles on my arm.

"The baby was adopted... I have a niece, and I never knew it. She never told me. My sister; she never said anything."

I down the rest of my drink and turn slightly so that I can see him better.

"What about you? You said your dinner with your dad didn't go well either."

"He's sick," Landon tells me. "He told me he's dying."

"I'm so sorry."

Suddenly my problems don't seem so big.

"He wants me to take over his company," Landon frowns, "but I'm not the right man for the job. I'm convinced my brother would be the better choice."

"Why?"

"He's good with technology. It interests him. He pays attention to what new tech becomes available on the market, and he understands the production side too. It's his field, not mine. I guess, I'm more of a salesman than an inventor."

I nod because what he is saying makes sense.

"Have you told your dad that?"

"Countless times. He doesn't listen. He's threatening to sell the company if I don't take over his position as CEO."

"Why won't he let your brother do it?" I ask.

"He's convinced my brother will screw it up."

"Will he?"

"I don't think so."

"Parents are challenging..." I sigh before continuing, "my dad always told us that the publishing house would be ours one day, but I'm really not interested in publishing and Aileen isn't really talking to my parents right now."

I take a breath before carrying on.

"Although I think my dad is still holding out for her. She's doing an undergrad degree in business, so I guess there's hope. She'd be fantastic at it, I think."

"Why isn't your sister talking to your parents?"

"I found out tonight."

I let out a humourless laugh.

"I always thought she was just a bit rebellious. Too easily hurt by mum's words. Unwilling to keep the rules. But that's not it; she blames them. She blames them for having Amelia adopted. My parents gave her and the baby's father a choice; get married or have the baby adopted. He wanted her to have an abortion, so she wasn't really left with much of a choice."

"How old was he?"

"Eighteen."

His eyebrow is raised, and he's silently asking the same question I want to ask. What the hell stopped my overly rebellious sister from defying our parents and doing what she wanted to do.

"She was about to start university. Maybe she was scared my parents would cut her off, but that doesn't make sense because she's as good as cut them off herself. She doesn't touch the bank account our parents set up for her as a child. She refuses to live here in the flat that they bought for us. She pays her own tuition fees. She has a job, for goodness sake."

"I don't think it's going to make much sense until you speak to your sister."

"What are you going to do about your father's company?"

"I don't know. I might see if my mum can reason with him."

We sit quietly for a few moments. For the first time since my family told me about Aileen, I feel calm. I don't want to ruin the moment, but I've got class in the morning, and I know that he'll have work.

"Do you want to stay?"

I'm scared that he'll say no. I don't want to lose the calm he is instilling in me.

"I don't want to leave."

It isn't the same thing, but it's enough to put me at ease.

"Will you stay?"

He looks me in the eye as if he's seriously considering his options and then he nods his head. I take his empty glass and place it in the sink with my own. Then I lead him down the hall and into my bedroom.

Now that I've got him here, I don't know what to do with him.

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