Chapter Eight
In the immediate wake of my father’s death, I feel like more of a faker than usual.Because even with him gone, I still have roles to play.
Since I’m still in office, I need to uphold my oath to represent my constituents.I don’t want to look like a doucheball and tap-dance all over my father’s reputation, so I have to pretend to be a grieving, dutiful son and I hold off changing parties.Every message of condolence I receive makes me want to hurl but I keep in mind they don’t know what a shit-bag the man was.
Then, there’s Olivia.Of course she’s using my father’s death to leverage as much sympathy as she can from others.She insists on helping me with the funeral arrangements, even though there’s really not that much to do.I am having him cremated, and I’m not wasting money on flowers when I know there will be lots of them sent by others, anyway.
So I let her arrange the service in Georgia, coordinate the people who will speak, and send out the invitations to attendees.She acts like my father was a second dad to her when, in truth, she hadn’t laid eyes on him in person in at least two years, by my recollection.
I make sure Liam and Daniel have invitations to the funeral and reserved seating directly behind where I’m sitting in the front row.
It grates on me that I have to pretend to be civil to Olivia right now, but it’s giving her an ego boost, so I suppose the aggravation is worth it, long-term.Ironically, it makes her look even better, because everyone knows we’re divorcing, and yet we appear to be getting along just fine and she’s even helping me out in “my time of sorrow.”
She can’t buy that kind of good PR.
I’m talking to some of Dad’s old acquaintances when Liam and Daniel enter the room.They immediately spot me, and I excuse myself to walk over and greet them with long hugs.
“Love you,” Liam whispers in my ear when he hugs me.
“Love you, too, Master.”
He sadly smiles as we part.“Sorry for your loss.”He winks.
I almost burt out laughing, but Daniel immediately hugs me.“Love you, Sir,” I whisper.
He pats my back.“I know, baby.”
“Come over to the house after the ceremony.Please?”Only a few have been invited back to my father’s house for a wake.I told Olivia other than the few things I’ve already moved out, she can have whatever she wants from the house.
It’ll save me the aggravation of dealing with it.
During the service, I feel my men’s strength even though I have to sit with Olivia at my side and pretending I’m not about to gag over the saccharine and completely lop-sided stories being related by dozens of people who claimed to know my father.
My father was no saint.
I stare at his urn.I hope you’re burning in Hell, you old bastard.
I make it through the service, through the endless stream of attendees who want to shake my hand and offer condolences after, and then, finally, hours later, I make it to Dad’s house.
Unfortunately, I don’t have much alone time with Liam and Daniel like I hoped.Turns out Olivia invited more people than I thought she did, and she turns on the charm and tells stories that are only half true about a nonexistent relationship she had with a man who was mostly fiction.
She shines.
As the evening is winding down, Liam pauses next to me as he heads for the bathroom.“We’ll be at your condo in two hours.”
I nod, relieved.
I need to spend time alone with them.
Because I don’t know when I’ll get to see them again.
Worse?I can’t tell them that I know things will need to cool down between us so we don’t risk a scandal.
You’d think I’d be less fearful with my father gone, right?
I thought I would.
Except his death doesn’t make the world magically change.There are still boxes I must tick, like the divorce.
