After we finished shopping and carried the supplies into the house, I turned to her in the kitchen, stuttering, “How are you… I mean… we… going to?—”
“How about you keep him out of the house until around seven, and then everyone can scream ‘Happy birthday’ when you guys walk in, and I’ll take care of the rest. I’m so excited to make this happen for Kraven. It’s the big one-eight, and I want to make it the most special it can be.”
“Alright…”
“You know what?” She grabbed my hands. “I can see that you'renervous. How about we don’t tell them you helped me? That way, when you show up, just act shocked.”
My eyebrows pinched together. “Really?”
She squeezed my hands. “I remember when Joe and I started dating, his mother was such a bitch to me, and I promised myself I’d never be like that. You’re my girl now…” she coaxed. “This can be our little secret. The beginning of many.”
“Melody—”
“What the fuck?” Julius roared, unexpectedly walking into the kitchen with Kraven not far behind him.
They were both glaring at her.
He wasn’t supposed to be home yet, and Kraven was never there.
Shit… how much did they hear?
“What do you think you’re doing?” Julius angrily questioned, standing right in front of her. “You’re trying to turn Isla against us now?”
I shook my head. “That’s not what’s?—”
In three long strides, he was in my face. “What the hell are you doing with her? Why did you let her in?”
I stumbled to find my words.
“Isla, answer my questions before I lose my shit?—”
“Before?” I interrupted, unable to hold back.
“Are you seriously going to stand there and defend her?”
“Julius.” Melody stood beside me. “It’s not her fault, please?—”
“What. Are. You. Doing. With. Her?” He accentuated each word, downright furious.
“Julius, calm down,” Kraven demanded, grabbing his arm. “You know how Melody is.” His stare shifted to hers. “Mommy Dearest knows how to play the role.”
“Kraven,” she persuaded. “I just want to throw you a birthday party. That’s not too much to ask.”
“You shouldn’t be asking for anything!” Julius fumed.
“This isn’t helping,” I intervened with my hands in the air. “You both need to calm down, or nothing will get solved.”
Kraven’s eyes turned to me, and he snapped, “You’re taking her side?”
“What?” I shook my head again. “No! Of course not!”
We all stood there for what felt like hours, struggling to gather our thoughts. This huge elephant in the room engulfed us. The tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife.
I bit my tongue, fighting with everything inside me not to tell him how I really felt about the whole situation. They would hate me. This was the first time that it was me versus them, and I didn’t like it one bit. It wasn’t supposed to be this way.
Not with us.
Either of them.
