He’s going to rehab. He knows this can’t work—us, together, while he tries to avoid alcohol for good. I can barely breathe. He’s leaving. For how long?
Jonathan inhales sharply and glares at Ryke. “Did you put him up to this?”
“No,” he says. “It’s news to me.”
Jonathan looks back at Lo. “You don’t need to go to rehab.” He mutters, “This is fucking ridiculous.” He shakes his head. “I’ll call you tomorrow, okay?”
“No, you won’t,” Lo tells him, more tears threatening to fall. “I won’t answer, and I’ll be gone by then.”
“You’re fine!” he shouts, silencing half the ballroom. He glances over his shoulder, as though just realizing his sudden outburst. He inches forward and speaks lowly. “You’re fine, Loren. Stop this.”
“He’s not okay,” Ryke interjects. “He’s telling you that he’s not okay.” My whole chest is on fire, and my head keeps spinning. The only reason I’m still standing is because Rose has her hand intertwined with mine, and if I fall, I don’t want her to drop with me.
Jonathan ignores Ryke. “Why are you crying?” he says to Lo, half in repulsion and half in something more human.
“I don’t know,” Lo says, his nose flaring as he tries to repress the silent tears.
He grabs the back of Lo’s neck and brings his face right into his. “Think about this,” Jonathan pleads with a sneer, shaking Lo.
People definitely start looking now. Lo tries to break the hold, putting his arm on his father’s but his grip is too tight, his fingers pressing into the tender part of Lo’s skin.
“Stop,” I say, trying to rush forward, but Rose pulls me back.
Ryke grabs Jonathan’s arm and pries it off of Lo, who stumbles in a daze. “What is wrong with you?” Ryke shouts at Jonathan. “No, you know what? I know what’s wrong with you. You never fucking change. Go back to believing you’re a great fucking man, but I won’t let you ruin Lo’s life.”
Why does he sound like he knows him?
“Is this Sara’s doing?” Jonathan asks. “Where is she?” His eyes dart around the ballroom, looking for Lo’s absent mother.
Lo parts from both Jonathan and Ryke, staring between them to try and understand their relationship. Clearly, it goes beyond anything we imagined.
“She’s not here. She doesn’t even know I’ve been talking to Lo,” Ryke exclaims.
Jonathan’s face twists in pain. “So you took it upon yourself to tear my family apart? After all that I’ve tried to do for you?” His eyes flash hot. “I could have shunned you, but I let you have a father.”Wait, wait, wait...
“I didn’t want one,” Ryke says.
Jonathan clenches his teeth. “You willnotturn my son against me, do you hear me?”
“What’s going on?” Lo asks. “What the fuck is going on?”
From behind Jonathan, Connor appears and whispers in his ear. Jonathan nods and then says to Lo. “This is not the time. We’ll talk later.” With that short goodbye, Connor ushers Jonathan away to end an even bigger scene.
“Meet me in the hall,” Lo tells Ryke, not even looking his way.
I follow with Rose. Too many things swim in my head for me to focus. Tears keep falling—the source unbeknownst to me. Maybe from Jonathan’s sharp words. Maybe from Lo’s rehab proclamation. Or the strangeness between Ryke and Jonathan.
We stop in the hallway of the hotel, the carpet a tacky diamond pattern and the wallpaper a shiny gold color, both dizzying my flyaway mind.
“Who are you?!” Lo yells at Ryke. “Don’t fucking lie to me anymore!”
“Calm down,” Ryke says. “Give me the chance to explain, please. You deserve every answer.”
“How do you know my father?” Lo asks. “How does he know you?”
Ryke holds out a hand, palm down, as though trying to keep the peace. “Sara Hale is my mother.”
Oh my…Jonathan said something about being a father to Ryke. Is that why the divorce started? Sara cheated and became pregnant with Ryke?
