“They’re the only things that help.” Alexander wipes a tear from his cheek.
“But they’re not actually helping, Alex.” She moves her hand from his back to his leg. “They’re just numbing your feelings, then making things worse.”
Something in him snaps, and he rises to his feet.
“Making things worse?” he snorts. “I’ll tell you what’s making things worse.”
He points at Paul. “You micromanaging everything I do. Forcing me to keep doing stuff when I’ve said I needed a break.”
“You forcing me to stay in the closet,” he says, looking at Connie, who remains stoic, then at Lucy.
“You for thinking you can replace Samuel.” Lucy quivers in the armchair.
“And you,” he says, his gaze landing on his dad. “For forcing me to stay with David Rushton, when I pleaded with you, begged you, to not have him teach me.”
The chill in his tone sends a shiver down my spine. I’m grateful not to be part of the venom pouring from him, but I’m worried by the devolving nature of this intervention.
Nathan shoots me a look from the couch.Can you believe these people?
Sadly, I can.
“What does David have to do with all of this?” Bruce’s back is stiff.
“What does David have to do with this.” Alexander stifles a laugh. “I’ll tell you what David has to do with all of this.” Alexander bends down, getting right up in Bruce’s face. “He molested me. For eighteen months. Groomed me and forcedhimself on me. Repeatedly. While you all let him in.” His voice cracks as he stands back up.
The room is deadly silent apart from the sound of the air conditioner coming from the vents in the wall. Stunned looks are all over everyone’s face.
“And you.” He points his finger at me. “For making me trust you. For making me open up to you.” Alexander collapses back down onto the marble table, the remote and a glass vase holding roses tumble onto the carpet as he starts to sob uncontrollably, his body convulsing.
Wait. What?
What do I have to do with David Rushton? He never told me about that.
Anger burns the back of my throat.
“You knew about David and you didn’t say anything?” Bruce’s eyes are locked on me, his face turning red, as Carla pushes the artbook off of the table and sits next to Alexander, wrapping her arm round him.
Everyone turns toward me.
I desperately long for the feel of the stress ball in my hands, which is back at the hotel room, as I struggle to contain my anger. It’s one thing to rope me into all of this, quite another to place blame at my feet.
“Whoa, hold on a minute.” I move away from the telescope toward them all. “This is the first I’m hearing about this David guy. Yes, Alexander may have confided in me about certain things, but I wasn’t there when all this happened. You all were. You were the ones who let this continue. Not me, you.” Indignation lines my lips.
I don’t know why I’m doubling down on Alexander’s point when he just attacked me, but I won’t let his dad shift the blame onto me. To make me the scapegoat even though this intervention would still be happening whether I was in the suite or not.
Alexander slowly lifts his head, and warmth returns to hiseyes as they meet mine. He wipes away tears with the back of his hand.
“How dare…” Bruce starts.
“Shut up, Dad.” Alexander looks directly at me.
“Alex, I’m sorry about what David did to you,” I say. “That no one was there to help you when you needed help. But they’re all here now.” I’m unsure if I’m overplaying my hand, but no one stops me, so I continue. “They just want what’s best for you. To help you.”
“That’s why we’ve brought everyone here, including Nathan and Alfonso. To navigate this, along with your work commitments, to get you the help you need,” Paul cuts in, his eyes narrowing at me before he returns his gaze to Alexander.I’ve got it from here,he seems to be saying.
Typical, coming in only when things have simmered down.
I won’t lose any sleep if I never see him again.
