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Across the room my father stands dripping with champagne, staring at me like I’m the one who’s supposed to fix this.
Fuck. The article is live. And everybody in this room seems to be reading it.
22
GEORGIA
Nobody moves or speaks. I’m not sure anybody even takes a breath.
Even Theo is as still as a statue, his face an expression of horror as everybody in the room watches his parents launch into a furious argument.
“Can’t you keep it zipped for a damn second?” his mother hisses at his father. “You told me you’d be discreet.”
His father says something drunkenly in response that I can’t quite hear.
“Of course you’re fucking responsible,” she spits out. “You’ve been paying support for years.”
Theo blinks like he’s somewhere between confusion and fury. Then his body shifts. “Barbara,” he calls out, beckoning her over. Because she, too, is watching silently.
Barbara walks to us, her expression soft. “Theo…”
“It’s okay, I just need your help. I’m going to move my parents to my father’s office. Please end the party and get everybody to leave.”
Barbara nods immediately, already turning toward the wait staff. I reach out to touch Theo’s arm. Even through the thick fabric of his jacket I can feel the tension in his muscles.
And then his mother slaps his father.
From the corner of my eye I see somebody recording it on their phone. This thing is going to be all over social media within minutes. Theo looks so pale I’m worried he’s going to faint.
“For fuck’s sake,” he mutters when somebody’s phone flash lights up. “Stop taking pictures,” he shouts out. Then he strides over to where his parents are screaming at each other, and I follow him because I have no idea what else to do. Behind me, I hear Barbara and the staff murmuring to people, requesting they leave. The string quartet has stopped.
Caleb appears. “Theo?” he murmurs. “What can I do.”
Oh God, he’s right. We need to do something. I feel so useless right now, watching this all happen.
“Help me get them into the office, please.” Theo mutters to Caleb.
“Gladly.” Caleb looks at me. “Can you go ahead and open the door?” he asks, like he knows I need to do something.
“Of course.” I nod and hurry ahead, pulling the door open. A moment later, Theo is strong arming his father down the hallway, Caleb following, ushering Penelope along. Behind them, Alex and Kate follow. Alex has a fresh glass of champagne. Of course he does.
“Sit down,” Theo says, pointing at the chair behind his father’s desk. His father does as he’s told, then opens the desk drawer and pulls out a half-empty bottle of whiskey.
Theo snatches it from him, his eyes murderous.
Alex closes the door once we’re all inside. Theo’s mother sits on an easy chair in the corner. There are tears in her eyes. Kate leans against a bookcase, and Theo lets out a long breath.
“You’re all being very over the top,” his father starts to say, at the same time as his mother says, “This is all your fault, everybody’s talking about us out there.”
Theo puts up his hand. “Will the both of you shut the hell up?” he shouts.
For once, they do as he asks.
He pulls out his phone and scrolls, his eyes scanning something. It looks like a newspaper website.
“What’s happening?” I whisper to Caleb.
“We’re about to find out.”
