Bad Son Rising (25 page)

As Liz stood talking to Mia and her mom, sipping on champagne from crystal flutes, she watched Mia’s body language stiffen and followed her gaze to the entrance of the loft space. Two women had just stepped out of the elevator and it was immediately clear that Zac’s mother, CJ Moore-Gordon (yes, she hyphenated her two husbands’ last names) had arrived, looking more like a sister than a mother to her twenty-four year old daughter, Holly. The loft had taken on a perceptible chill.

“Who is the other woman with her?” Liz was fascinated by the immediate dynamic.

“I have no clue,” Mia responded. She was looking in Schooner’s direction, as if willing him to turn around lest he be stabbed in the back by his vindictive ex.

“Interesting that she isn’t accompanied by her new husband,” Neelie commented, as she checked out the two women from Orange County, head to toe, her expression denoting she wasn’t impressed.

“Very interesting. Well, at least she made it to the party,” Mia shook her head, clearly disgusted that CJ had missed her only son’s commencement. Quickly, she finished her champagne and grabbed another glass off a passing tray.

Leaning close to Mia, Neelie commented, “I’m sensing you two have a history.”

Laughing, Mia nodded and rolled her eyes, “Dating back to when I was just sixteen years old. You could write a book … or three … about it.”

Mia excused herself and made her way over to Schooner. The smile between them was one more of amusement than anything else. Together they welcomed CJ and the other guest, with whom Schooner was apparently acquainted.

Liz scanned the room for Zac, wondering if he knew his mother had arrived. Through the glass, she could see him and Lily out on the balcony, leaning on the railing. As she watched them, it was evident no one else was in their world. His eyes were trained on her intently, his smile only for her. As the breeze blew Lily’s hair, he lovingly tucked it behind her ear.

Watching them had an almost voyeuristic feel to it, and she felt more intrusive watching this sweet moment than she had walking in on him in the act at a Paris sex club a million years before. That empty teen was nowhere to be found today. Dead and gone. In his place, stood this handsome, finally happy man, looking like a suit model in his charcoal grey Armani.

Hating to disturb them, she didn’t want him to be blindsided, knowing things had not been good with his mother for a few years, dating back to her remarriage to a longtime family friend. Inching open the door to the balcony, she coughed lightly, making her presence known, “Your mom’s here.”

“Yes, I am,” came the voice from behind Liz.

Making a face of faux horror that CJ couldn’t see, Liz excused herself.

“Congratulations, darling. You look wonderful.” She gave Zac her cheek.

Zac slung an arm over Lily’s shoulder and pulled her close to him. Beaming, his voice filled with pride, as he began the introduction, “Mom, this is my girlfriend, Liliana Castillo.” He looked down at Lily just as she looked up at him, totally in sync, both exuding joy at the introduction, her nose crinkling with her smile.

Zac Moore had never introduced anyone in his life, as his girlfriend, and he had no clue at how wonderful it would feel. Until that moment.

“How nice to meet you, Liliana.” There was nothing sincere in CJ’s tone as she offered a cool, limp hand. “Would you mind if I have a few minutes alone with my son?” Not waiting for an answer, “Thank you, dear.”

A stunned Lily left them on the balcony. Schooner and Mia always had made her feel as if she were part of the family, as if they couldn’t be happier that she was a part of Zac’s life. His mother was the polar opposite. South Pole frigid cold, to be exact.

Wandering over to a buffet table, she filled her plate with prosciutto wrapped melon, brie cheese and crackers.

“Not very good choices for your figure.”

Looking up, Lily didn’t recognize the woman. “It’s a special day. We get to celebrate.”

The woman was bone thin, her skin pulled taut over enhanced cheekbones, long extension boosted blonde hair flowed halfway down her back. She overtly gave Lily an exaggerated once over.

Is she deliberately trying to make me uncomfortable?
Lily wondered.
But why?

“So, you’re Zac’s little girlfriend.” It was a statement, not a question. “You’re kind of young for him.”

Lily laughed, “I’m actually a year older than he is.” She popped the prosciutto-wrapped melon into her mouth.

“Like I said, you’re kind of young for him. Zac generally prefers women.”

The woman’s smile was anything but kind, but Lily wondered how much of that was due to excessive chemical injections.

“And you know this how?” Lily stared her down.

“Let’s just say I’m an old family friend who had the pleasure of watching Zac grow up.” The smile was stuck, immobile and cruel.

Lily put down her plate, a disgusted look on her face, “Ewww,” she made a face, “that’s really kind of creepy.”

Without excusing herself, Lily walked away. Searching for Holly or Mia, she hoped someone could tell her who this woman was and why she was here. She saw CJ making a beeline for one of the bars and turned to look for Zac.

Still in the same spot she had left him, Zac now stood talking to the woman who claimed to be a family friend. From her vantage point, Lily couldn’t see his face, but she watched as the woman raised her hand to push his errant lock of hair off of his forehead. She didn’t lower her arm and from its height, it appeared she was now cupping his face. She wasn’t touching him like a family friend. She was touching him in ways that Lily hadn’t even touched him yet.

Was this why he was so reticent about getting into a relationship with me?
The thought streaked through her brain. The room started to sway.

Rushing to the bathroom, head down, trying not to be sick in the party space, the heat in Lily’s face and the burn in her esophagus were choking her. She needed to make it to the ladies room and lock herself in. Words from a night in Africa screeched into her consciousness.

“You’re perfect.” He had told her as he ran his hand lightly over her skin, marveling, an amazed look on his face, “So perfect.”

His touch was so light and tender that goose bumps rose to meet his hand. “No, you are perfect.” She wanted to kiss every rippled muscle.

“Don’t look too close.” His eyes were suddenly grave and flat.

“Why? What do you think I’ll find?”

“An illusion. Merely an illusion.”

“What’s beyond the illusion?”

“Unfortunately, not much.”

“I disagree with that. And you know I’m always right.”

He laughed. The Lilyism brought back the smile to his face and eyes. Pulling her underneath him, he continued to gaze into her eyes.

“What?” she asked. What was he trying to say to her?

“You. You’re here with me,” he nuzzled his lips into her neck. “I’m so lucky.”

What didn’t he want her to know? Was this it? His jaded bad boy past. Was this woman a part of it?

Liz watched as Lily rushed by her and wondered what was wrong. She did not look well. It took one second for Liz to unravel the mystery as she stood paralyzed watching the same scene on the balcony to which Lily had just been privy. Feeling her own nausea rise, the conversation at the Paris café three summers before was once again fresh in her mind.

Anger took over, shooing Liz’s paralysis into a corner. With determined purpose, she strode out onto the balcony. Seeing Zac’s face for the first time, the look in his eyes was haunting. Bad memories, hell bent on destroying his happiness and future, had arrived to rob him of what he had worked so hard to earn.

Approaching them, “And you are?” Liz skipped the pleasantries.

“An old family friend,” the woman answered.

Liz chuckled, “Old. That’s amusing. Do you have a name?”

Her well-manicured, tanned hand was back on Zac’s arm as she marked her territory, “Zac, introduce us.” She attempted to look pleasant.

“Zac doesn’t ever want to utter your name again, Maddie.” Liz did a little internal happy dance that she actually remembered the woman’s name, a name only mentioned once when Zac shared his deepest secrets with her. It was a calculated guess that this was the infamous Maddie.

“Well, I see Zac has already shared with you who I am.” She smiled at Zac.

Score!
Liz was now patting her own back.

“You need to leave.” It was the first words he had spoken. “Now.” He snapped out of his shock. This woman was the last person he ever expected seeing on what was one of the happiest days of his life.

Before she could form her defense, he cut her off. “I want you gone. You don’t belong here. How dare you show up on an important occasion in my life. Uninvited. You know I’d never invite you.”

“Your mother invited me. She thought you would enjoy seeing me, seeing how we’d been so close.”

“You are deluded. And if I ever lay eyes on you again, I won’t be this pleasant.”

“You heard him. Gather your things.” Liz put a hand on the back of the woman’s arm, guiding her with a slight push toward the door.

Maddie flinched, “Don’t touch me,” as she walked through the door back into the party loft.

Liz gave an exaggerated gasp, “Ick. You’re right,” and she made a show of wiping her hand on her dress, smug smile planted on her face.

Turning to Zac, she mouthed, “Are you OK?”

He nodded, but looked anything but OK.

Leaving him on the balcony to catch a breath of fresh air, Liz sighed with relief as she saw her mother and Mia together talking.

“Mom, Mia, I need your help. Zac’s mom and that woman need to leave
now.
Mia, they need to be thrown out.” Liz realized she was starting to shake.

“What’s going on?” Mia’s spine visibly stiffened.

“That woman shouldn’t be here. She used to molest Zac when he was thirteen.”

Neelie grabbed Mia’s hand, as both women physically swayed, hit by news that emotionally rocked them. Their reactions were identical, an initial gasp at the horror, follow by the immediate anger of mama bears.

The two women were on CJ and Maddie in a quick second.

“I hope you are on your way out,” Mia said to CJ.

“You can hope all you want, I am not missing my son’s graduation party.” CJ appeared ready for a showdown with her nemesis.

“You’ve missed parenting him his entire life, it’s a little late to pretend you care now.” Mia Moore was prepared to go toe to toe with this woman.

In her refined cultured voice, Neelie began to speak, she spoke low and they all had to listen carefully to hear her. “Why you would bring a woman who began molesting your son at age thirteen to his graduation party really defies any sort of good graces and judgment. I know you want him to celebrate this wonderful achievement and her presence just robs him of all happiness. You don’t want to rob him of happiness, do you?”

CJ remained quiet. The ramifications of what was being said to her was more than could be handled with a quick, cutting quip.

“Unfortunately, the damage for today has already been done. The greater damage to Zac is something we’ve all witnessed for years. It has come out in many ways. But he is a fine young man, Mrs. Gordon, who continues to learn how to fight and overcome his demons. Placing him in a situation like this is untenable, and the only answer for him to have any good memories of his graduation, is for you both to leave.”

CJ looked at her friend and was about to begin, when a voice said, “Ladies, it’s best if you take this out of here,” and the man ushered them to the elevator, getting in with them to ensure they left the premises.

“He has an uncanny sense,” Mia muttered. “That’s my friend, Charles. He’s a specialist in security.”

“Are they gone?” On his way toward them, Zac had been stopped by guests wanting to congratulate the new graduate.

Liz nodded.

“Lily? Where’s Lily? Does she know?”

“She saw her with you on the balcony, so I think she got the wrong impression. But I don’t think she knows.” Liz physically hurt for him, as she saw that the light that had been in his eyes earlier, had been snuffed out.

“Where is she?”

“Bathroom.” Liz pointed.

“Can you make sure we are not disturbed?”

Zac knocked on the bathroom door and then entered. She sat on the tile floor in a corner, a wad of crumpled tissues near her right hand.

Opening his suit jacket, he lowered himself to the floor next to her, stretching out his long legs.

“You OK?”

“No,” a new round of tears.

“She’s gone. My mother’s gone. Thank God my father didn’t see any of that or Mia would be seeing him on conjugal visits.”

He got a small laugh out of her.

“Who is she, Zac?” Lily was a combination of angry and upset. “Are you involved with her?”

Shaking his head no, the pain and uncertainty oozed from his eyes. “She’s a friend of my mom’s. I’ve known her since I was thirteen, and she’s the one who started me on my fucked up journey with sex and relationships.” As the words spilled out of his mouth, he felt naked and uncomfortably vulnerable. But there was nothing left to lose. If it was lost, it was already gone.

Lily looked at him, golden eyes wide and flashing, “Thirteen?”

He nodded, “Thirteen.”

They were both silent for a few minutes and he knew he had to keep talking.

“My moral compass with sex was smashed when I was so young that understanding right from wrong probably didn’t come as naturally to me as it does to most people. Really early, I began equating sex with using and being used. It was all I knew. And she had done it to me, used me and, in turn, that is what I did to others. I’d hoped it would make me feel better, but it never did. It never does. Not a very pretty picture.” He shrugged, “I wasn’t kidding when I told you that you deserve better.”

The muscles in Lily’s jaw twitched as emotion flooded her face. Zac braced himself for the worst. How had today gone from such a breathtaking high to a gut wrenching low? Waiting for something back from her, anything, tore at his heart.
I never should have gone after her when she came to the loft. I should have let her go
, he beat himself up.
I’ll just drag her down with me
.