Ella settled into her seat, relieved the last leg of their journey was about to start. The flight from Boston had taken them to Auckland for a two-hour stopover. With the plane now ready for take-off, a few hours would see them arriving in Brisbane.
They slept for some of it, but for Ella it was erratic and unsettling. Bone-tired and weary, she had a way to go before she could rest her exhausted head.
“Feel like talking?”
She whipped her head up. She and Zane had not broached the subject of her father and siblings since leaving their mansion. After Patrick’s abrupt departure, they’d managed to continue with some semblance of normality.
Too tired to argue, she said, “I feel sorry for Melita. She might be pretty, but she seems lost. That’s the best way to sum her up.”
“Not to mention she has no direction in her life other than deciding which outfit to buy next, or which colour to paint her nails.”
Ella agreed, resting against Zane’s shoulder “Her features must favour her mother, because everything about her differs from me.”
Zane nodded, “And no one mentioned her mother. Four years since she died and her name never came up once.”
Ella rested her hand on Zane’s thigh, his warmth radiating through her skin.
A lot about that night saddened her. Her father had spoken mostly of his family and how integral to Boston society they were. Disappointment had laced his voice when he implied neither of his children looked capable of continuing their family’s legacy. He hadn’t had any trouble speaking his thoughts in front of Melita. She’d maintained a bored look, but a small twitch at her temple had worried Ella. How damaged was she? Patrick looked broken too, and with no mother to soften the harsh blow of their father’s words. Ella didn’t doubt he spoke that way often and with the intention to hurt.
It unsettled her. How twisted could a family end up?
At the time, the thought had rocketed across her mind: Hey, what about me? I could take on the family’s legacy. Except something about the lack of affection surrounding them and sadness at all that wasted emotion sent a shudder through her. Recalling the moment again caused a tremor to ricochet across her shoulders.
“Hey, you okay?”
In answer to Zane’s question, she snuggled closer, but the aeroplane seats only allowed so much. “Just tired. I know we have to process everything, but can we do it after a good night’s sleep?”
He reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Of course. Try to get some sleep. It might help with the jetlag.”
She nodded and closed her eyes, but instead mulled over the questions Melita had asked. She’d been curious enough and interested in where Ella had grown up and what sort of career she had. It struck Ella as unusual that it was normal for Melita to have nothing constructive to do each day. Had there been no plan for her after she finished school? Not even an administrative job in that high-rise? For all the wealth they appeared to have, it was evident no amount of money could cure a broken family. By all accounts, and with what she’d seen, damaged was the best to describe them. With all her heart she wanted to be close to her stepsiblings. It felt wrong to leave them behind. She wanted to fold her arms around them and take care of them. For God’s sake, they just need love.
When she’d asked about Patrick’s career an eerie silence had followed until Melita cleared her throat and said, “He’s going through a rough patch at the moment. He’ll be better soon.”
Thomas’s face had resembled a dark, brewing storm, and a streak of fear had touched Ella for a moment.
She reflected on this and scoffed as the plane lifted into the air. She barely knew him, but now that they’d met, she planned on staying in touch. While Melita came across as indifferent, it was probably because of her father’s judgemental attitude towards her, or grief over her mother’s death. Ella wished she could do something to help her.
She sighed and, with the security of Zane’s hand touching hers, she made an effort to relax. She could face her mother now. The time for lies was over; the truth had to be told. She was confident everything would work out. She let her mind wander back over the amazing week she’d spent with Zane and couldn’t wait to share him with her family. At least what was happening between them was perfectly right. With sweet memories of the moments they’d shared warming her from the inside out, she snuggled closer against Zane and let sleep take over.
As they waited at the luggage carousel, Zane wrapped his arm around Ella’s shoulder. Passengers jostled for position; some manoeuvred trolleys in the limited space and others tried to control tired kids. All the while, the intensity of noise grew as more passengers arrived to claim their luggage.
“Glad to be home?”
She turned her tired but soft eyes up and he couldn’t resist kissing her. It was what he needed to refresh his sluggish mind. Too many hours spent cooped up went against everything his body craved.
When he drew away, she said, “Hmm, don’t stop yet. Your kisses are the yoga I’ve been missing. I could do this forever.”
He chuckled and leaned down again, enjoying how she moaned in his mouth.
“You don’t mind being in the middle of a noisy crowd, with everyone tired and cranky as they wait for their luggage?” Zane asked.
Her eyes opened wide as she feigned shock. “Can’t hear a thing.”
He laughed, loving the way the setting sun’s rays shone through the glass windows and splashed over Ella’s length, highlighting the natural colours in her hair. He swallowed, drawing her in and tucking her face beneath his chin. Should he detour to his place before he drove her home? Man, he needed her. He couldn’t ignore the way his body reacted to having her pressed up against him.
She drew back and, angling her face, raised an eyebrow. “I had nothing to do with it.”
He burst out laughing. “Nice try, but this doesn’t happen when I hug a post.” Her smile captured her entire face and grabbed hold of his throat, restricting his breathing.
Unaware of his reaction, she swung her backpack off and brought it to her front as Zane took a deep, steadying breath. He heard the grind of the carousel conveyor belt moving.
“I better find my phone and let mum know I’m back. I hope those Facebook posts about the great time I was having in Hawaii sounded convincing.”
Zane grimaced. He hated how much lying they’d done this week. Hopefully, when they revealed their real destination and what they’d uncovered, both families would understand. Secretly, he crossed the fingers on his right hand, something he’d done since he was a kid.
As he kept an eye on the luggage travelling past, Ella’s phone beeped rapidly with incoming messages, but when he spotted his suitcase, he left her side and grabbed it before it passed them. He wheeled it over to Ella, then when he saw hers approaching, he went to grab it, too.
“Shit, shit, shit.”
He placed Ella’s case beside his before putting an arm around her. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know. I’ve got a stream of messages from Luke and the girls. What—?” Her high-pitched yelp had him looking at her screen over her shoulder.
“What the hell? Your mother was arrested?”
She impatiently scrolled up and down. “This must be some sort of prank. What the heck are they trying to do? Give me a heart attack?”
“Let’s get going. We’ll be home in forty-five minutes.” He’d left his car in short-term rental, and it’d take a few minutes to reach it. Taking both suitcases, he wheeled them purposefully towards the closest exit. “Have they said anything else?”
Ella shook her head. “To call when I arrive. I’ll do it in the car. Let’s make a run for it.”
Precious seconds were wasted as they wheeled their luggage to the exit at the far end of the terminal. Once outside, the secured car park was only metres away.
An incoming call had Ella frantically swiping at her phone. “Luke, it’s Ella. I’ve landed. Please tell me you’re pulling a prank. Not a nice welcome home.”
“What the hell did you do, Ella?” On speakerphone, Luke’s voice carried to Zane as they reached the pavement leading to the secured car park.
“What do you mean? What’s going on?” Frantic, she hunched over the phone.
A sick sensation swirled in Zane’s lower belly, as if he’d just drunk sour milk and its stench had overtaken all his senses.
At the security gate, he pulled out his wallet and located his parking ticket. Once he activated it, he tugged on Ella’s arm and pulled her along so she kept up with his extra-large steps.
With his car in sight, the weight of fear pinned him down as he clearly heard Luke’s accusation.
“It’s your fault, Ella. How could you have lied about what you were doing?”
“What’s my fault?” she yelled back. “What have I done?”
“Shit, Ella, we know you didn’t go to Hawaii. I’ve seen your itinerary. Going to Boston was a very bad idea. Mum’s in custody because of you. Get here fast.”
The phone fell from Ella’s hand and landed on the concrete, the glass screen splintering. Zane only managed to catch her before she crumbled to the ground.
Hell.
When she got to her feet, he left the luggage and half-carried her the last thirty metres. He yanked the passenger side door open and strapped her in. Her voice was incoherent as tears tumbled down her cheek.
“Shh. We’ll be home soon and they can explain everything.”
He left her to run back for the luggage and her shattered phone, which he shoved in his pocket, then juggled their backpacks and hurriedly wheeled the suitcases to the car. He roughly threw them inside and slammed the rear door shut.
Luke’s call must have something to do with Ella’s father. All the distrust he’d harboured but had no answers for surged forth. Damn it, he should’ve acted on his instincts, argued longer before letting her meet him. Is it my fault Ella’s mother is in police custody?
He shelved the voices in his head and argued that Ella had been unstoppable. With her mind made up she’d been hell-bent on approaching Thomas. Under any other circumstances he’d reassure himself with, not your fault, mate. But it was. It’d been his idea to go to Boston in the first place. If he’d been smarter and less impatient about finding any clues about his mother’s past, he would’ve gone to her first.
His heart knotted as he hurriedly settled in the car. He’d never planned to risk his family just to uncover the truth. Now that he had, the cost to Ella’s mother was devastating. He’d played the fool by not heeding Mr Wilson’s often repeated advice. His words ran riot in Zane’s head. When a person disappears without a trace, it’s usually for a good reason.
Shit, shit, shit.
He had to get Ella home, and fast.
Then find a way to deal with the mess they’d created.