Eva
New England clam chowder, meatloaf and apple pie were among the list of many things that were on the table for Conrad's welcome banquet. His favourite meals and pastries.
I wasn't sure I could stomach his being there. I could barely even look at him. I just focused on finishing my meal. Kiki, on the other hand, had the energy to spare. She had never seen him in person, only through pictures and videos.
Susannah beamed, ever the hostess. "Connie, you're yet to meet my husband. I know you must have seen him on billboards and TV. Let me just quickly go get him, okay?" Then she got up to find Shawn.
I wondered what he'd do if he were to walk in and see him. The boy who broke my heart and the man who tried to stitch it back together, in the same room.
When Susannah was finally gone, Kiki flared up.
"So Jackass," she teased, looking at Conrad.
"It's Conrad," he corrected, agitated.
"I know. They just sound so similar." Kiki grinned.
But he didn't pay any attention to her. Instead, he fixed his eyes on me.
"Eva, would you at least hear me out?"
"She doesn't need anything from you." Kiki cut in.
"So you still don't know how to stay out of Eva's business, huh?" Conorshot back.
"Enough." I finally spoke up, mustering the courage to look him in the eye.
"What the fuck are you even doing here, Conrad?" I asked sternly.
"Susannah was my dad's school daughter. If I had known she was in any way related to you both, I would have declined her offer to visit. But now that I'm here, after all these months, please here me out, Eva." He begged.
Part of me wanted to shut him down. What good were his explanations going to do? It's already been a year. What was done, was done. I didn't need it, right?
"Go on," I surrendered.
He exhaled like he had been waiting for forever to finally speak. "I never loved her. She wasn't even half of what you were to me. I made a mistake—"
I didn't even know when my hand reached for my glass of wine and splashed it on his face. He jerked. Kiki cackled.
"Mistake?" My voice cracked. "When you make a mistake once, maybe. Twice, maybe. But fucking your neighbour over and over? That's not a mistake, Conrad. That's a choice. You chose to shatter me." I tried my best not to spill the tears that threatened to fall.
He was lost for words. He just sat there and got out a napkin and cleaned himself up.
That's when Susannah and Shawn arrived, hand in hand. His eyes didn't meet mine.
"Baby," she smiled at Shawn. "Meet my Godson, Conrad."
Their eyes locked and I could see the displeasure in Shawn's eyes. Shawn too, had only seen him in pictures.
He got out his hands for a shake and I could tell how much of an act he had to put up.
Then they took their seat and we all resumed eating.
Susannah took notice of Conrad's stained tees. "What happened?"
"Spilled my wine by mistake." He muttered.
The dinning room was silent after that, so Susannah, ever the family woman, decided to lighten it up.
"So, Conrad. You have an girlfriend? These two beautiful girls are very much single." She winked at Kiki and I.
"Over my dead body." Kiki coughed in between.
Conorignored her. "They are very beautiful." Then his eyes turned to me. "Eva especially."
I saw the look on Shawn's face. He was trying to hard to mask it. Trying so hard not to care.
"I am single by the way." Conorcontinued. "Though I'm trying to win my ex back, any way I can."
Shawn choked on his food, coughing into his fist. Everyone stared at him.
"I just needed water, that's all." He mumbled, brushing it off.
"Is your ex the blonde?" Susannah asked.
"What blonde?" He blinked.
"The one I saw you with before I picked you up."
Abigail. His neighbour. Conorwas still fucking his neighbour till now.
"Excuse me," I got up instantly, the chair screeching, and made my way to Kiki's room. If I had stayed a second longer, I wouldn't have been able to hold back my tears.
I slammed the door, fell on the bed, and finally broke.
It had been almost a year, and he still had this much control over me. I was supposed to be over it. I was supposed to not care. But this hurt, this really hurt.
Just then, I heard a knock on the door. I knew it was Kiki before she even said it was her.
"Kiki, not now, please. Just give me… just give me a moment." I said through tears.
I felt guilty keeping Kiki out of her own room. But I didn't want her raining insults on both Conorand Abigail. That wasn't what I wanted to hear at the moment.
"It's Shawn."
Shawn?
I stood up from the bed, wiping my tears away, and I opened the door. He stood by the doorway, tall and brooding. I looked at him, eyes red.
"I was going to my study to handle work and I just thought to check up—"
I embraced him and broke into more tears. He was surprised at first, and then he hugged me back, making sure there was nothing suspicious about it, from his hand placement to the friendly gap he left between us.
He then pulled away. "You should go back. Don't let him win."
"You think?" I chuckled. "I look like a mess." I said, wiping away the tears again.
"You look beautiful, Sutton. Even when you cry." Then he left, leaving me reeling.
I stood by the doorway, squealing internally like I had just won the lottery.
That's when Kiki came storming down the hall. She was furious.
"He's leaving, tomorrow morning. That dickhead is leaving."
"Conrad?" I said unbothered. "He can stay for all I care."
"He's still screwing his neighbour!"
"And I don't care." I said smiling, placing my hands on her shoulders. "He can do whatever he wants. We are no longer together."
Kiki's face dropped. "But your eyes are red. Your lashes are wet. You've been crying."
"I know. And I'm fine. Trust me, okay?"
She inhaled deeply. She didn't seem convinced, but she nodded either ways.
The truth? Conorbeing here meant Shawn being triggered. It meant he was watching. Watching him and watching me.
And if Conrad's presence was what it took to shake Shawn out of his perfect little act… then so be it.