Page 12 of If You Fight

I excused myself and headed out toward the main hallway, glancing over at Serena as I made my way to the door. The frightened look in her eyes told me she worried I wouldn’t be coming back, so I mouthed I’d be right back, and she smiled.

Janelle came through the front door a few seconds later dressed in a tiny red dress far too formal for the occasion, but her husband wasn’t behind her. She walked quickly toward me, her high heels clicking off the marble floor, and before I could say a word, she said, “Don’t bother looking for him. He’s not coming tonight.”

“Your father will be disappointed. He wanted the entire family around him tonight.”

My statement made her laugh, and then she twisted her face into an expression that showed how little she believed it. “He’ll be fine as long as Serena and I are here. And you too, of course, his adopted son.”

The snide way she said that indicated she disliked how Robert referred to me as much as Serena and I did. I had a feeling she was jealous, like my presence meant she’d be cheated out of something she thought was rightfully hers someday because he liked to call me his son.

She had nothing to worry about. I wanted nothing he could give me.

“He’s already in there,” I said as she breezed by me toward the dining room.

Before she walked in, she turned around and asked, “Has he moved the chairs already? I’m assuming there will be dancing like always?”

“You know him. I’d bet money on it.”

“Well, then tonight’s your lucky night. My husband’s absent, so you get to be my partner since Serena will be with Oliver, I’m sure.”

Forcing a smile, I tried not to look as disgusted as I felt at the thought of Oliver touching Serena. In addition, I’d hoped to have as little contact as possible with Janelle tonight, so having to dance with her or do anything at all with her made me hate this party even more.

Robert announced Janelle’s arrival while I faded into the background, thankful for at least a few minutes of not having to be his favorite show horse. Taking a spot against the wall at the opposite side of the room, I watched Serena stand stiffly next to Oliver, who looked more bored than anything else. Every ounce of my being wanted to walk over to her to close to her. I thought of how I could tell her how beautiful she looked in her deep green velvet dress, but I knew that fuck of a husband of hers would just make a scene, so I simply stared at her, wishing we were anywhere else in the world but there.

As long as we were together, it didn’t matter where we were.

For nearly a half hour, I had my reprieve from Robert and socializing with people I barely knew. From my vantage point, I watched as he flattered his guests, likely in an effort to take their money in an upcoming business deal, and Janelle slipped easily back into her drunken party girl routine she’d practiced before her marriage. Oliver joined them and seemed to be happier without his wife than with her, while Serena stood alone at the party that was supposed to be for her.

While they enjoyed themselves, I made my way over near her and whispered, “You look beautiful tonight. Are you okay?”

She didn’t turn her head but moved her eyes to look toward me. “My wonderful husband told me as we were leaving the apartment that if he saw me talking to you I would regret it, Ryder. I don’t want to start anything here tonight. Not with all these people around.”

“Does he know?” I asked as I watched him glad-hand some man and his wife.

“I don’t think so. He just has a problem with you. He always has.”

From across the room, Robert said loudly, “Where are my daughter and Ryder? Come over here. I want to make sure everyone has met you two.”

Suddenly, every head turned and looked at us as we walked over to join Robert and the rest of the family. Out of habit, I put my hand on Serena’s lower back to guide her and saw Oliver’s face twist into a look of hate as he saw me touch her.

“Everyone, I think you know my daughter Serena and my adopted son Ryder,” Robert said as he wrapped his arms around us. “Tonight I have almost my entire family here. We’re missing my daughter Janelle’s husband Charles, but we do have Serena’s husband Oliver. One big happy family, right?”

As he said this, he looked around at the four of us like he wanted to see our reaction to his ridiculous claim. Janelle lifted her wine glass in salute to his words while Oliver merely smiled through gritted teeth as he glared at me. Serena and I exchanged glances and played our parts, like we knew we must.

We’d done this enough times to know how we had to act.

“Music! We need music and dancing. Ryder, since Janelle is without her husband tonight, you’re going to have to take his place. Serena, your husband promises me he’ll do his best, even though he says he’s not much of a dancer.”

“Daddy, it’s not fair to put that kind of pressure on Oliver. Not everyone can be as good as Ryder,” she said, hate for her husband dripping off each word.

I stood in shock as Serena spoke. Robert’s eyes opened wide like he understood she hadn’t been trying to be complimentary.

“Ryder does seem to have dancing in his blood, but Oliver, all you have to do is give it your best shot,” Robert said with a wry grin, almost as if he enjoyed tweaking his son-in-law’s ego.

As I paid attention to the tension-filled look Serena and her husband shared, Janelle grabbed my arm and twirled in a circle next to me. “Time to dance, brother.”

Thankfully, other couples began to move toward the empty space at the end of the room so it wouldn’t just be the four of us on display. I’d be able to watch out for Serena easier with others around me to distract Robert.

Janelle took my hand in hers and waited for me to slide my arm around her waist before she began moving her feet. Already too drunk to do much of anything close to dancing, she smiled up at me and asked, “Do you remember that night after Serena went away and Daddy made us dance together at that party he had outside? It was right after she went to Italy.”

---