Page 120 of Unstitch

My sister is right.

Maddy is right.

This is all on him.

I’m not taking responsibility for any of his actions.

All I’ve done is tell him who I am.

Mum finally speaks up, sensing a natural break in this rant, I suppose. I hate having told her like this. I’d love to have given her advance warning, but I wouldn’t have done that to her—she’d have stewed so badly over how Dad would take it when he finally found out. Best to have spared her the advance worry.

‘Don’t be so harsh, please, Ben,’ she pleads, her eyes on her husband, and I wonder for the millionth time how she puts up with him and all his pious, religious bullshit. ‘He’s happy, and he’s in love.’

‘He’s not in love,’ my dad blurts out. ‘He’s in carnal lust, and I simply can’t allow it. All I’m trying to do is convince him to save himself before he’s damned forever.’

I roll my eyes. I thought I’d be more timid than this. I thought I’d cower before my father’s fury, but he makes it easy to disrespect him when he offers so little respect—not to mention so little common sense and human decency—of his own. ‘Don’t tell me what I’m feeling,’ I say. ‘It’s offensive. I’ve come to you as a grown man to do you the courtesy of sharing my news. Don’t try to invalidate it.’

‘I’m giving you the benefit of the doubt here, boy,’ he spits out, and his boy has every bit of the patronising, patriarchal venom he intends. ‘Because the alternative to you having lost your way is that you’re a filthy, unrepentant sinner, and I simply cannot condone that.’

‘Dad!’ Belle cries in horror, but he rides roughshod over her protest.

‘If you think your mother and I will engage with you or these people as long as you’re with them, then you’re very much mistaken. All I can say is I hope for the sake of your eternal soul that you come to your senses very soon, and the Good Lord will be waiting when you do.’

‘Leave me out if it, please, Ben,’ Mum says in a voice that’s quiet but not to be messed with. She’s sitting ramrod straight, as if she’s worried one false move will have the rest of this dinner falling to pieces, but I’m afraid she’s too late.

We’re done here.

It’s as shitty as it is predictable, and Dad’s toxic bigotry rolls over me like a grimy film. I braced myself for abuse and for his revulsion, and I got both. No need to be the man’s punching bag any longer.

I pull my napkin off my knees and lay it on the table before getting to my feet. ‘You’ve got things completely the wrong way around, actually. If you think I’d let you go anywhere near Max and Darcy with this attitude, you’re mistaken. I would never, ever give you a chance to disrespect them or tarnish them with your toxic energy.

‘And good luck explaining yourself to your entire investment team when Max zeroes you guys in the IPO allocation. Mum, if you’d like to meet them, we’d all love that. You let me know when you’re ready.’

I glance at Dad. I hate leaving her with him when he’s like this. A black-tarred thundercloud of prejudice has settled on him. It’ll be days before it lifts, and she’ll have to stomach the brunt of it.

‘Shall we go to Alchemy?’ my sister asks, pushing back her chair and standing. She bends and gives Mum a hug, ignoring Dad, who’s glowering at us from his seat, completely.

‘Sounds good,’ I say with genuine relief. Darcy’s dancing there tonight. Max will be there too, waiting for me. Worrying about me. The thought of my favourite people in the world has my wounded, sickened heart soaring. Alchemy can’t come quickly enough.

‘What the hell is Alchemy?’ my father barks.

Belle and I glance at each other, and I hesitate.

She turns to him. ‘It’s the sex club Rafe owns, actually.’

With that, we take our leave.

82

MAX

It’s rare that the sight of my spectacular girlfriend dancing on stage at Alchemy doesn’t raise a smile (and an erection) from me. But I’ve been so fucking worried for Dex that I’m barely registering her, even though the sight of her writhing in tonight’s prop—a giant champagne coupe full of bubbly water—is gratifying in the extreme.

I can tell Dex he’s perfect till I’m blue in the face.

I can tell him it’ll all be worth it.

I can tell him that if his father’s values are this warped, then his good opinion means less than nothing.

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