Page 43 of Easy Rumba

“Yes, we were inseparable in high school. We went on our first double dates together. He was like a brother to me. I was his best man at his wedding and vice versa. Our children grew up together.”

A sickening feeling hits me.

I grab the television remote and pause it. “Izzy, why don’t you go back in the kitchen and get some food.”

“What’s happening, Mama?”

“Nothing you need to worry about. Leo and I’ll watch this and then come and join you.”

“Ok.” Izzy disappears into the kitchen, and I press play again.

“Robert Landry was my best friend, and the father of Elise Landry. I couldn’t believe it. I left that day, and because of my wife and her lies, I’ve been prevented from seeing my son ever since. I don’t even know what she’s told him about me. Whenever I’ve tried to call him, he won’t answer.”

“Liar,” Leo snarls and wraps his fingers around my hand, holding tightly onto it.

“That must be devastating for you. But, Mr. French, how did you come to be involved in this?” the interviewer now turns to Simon.

“Because it’s like father, like son. I want the world to know the truth about Leo Westwood—he’s a marriage wrecker. He and Elise may tell everyone they lost contact after school until they were reunited on the dance show, but it’s all lies. Everything they say is lies. Leo Westwood and my wife were having an affair behind my back. They took my daughter away from me, and I’ve not been able to see her in a whole year. I’m livid they can get away with this sort of behavior.”

The bottom falls out of my world. I can’t believe what I’m hearing.

It can’t be real.

I use my free hand to pinch myself. It hurts—so this isn’t a dream. I’m wide awake and actually seeing this. Somewhere in the house, I can hear my mobile ringing. A few seconds later, the house phone starts at the same time as Leo’s mobile goes off.

“Leo Westwood takes after his mother, and Elise follows her father. Both are philanderers, and I’m going to do everything I can to get my daughter away from them. That’s why I agreed to this interview. I want the world to know all about them.”

Leo’s chest heaves, and his eyes have blackened to the color of the sky at night. Pulling his hand free from mine, he gets to his feet and turns the television off. The room is now silent apart from the sound of phones ringing and our increased breaths.

“Who the fuck does he think he is?”

“Which one?” I respond, but the question is rhetorical. Both men are equally despicable in my eyes at the moment.

“My father,” Leo spits the word out like it’s a piece of rotten apple. “How dare he say those things about my mamá.” Leo’s fists are clenched tightly. “How dare Simon say those things about you. You’d never cheat on him. He’s a good-for-nothing liar and abuser.”

“He’s trying to punish me for putting myself back in the spotlight. He wants to destroy me.”

“He wants to destroy us both.”

I fall silent, my head drops down, and I stare unfocused into my lap.

“I’ll withdraw from the show.” Words I don’t want to say emerge from my lips.

I love dancing with Leo, and I shouldn’t have to give it up. We’ve done nothing wrong. I was faithful my entire marriage, which is something I’ve never been entirely certain Simon was.

“It’s gone too far for that.” Leo comes and kneels in front of me. I can tell he’s still suppressing the anger burning inside him. “Elise, you have to reveal the truth. Tell the world what he did to you. It might be the only way we can stop the storm that’s about to hit us.”

I raise my hands up to my ears and cover them. Even though I know Leo is making sense, I can’t. I can’t relive what happened, and I can’t risk breaching the contract I signed. I’m in trouble whatever I do, and Izzy has to be my main priority. I have to take care of her.

Lowering my hands again, I look directly at Leo.

“I can’t. I can’t risk breaking the contract I signed.” Tears form in my eyes. “But most of all, I can’t stand the thought of reliving what he did to me. Having to admit how weak I was, allowing it to happen again and again. I’ll never recover from that, Leo.”

He pulls me close to him.

“I’ll be by your side the entire time.”

I’m fully crying now.

---