THALIA
When a woman dressed in a black suit approached me on a train track, whilst I was holding a bottle of blue spray paint in my left hand and a face covered with paint, I didn't hesitate to say no to her proposition:
BE HER BRIDESMAID AT HER WE...
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I can't believe I've let my sons drag me to this ball.
I have things to do. Someone to find.
"Dad, lighten up a little." Axel tells me, squeezing my shoulder.
"I'll lighten up when-"
"Dad!" All of my sons say at the same time.
"Enjoy the moment." Nikolai tells me, he thinks he's sly but I can see the cigarettes stashed in the inside pocket of his suit jacket.
"The Fords!" Someone greets us with a whole heap of enthusiasm. I know who that gruff, old voice belongs to.
"Thomas Rico," I greet the man, and dare I say it: friend, responsible for this whole ordeal.
Thomas pats me on my upper arm, "thanks for showing up, mate."
"Of course," I say like it was a no brained. I won't tell him I had to be dragged here by my fucking kids.
"Thomas have you seen Warren?" Dom asks, scanning all the guests faces for his best mate.
Warren Rico is like a son to me.
He's also Dominique's best mate.
It's always been rather amusing, watching their interactions. Because whilst Dom has a rather grey aura, Warrens got the opposite. Whilst Dom represents a storm, Warren represents the sun.
The Rico family has always been old money rich. The Fords have always been more of a modern rich.
"No, he's meant to be here somewhere." Thomas tells my son.
Dom looks... disappointed. Warrens the only one who can get some sort of reaction out of Dom. Even if it's not on purpose.
"Cool, I'll go look." Dom states.
"Actually... there's no need." Thomas declares, we all look to where his eyes are glued.
Warren walks through the doors, with a girl next to him.
They're all the way on the other side of the venue, I can barely tell it's him. I knew straight away though, because of the guests that swamp him.
But then I think he spots us.
So he starts walking towards us, the girl who he was just holding hands with disappeared before I could see what she looked like.
Warren reaches us with a big smile on his face.
"Why do you look like that?" Dom deadpans.
"Look like what?"
"Like you just won the lottery."
Warrens smile grows wider at that, "feels like I did."
"Oh. My. God. Are you in love, Warren?" Bennu jokes.
Warren rolls his eyes but doesn't dismiss the accusation.
Bens face drops from humour to seriousness, "oh my god, you are!"
I didn't think it could, but Warrens smile grows even wider.
"You met someone, Son?" Thomas asks, slight edge to his voice.
"Yes, I thought Hilton would of told you what a waste of space she is." Warrens voice is clipped, his smile fading the tiniest bit.
"No... he didn't." There's a hint of confusion etched into Thomas' voice.
I look to my left to see Gio's eyes glued to his phone. I nudge him on the shoulder, "Gio, get off of that."
He rolls his eyes, "I'm bored."
"Shut up, you can deal with it." I tell him with a stern voice.
I love my son, a lot, but he lives his life behind a screen. I've tried taking him all over the country, just to see the world, not a fake one, but I was unsuccessful.
He took his head out of his computer for a little bit, when Thalia was around. But...
Yeah.
"Where is this girl then?" Dom asks his best mate.
"Aw, jealous Dommy?" Warren taunts, kissing Dom on the cheek.
Dom shoves him off, "get off of me, bro." But no one misses the smile tugging at his lips.
I refocus my attention on Matteo.
He sat down at a round table, swirling champagne around in a glass.
Ever since Thalia left he's been sad. The guilt of lying has been eating away at him. Even if he did it to protect her.
I distance myself from the big conversation going on and pull a chair out, next to my Som. I sit down and angle my body towards his.
"Matteo."
"Dad."
"What's wrong?" I stress. I'm worried about him.
Was I pissed when I find out he lied? Yeah. Do I forgive him? Yes. Does he forgive him? No.
"Nothing," he lies. Bored voice.
He's different now. Quieter. Less... happy.
It hurts as a parent, to see your child beat themselves up every day. To see them lose themselves. To see his light darken, and now the only light he has is our shadows. I just want to take my boys pain away.
"Talk to me, Matt."
"What's there to say?"
"Everything. You need to forgive yourself, Son. Everyone else has moved on, you haven't. Your making your hurt ten times more severe."
"I can't just..." he sighs, his bottom lip wobbles the tiniest bit that you have to be really close to see it. "...I just - I feel so - so - I feel so bad, Dad."
"I know, Son. Come and join the conversation, eh?"
He nods and we both stand up and near the conversation.
Warrens smile is back and now even Dom has a smile on his face. Thomas has got a glass of whiskey in his hand whilst the other hand is shoved into his right pocket of his slacks. Bennu is whispering something into Nadines ear, making her blush. Axels gone, probably to chat up women. Gio is still on his phone. And Nikolai is laughing with Stella, his best mate.
"There she is," Warren announces, his eyes sparkling with a look of... love?
Everyone's heads turn and search for the person Warrens talking about.
