Chapter 8: Bare Truth

"What did you do?" Pa asked Immediately when I entered the house. He looked more worried than angry. It was a relief.

I just smiled sadly and said, "I hate people who look down on me, Pa. I tried but this time, I just could not take it."

He walked over and embraced me. And all the anguish came rushing into my heart and tears rolled down my face. "Wade, there is no stronger person than you. I know something else had been bothering you. You have been mopping for too long. And I know that question you asked me was about you, right?" He moved back and stared at me.

I nodded in resignation. There was no need to hide it from him.

"Go take a shower. I will place the meat in the oven and then we can have some beers in the backyard."

I smiled and walked over to my room, took off my clothes, and walked to the shower. Turning the water on, the ice-cold spray hit my back and jolted me to a harsh reality.

Had I been wallowing and living in fantasy this afternoon? My body felt drained, and the tears refused to come. I choked back a sob and hit the bathroom wall in anger. There was no way Vaughn was this cruel. I had seen kindness and gentleness in his eyes or was it a façade?

I must have stayed too long in the shower when Pa knocked on the door and shouted, "The steak is ready Wade, come on out." He was worried and I felt sorry for him as I grabbed the towel and yanked the door. He had already left the room and I dressed hurriedly without even drying my hair.

After removing the meat from the oven, I went down the stairs into the backyard and found Pa had already set up the grill. The sun was about to set, and the bucket was full of ice and beers.

Pa was already serving me meat and handing over a cold beer as I switched on the backyard bulb. We sat down and ate in silence. After a while, Pa asked, "Who is he?"

I looked at Pa in surprise and then turned my eyes away in embarrassment. "How did you know it was he?"

"You can't fool me, Wade," Pa smirked, making me laugh.

After a minute I confessed, "It's Vaughn Everett." Pa's mouth opened wide. "At first I did not know who he was. I fell hard before knowing that he was the mayor's son. And today our relationship changed when we met again. I knew that he was interested but then he saw me with his sister Elaine Everett, and he misunderstood."

"You lost your cool today. I called Auden and he told me that you behaved better than expected. I would have punched him if I were you," Pa stated.

I looked at Pa in surprise and then we heard the truck approaching the house and knew that Auden was home. "Let's wait for him and then continue this talk."

We sipped our beers in silence then we heard Auden approaching, out of breath. He must have been rushing around the house looking for us "Wade, are you okay?" he shouted as he approached.

"Do you have to shout?" I asked in a murmur. He then looked at the meat on the grill and smiled distractedly and Pa snapped, "Can you focus on your brother first, the meat isn't going anywhere."

Auden grinned and then pulled a chair next to me. "Elaine came back to the gallery to look for you. Mr. Winston was not happy about this either. He sent an email to HR to suspend you for one month. Before she left, she asked me to tell you that it was all a misunderstanding and that she would explain everything later."

"That lazy weasel always likes the easy way out," Pa sneered.

We looked at Pa in surprise and Auden asked, "Pa, aren't you friends?"

He realized his mistake and then covered it with a cough and murmured, "We are sort of friends. We were in the same university and have been acquaintances for a while now."

"I knew it!" Auden yelled. "There was no way you are friends with the likes of him. After you left, we were called in for a lecture on how to behave well in front of the elites. And he kept giving you as a bad rotten fruit example."

"Pa, I saw one of your paintings today at the gallery. Elaine said she purchased it from godfather Calisto."

Pa's eyes widened and then he yelled, "Really? Which one?"

"The Comino Blue Lagoon on Gozo Island abstract painting."

Pa stood up and did a little dance. Auden and I shared a look of happiness. As long as Pa was happy, our lives would be great. "So how much was the painting sold for Pa?" Auden asked as he filled his plate with meat.

"None of your business, child," he responded, and we both laughed. "Wade, since you are suspended for a month, I would urge you to visit your godfather."

Auden's mouth opened in surprise, and I spanked the back of his head. "Don't open your mouth like that. It's gross. Finish your food before you attempt to speak."

"And you will get to see the different art galleries in Milan and take a break for a while, visit your Ma's old school and the places she toured," Pa said.

"Pa, I sent the resignation letter by email. Why do I feel like you are trying to chase me away since you know that trouble is coming?" I squinted my eyes at him. He looked away and coughed.

"Pa knows that you will cause trouble, sooner or later, Why did you not tell me that you resigned?" Auden drawled. "And really Wade, how could you fall for Vaughn Everette?"

"Look at the pot calling the kettle black," I scoffed. "I saw you drooling at Elaine Everette."

"What?" Pa yelled. "Both of you are leaving for Milan this weekend. No excuses. Do you even have any idea how brutal Sam Bexley is? No one in Valetta dares cross him."

"Who?" Auden asked as he chugged down beer.

Pa stared at us in surprise and asked, "Isn't your dilemma the fact that Vaughn Everett is engaged to Very Bexley? The daughter of the richest businessman in Malta. Haven't you read the news?"

I hurriedly took out my phone and searched for Sam Bexley. It was all over the news. Pictures of the family dinner and the annoyed look of both Elaine and Vaughn made me smile.

So, this is why he was acting like this? Because the public does not know he is gay? There were so many articles about the most eligible bachelor in Valletta being engaged to the heiress Vera Bexley. They called it the fated union.

"The mayor would never allow you to date her son," Pa stated firmly interrupting my reading. "I have known Beth Everett for years. She fears that society rebukes and gossips more than anyone. She would rather drive you out of town if she ever finds out. You would only be hurt, Wade."

"Pa, but he is not happy. Look at the pictures." I showed Pa the picture on my phone. "I know him. He is a good kid; I could feel it."

"With a foul mouth, you mean?" Auden asked in anger. "Did you forget I was there this afternoon when he stated firmly that we are poor? And how rude he was to Elaine? Wade, are you blind? How long have you known him?"

Pa stood up staring at the night sky. "Even if he is a good kid, the elite families will never accept you. The deep stigma and classes in the elite society would tear you up. And I will never allow that to happen. Ever!"

We both remained silent at how vehemently he spoke. He then added, "I am going to call your godfather and decide on our departure."

"Our?" Auden asked numbly.

"Yes, I am going too. Someone needs to keep both of you in check," he said as he walked away. I stood up and wanted to follow him but Auden quickly held me back.

"What?" I asked him.

"Pa is willing to leave Malta? Do you know what that means?" Auden asked nervously.

"What are you babbling about?" I asked in frustration.

"It means that there is a secret we don't know about. And hence the best thing would be to leave. You need to find out what's going on. Pa would never leave your Ma and my parent's graves and travel to Milan. If this was the case, he would have already joined godfather years back."

It took a minute for the words to sink in and then it became clear that Pa would never leave unless he was afraid something bad was about to happen.

"Auden, I need to find a way to meet Vaughn Everette tomorrow night. This situation needs to be clarified before we make any decisions."