Lexi tried to cover her surprise. She knew that Chyna's mom wasn't in the picture. Well up until recently her father hadn't been around much either. But she hadn't known that it had been quite that long since she had even seen her mom. Lexi couldn't imagine going that long without seeing her own parents. Not that their relationship was even comparable to what Lexi was currently witnessing.
"Mom," Chyna said her voice carefully controlled. She took a confident step forward and into the conversation that was going on in swift Italian between the couple so as not to draw more attention to them.
Her mother stopped abruptly at Chyna's interruption and looked at her own daughter as if she were nothing more than fly she wanted to swat. "Oh…Chyna, you're here."
"Yeah," she stated awkwardly.
"Well isn't this nice," Andrea commented sarcastically.
"Having all three of us in one place was never considered nice," Chyna replied sincerely.
Andrea huffed at the statement her green eyes calculating. "Perhaps."
"So what are you doing here?" she couldn't keep from asking. "Don't you have a flight your always late to catch or a shoot you've been invited to…or something?"
"Precisely my point," Richard exclaimed.
"Still daddy's little girl aren't we?" Andrea said directing the comment more as an insult that anything.
"I was hardly agreeing with him," Chyna muttered.
"Are you still running around like your father too?" she asked looking her up and down in disgust.
"I don't even feel as if I should justify that with an answer."
"Oh come on honey. You and I both know that he's only going to hold onto this one for as long as the next young thing waltzes into his office," Andrea cried in frustration.
"You say these things as if you aren't with every cabana boy who appears on set," her father cried incredulously. "You are the most hypocritical person in the world. You show up on my wedding day just spout old, petty bullshit about a life that no longer matters to me. About a time that might as well not have existed for me. That's how insignificant and unimportant those years were with you. Now my personal welfare might mean shit to you, and that's fine, but don't come in here and expect me to allow you to insult me. My new, yes young, and beautiful wife is waiting for me. Find your own way out."
Andrea wild green eyes stormed over. The look she shot him was of pure hatred. "Well congratulations to your new whore. May you two have a wonderful life of fidelity and eternal devotion to one another. If you are even capable of being devoted to anyone but yourself," she spat, turning on her heel and rushed away from the group. If she hadn't acted like a complete bitch to her best friend, Lexi would have felt bad for the woman. But under the circumstances, she was just glad to see her go.
"And you," Richard began turning on his only child. The cold calculating man Lexi had met in Chyna's apartment had returned. He wore all the anger that had boiled up with the appearance of his ex-wife, and was redirecting that fury towards the next closest victim. "What part did you play in this?"
"What?" Chyna asked surprised.
"Don't give me your innocent act."
"Did you not see how she treated me? I didn't even know where she was," Chyna said defensively.
"Bullshit Chyna! You're out to ruin me. I get your game now. After the way you treated Victoria…I just thought that it was petty and you would get over it, but this draws a line. I no longer want you in my sight."
Chyna's jaw slackened. "Let me tell you about your pretty princess, you fucking asshole. She is a bitch, a terrible excuse for a human being. You think she's a goddess because you're getting your dick wet. But let me tell you," Chyna growled stepping forward to her father. He usually held such an upper hand that it was incredible to watch her stand up for herself. "She's nothing more than a new toy to you. I wouldn't be surprised if she's fucking someone on the side already. Just look at her, she obviously just wants your money. If you can't see that, then you really are dumber than I thought."
"You will not speak…."
"No, I will speak to you however I see fit," she said looking him up and down, her nose turned up. "You raised me to be strong willed and independent. No matter how much you want me to just disappear from your life that's not happening. I'm a part of you, and you can't just act like I'm a child any longer. Grow up and deal with your mistakes."
With that she turned on her heel and followed in her mother's footsteps. Lexi, Ramsey, and Adam followed quickly behind her all in a state of shock from the drama that had just ensued. Lexi wanted to talk to Chyna about it, but she knew now wasn't the time. Chyna was angry….no she was pissed. And when she was in this state, she was a force to be reckoned with. Nothing anyone would say was going to calm her down at that moment.
When they reached the bottom floor the four of them piled into Chyna's town car. Without a word, the driver zipped them across town to the party that was already in full swing for New Years. They had anticipated showing up fashionably late to the event. Chyna had originally thought they would be even later than they actually were, but they had skipped out on the reception increasing their departure by nearly an hour.
Chyna's silence made it pretty clear that she was still livid about what had just unfolded between her and her parents. Not that Lexi could blame her. If her parents ever treated her or each other like that, she would have been mortified. The fact that Chyna had been able to grow up a semi-normal human being was a bit of a miracle in and of itself. With parents like that she should have been completely fucked up.
When the car came to a standstill, the group rushed into the lobby of the building to escape the frigid night air. "Party is on the top floor," Chyna told them gesturing towards the elevators. "I'm just going to…uh…take care of a few things."
Lexi looked at her suspiciously. The last thing that Chyna needed right now was to be alone. "Do you want company?"
"No, no, don't worry about me. I'm just making sure things are in order," she said vaguely. "Go on up and have a good time. I'll meet you."
Chyna began walking in the opposite direction. Lexi stood there dumbstruck for a split second before starting to chase after her. She made it three steps before a hand came down on her arm. "Hey let me handle this," Adam requested pulling her backwards.
"Uh…wha…" Lexi asked not really formulating any clear words. She was confused as to what was going on. She was always there for Chyna. Chyna was her best friend. She would do anything to make her feel better. Not only that, she had known her for three years and thus, knew what made her feel better.
Adam was a fling, a nothing. Sure he was a nice guy who had helped them out in a pinch…twice, but that didn't give him the right to go talk to Chyna when she was hurting. She needed her best friend, and Adam really just wouldn't cut it.
"Lexi, really, I got this. Go have fun," he said smiling sweetly.
"But she needs me."
"Nah, she'll be alright. Really. We'll meet you," he told her pushing her gently into Ramsey's arms.
"Yeah come on Lexi. Let them be," Ramsey said tugging her out of Adam's grasp.
"I mean okay if you really think so."
"I do," Adam reassured her.
"Call if you need anything," she called to Adam as she let Ramsey guide her away. When they reached the elevators, Lexi murmured, "That's so strange."