Logan waits for me in her black Mercedes SUV at the front of my office building. Another day and another round of media stories that show Pacer and I … in love.
This can’t be front-page news, surely?
A dozen cameras and a few journalists follow me all the way to Logan’s car as I walk.
A reporter holds her microphone out at my face. “Chelsea, can you confirm that you and Pacer Fratelli are involved?”
I laugh. “Yeah, we’re involved … I’m his barrister and he’s my client.”
I get into the car and the moment I close the door, Logan slips into traffic and around the corner. Today Logan is more he with his ripped skinny jeans and blue floral shirt, buttoned all the way up, and nude lips.
“Oh this is cute. It’s like hipster, twink,” I tease.
“Hi honey. How have you been?” he says as he weaves in and out of the traffic like a pro.
He Logan definitely shines through when I need rescuing. Another reason why two Logans are better than one.
“How do you think?” I glance at him. “How’s Mum and Dad? Has Dad calmed down yet?”
He shrugs. “Uncle John wasn’t in the best mood yesterday when I saw him. I picked Mum and Aunt Tilly up from the hairdressers’ today and Aunt Tilly seemed fine. She said she calmed your Dad down, but they still want to see you in person. I think they’re just really worried about you.”
I scoff. “There’s nothing to worry about. Pacer’s not such a bad guy.”
“He’s a criminal, Chels. Are you sure you haven’t lost your mind a little?”
Watching out the window, I answer, “He’s a good criminal.”
Logan laughs. “Yeah, that’s not convincing me. You had better come up with something better than that for Aunt Tilly and Uncle John. Uncle John will lose his mind if you say that.”
“I’d never say that to him,” I agree.
Logan’s right; I need to get my speech prepared. This is worse than a closing statement in court.
My phone dings with another message. The machine that was my enemy yesterday has been my saving grace today. Pacer’s messages have been getting me through the day. He’s far cleverer than I gave him credit for. Forty-eight hours into our romance, and I am pretty certain I’m in love with him.
PACER: If you put on red shoes you can dance the blues?
I smile. After our conversation about David Bowie this morning in the shower, I told Pacer that Bowie makes more sense than anything else in this world, and he took that advice like a champion. His texts messages started with ‘The world according to Bowie’ and continued with quotes from all my favourite songs, and questions about why.
CHELSEA: See! Isn’t Bowie brilliant!
PACER: But why the protein pills and helmet?
CHELSEA: Because, space. Plus we know Major Tom’s a junkie.
PACER: Fascinating
I laugh and feel Logan’s eyes on me. “Man you’ve got it bad, haven’t you?”
“Is it really such a bad thing to fall in love?”
Logan shrugs. “Sure. But remember the rules—someone like you isn’t meant to fall for someone like Pacer.”
“Who am I mean to fall in love with? You can’t force love, just like you can’t stop it. Sometimes it’s unexpected, you know. Plus I wasn’t looking for love; it just found me. Trust me, we have the right love, just not the right timing.”
Logan smiles wide. “And that is what you tell your parents.”
I message Pacer back.
CHELSEA: Wish me luck with my folks. I’ll call later.
PACER: If you need me to remind you why we are worth the fight I can meet you at your house later? No keys necessary.
CHELSEA: I don’t need much reminding. My vagina is on fire every time I sit.
PACER: I’m telling you it’s the friction from the leather. I need to ease up on the gloves.
CHELSEA: Do not speak of such things ever again!
PACER: Will you stop forcing me to fall in love with you, honeybee? xx
With that message, I hold my phone to my chest and breathe in the feeling. Those words. They hit me right where I need it. What am I meant to write back now?
CHELSEA: Now you’ve done it! My place. Midnight!
I’m smiling so hard. I decide that I want to see his face, feel his arms and bury myself into his chest. Against all the odds stacked against us. I have fallen in love him—and there’s nothing that my parents or anyone can say that will stop it now. Love just won’t turn off like that.
***
Mum’s voice is the first thing I hear when I open the front door of Dolorous. Logan and I walk in together.
“John, there is just no point. She is a thirty-year-old woman. She will do what she wants, when she wants. So your only choices are to support her and be in her life or go against her, and lose her.”
My timing is uncomfortably perfect.
“She might be thirty, but she’s had a sheltered life. I’ve heard things about that boy. Not good things, either,” Dad angrily replies.
Dad’s words make me wonder if I do know everything there is to know about Pacer. He tells me I do, but I still feel like there is more.
“I’m sure she knows more about him than you do, John.” Thanks, Mum. “She is his defence barrister, after all.”
Double serve from Mum. I guess I had better break this up. I am the cause of it, after all.
With my head high, ready to take on the hornet’s nest, I walk in to meet Mum and Dad in the kitchen. Mum is at her favourite spot—the chef’s table, and Dad’s leaning against the kitchen bench, still in his tennis clothes. The kitchen is busy as usual. Marcel and Ed prep tonight’s meal. I never noticed how un-private this house is until now.
“Please. Don’t stop on account of me being here.”
Mum’s mouth opens in surprise but Dad folds his arms in defiance when I walk in on them.
I have to admit I’ve never really been this brazen with them before. But this is one of those moments where I need to prove to them that yes, I am a woman. I’ve been independent from a young age, but I have remained too close to my parents for my own good. How many other women my age go their parents’ house every weekend? Admittedly, it has been more about escaping to Dolorous than it has been about visiting my parents. But they’re right; I’ve lived a sheltered life because I sheltered myself from it all.
Taking a seat across from Mum, I clear my throat. “Ed, please make me one of your special mixes.”
I look between both of my parents. “I understand and agree with both of you. But Dad, you have to respect the fact that I have been a defence barrister for almost ten years, so I’m not completely naive to the world.”
He grumbles and Mum frowns. “She’s right, John. Darling, just make sure you’re being careful about how much you’re telling the media.”
What? “I don’t tell them anything. I give them legal statements, but that’s it.”
“They seem to know where you are all the time. Who’s tipping them off?” Mum sips on her gin.
Ed puts the glass of gin, garnished with a slice of cucumber, in front of me. I knock back well over half the glass within one gulp.
“That’s the thing. I think I’m about to uncover some high-level corruption. But before you say anything, Dad …” I see him itching to speak. “I want to uncover it all before I officially announce it. Then I will be pushing for an enquiry into it. But Dad, you have to let me do it my way. I don’t want anyone tipped off about what I’m doing.” I can see him scoffing under his breath, even though deep down I know he knows I’m right. “You can’t do anything to jeopardise this, Dad. Even you would be surprised at the level this goes to. Don’t trust any of them. There are too many things that don’t add up.”
Dad shakes his head. “And this Fratelli. Is he just part of this investigation of yours?”