We’re taken to our table where my parents and Gabe are already sitting with a glass of wine each.
“Liam” My mother is instantly on her feet when she sees me. “It feels like forever since we last saw you. How are you?” She throws her arms around me and brings me into a warm embrace even though I tower over her.
“I’m good. It’s only been a few months.” More like six months with the tour, but I’m not counting. I still phone her at seven pm every Sunday evening like a good little boy. I’m a total nerd for my mother, not what you’d expect from a rock star.
“It feels so much longer. You need to get your hair cut. It’s in your eyes. I don’t like it.” My mother frowns at me and reaches up to swish a strand of hair out of my eyes.
“It’s the fashion.”
“You know your mother will never understand things like that,” my father joins in the conversation. ‘I had a big perm in the eighties, and she hated it.”
I cringe at the recollection of the photos of my father looking like a member of Bon Jovi. My mother lets me go, and my father and I embrace this time.
“Hi, Bro.” Gabe nods my way. “And your guest is?” He indicates toward Yivi, who’s taken a step back to give me room to greet my family.
I turn to her and motion for her to come forward. I take her hand, and without any subtlety, I open my mouth and inform my parents of our marital status.
“This is Yivi Ward, actually no, she’s Romero now. We got married in Las Vegas.”
“Shit!” my brother exclaims, half under his breath.
My mother’s eyes go wide, and she stumbles backward into her seat as her legs give way. My father looks between Yivi and me like I’ve gone insane. Well, duh, informing my parents that way was a little bit crazy. It wasn’t the gentle lead in I was intending. I blame the fact most of my blood is still in my dick from Yivi’s blow job.
I feel Yivi at my side. She’s gone cold as ice with nerves, and my instant thought is to protect her.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it to come out that way.”
“You’re m-married?” my father stutters.
“Yes.”
“How long have you been dating? Why haven’t we been introduced before?” my mother asks.
I can hear the distress in my mother’s voice and tears form in her eyes. She’s always dreamed of massive weddings for both her sons, and I’ve taken that away from her with my drunken union.
“Let’s all sit down.” I help Yivi to her seat, and the waiter instantly appears and pours us a glass of wine each from the bottle on the table. My father hands my mother her glass, and she drinks a large mouthful, her eyes still full of tears.
We all remain silent until the waiter disappears, having assured us he’ll be back shortly to take our order.
“Married?” my mother repeats, and her voice breaks.
Yivi squeezes my hand under the table.
“I could lie to you and tell you we’ve been secretly dating for years, but I’m not going to. Yivi and I met the night we married. We both got drunk and made what could have been a terrible mistake. Neither of us think it is, though. We’ve gotten to know each other since, and we’re exploring a relationship together,” I inform everyone at the table.
My brother shakes his head like he can’t believe what I’m saying.
“You got drunk and married in Las Vegas?” he questions. He can’t believe what I’m saying.
“Yes,” I confirm.
“Have the record company and lawyers had the marriage annulled?” My father finally speaks up.
“No,” I reply, staring across the table at him.
“Have they at least done some research to discover who this woman is?”
I can sense the anger in my father, and he has every right to be annoyed with me and the way I informed him, but I won’t let him be disrespectful to Yivi.
“Yivi isn’t just any woman. I know everything I need to know about her. I don’t want to get the marriage annulled.”
My mum lets out a loud wail, and a few people in the restaurant turn to look at us.
“You’re a complete idiot. She’ll be in this for the money. You’re world famous. Everyone knows who you are,” my father continues.
“Yivi didn’t know me,” I answer adamantly.
“How can you be sure of that?” My father still comes at me with his questions.
“I just can.” I don’t want to talk to them about her story. It’s not my place to tell. Yivi takes the decision out of my hands, though, when she leans forward in her seat.
“I can assure you I didn’t know who he was when I married him. Money means nothing to me. I don’t understand its value. I like Liam because of the things he’s been teaching me.” She takes a deep breath, and I know what she’s about to tell them. “I grew up in a cult. There are so many things about this world I don’t understand or know, but I can assure you I’m not going to hurt your son. I have very strong feelings for him. He’s helping me learn about the world and what it’s like to be a couple in a relationship. I know this has come as a shock to you. His method of telling you surprised me as well. But I’m beginning to see that’s who Liam is. His mouth often walks away with him when he’s nervous. When he’s fully in control of his emotions, though, he’s a genius. All I want to ask is that you give us a chance because we want to give it to ourselves. I know you don’t know me, but if, or when, we decide to part, I’ll leave the marriage with what I brought into it…nothing. Actually no, that’s not strictly true.” Yivi looks at me and smiles. “I’ll leave with the knowledge of everything Liam’s taught me. That’s a far greater wealth than any amount of money.”
“You speak well. Passionately. But I want to protect my son.” My father turns to me. “Have belated documents been signed to protect you?”
Yivi answers before I can tell them, no way in hell.
“Liam doesn’t know this, but Zoey gave me documents when we arrived in Seattle. She didn’t want to, but I asked her to get them prepared. I’ve signed a legal document that states, in the event of a divorce, I will not take any of Liam’s money. I don’t know how these things hold up in court, but I intend to stick to what I’ve agreed.”
I’m stunned at what Yivi has just told my parents. I didn’t know anything about it, and we’ll be discussing it further when the meal is over, and I’ll be including Zoey! However, her words seems to soften my father’s face, so I’m not going to argue here and now about it.
The waiter appears, and we all reluctantly order something from the menu, not that anyone really relishes the meal they choose. Instead, we eat in silence interspersed with strained conversation as we all contemplate what the future holds.
Chapter 14
Yivi
#ImNotThatSortOfGirl
“I wish I could play like him,” Liam’s brother, Gabe, says.
He’s standing next to me as we watch Saving Tate perform their final concert in Seattle. Liam’s parents are proud of their son, but they aren’t at the concert as it’s not their kind of thing. I’m still unsure of the family’s feelings toward me.