The Perfect Lie

Chapter 17

February, 2006, NYU

Liam waited outside Chanty’s apartment. He’d give it a shot today. She might say yes to a coffee without Zach around.

Her door opened and her brother, Philip, came out.

Liam had already walked a few feet to the door, expecting Chanty.

“Can I help you?” Philip Strindberg asked.

Liam gulped. And then he smiled, reaching out his hand. “Liam Heaton. I heard you are Chanty’s brother. We’re friends.”

 

2013

When Chanty looked at Liam and saw the lack of shock in his face, she instantly knew.

“You invited them, didn’t you?” she accused.

“Naturally,” he said, looking at her. A grimace appeared on his face. “Well, actually, Philip hinted it the last time we talked and I thought, ‘Why not?’. So here they are.”

Chanty lowered her voice as she spoke, “You talked to them?”

Before he could speak, Willie cried out, “Let’s go! Let’s go! Grandma!”

She closed her eyes to calm herself. This was getting too complicated. She should have known her family would meddle in her affairs.

Deep inside, she was hoping that her grandmother, Hope, wouldn’t have a heart attack if she found out about the truth.

And her grandfather! She didn’t want to think what he would do.

“Mommy!” Willie called snapped her back to the present.

“Okay,” she said aloud, more to herself than to her son. She threw Liam a piercing look before she unbuckled her belt and got out of the car to help Willie with his car seat.

Zach and Julianne were already waiting for them outside.

“We have company?” Zach asked, his eyes twinkling as he looked at Chanty.

She glared at him. “Don’t talk to me right now. I know you are in on this.”

“I’m not,” Julianne said in a hurry. “I told them it is a bad idea.”

“But I don’t remember inviting them though,” Liam said as he approached the group with keys in hand, his eyes looking behind Chanty. He grabbed Willie’s hand to take him away from Chanty as she walked to the approaching car. It stopped right behind Zach’s and the Bell couple got out looking confused.

“What’s wrong?” Angelica asked.

“Your presence?” Zach answered.

“Excuse me?” Angelica asked, her hands dramatically planted on her chest. “We were invited!”

“She actually invited herself,” Henry answered, walking over to shake Liam and Zach’s hand. He also acknowledged Willie by bending down to shake the child’s hand with a smile. “Hey there, buddy.”

“Ange,” Chanty said to her friend.

“Chanty, I just thought you need support, right, Julianne?” Angelica said, looking at her and Julianne consecutively, her eyes full of meaning.

The men must have sensed something was happening between the three of them but they didn’t mind. They started walking to the door with Willie still clutching Liam’s hand.

Chanty hated to see her child with him. It made her want to blurt out the truth. Willie would still be hurt no matter how things ended up later. Liam would still go away.