Before You Go

chapter forty

Eliza

When I make it back to the house, dinner is being served and I'm welcomed by my parents, James's parents, Kit, and Tenille. And, to my dismay, Leon is there, too. Memories of this morning rise to the surface, threatening to drown me. Seeing Leon reminds me of what's to come. I'm telling James I want to call off the wedding after dinner.

"Eliza, honey," Mom smiles. "You must come and try this chicken pot pie Amelinda has made. It's delicious!" She straightens her posture, beaming with pride at her ability to compliment other people. Because it makes her so selfless.

I suppress an eye roll and glance at Leon. He looks like he's about to be sick. So much so, I'm positive he's been spitting his food into his napkin just to hide his disgust and not disappoint Amelinda. Leon's always hated chicken pot pie—the combination of peas and gravy grosses him out. I giggle to myself, realizing how ridiculous the situation is. I'm focusing on his distaste for peas when I should focus on calling off the wedding.

"It smells delicious," I reply. I force my smile as I take in James's mom's elegance. Her hair is the same dark brown as James's, with the same shine and silky allure. But where James is hard angles in his cheekbones and jawbone, Amelinda is angelic and fragile. She's also giving me a peculiar look, as if she's wondering why I didn't join them at the start of dinner. I can't use work as an excuse—I'm dressed in workout clothes and there's no grime on my face. "I should really change before joining you."

"Nonsense," Amelinda smiles, gesturing to an empty chair between Leon and James. "Come join us, Eliza. I, for one, want to hear why you kept this lovely man a secret from us."

Kit rolls his eyes. "Mom, you already spent your time grillin' me about Leon. Eliza doesn't need any of this shit."

"Language," Amelinda says, smacking her stepson on the arm.

I stare at the chair, wondering what cruel aspect of life put me in this situation. Was it Karma? Or was it my inept ability to hurt the people I love? Whatever the reason, I know I'm not getting out of this mess. With uneasiness riding on my shoulders, I sit down between James and Leon. James kisses me on the cheek and tells me how much he's missed me. His cheesy, romantic words make our moms swoon. But I can't focus on James or our moms. The tension radiating from Leon is unbearable, and I have to prevent myself from looking at him. There are unsaid words that want to break free from my lips.

I love you, Leon. I choose you. I'm sorry it took me so long. 

"Would you like a glass of wine, Honey?" Mom asks, pushing a wine glass in my direction.

I tear my attention away from Leon and stare at Mom. I would prefer to be free of the mind-numbing effects of alcohol when I tell James the truth, but a little wine would be nice. It's the expensive stuff, too. "Sure," I reply.

While Mom pours me a glass of white wine, I dish up my plate with chicken pot pie, garden salad, and some glazed carrots. I shove a forkful into my mouth and savour the taste. Amelinda's cooking is superb. Her flavours are perfect; I can taste a hint of sage and rosemary in the gravy, the chicken is moist, and the carrots are sticky with maple syrup glaze.