Sixteen

"M-mother, what a surprise," I say, recovering from my shock first. "What are you doing here?" I try and move in front of the coffee table more, blocking her view of the stacks of papers as much as I can. Charles snaps out of it and sees what I am trying to do, and moves closer as well.

"Well, I figured you have been busy lately, so busy you had to post-pone a meeting with your own mother, I thought I would drop by and see if you were home, to ask if I can take you out for lunch to try and give you a break. But, I see you're already having one, and you didn't even tell me your brother was in town."

Charles immediately steps forward, standing in front of me a little to still block the table, and any other blow my mother throws at me. He was always like this, especially when we were kids. Every time we play wrestled or I made a mistake, my brother always covered for me when he could, and took the scolding from my mother, which was never pretty. Even now, when we're both practically adults, he still sticks up for me and takes the heat in place of me.

Even though I am the one who brought him into this. Ripped him away from his comfortable, free life, to endure more family drama. Drama he has tried hard to get away from, no doubt.

"That's my fault mother, I was just passing through and knew Ashton lives in the area. I decided to stop by, I arrived just this morning and we haven't had the chance to really catch up. As you can see, I interrupted Ashton in the middle of paperwork, I was waiting for him to clean up so we can have drinks and catch up," he lies, as if he had hours to think of something, and even turns to point at the stack of papers I am trying so hard to hide.

She is too far away to read what they say, especially with her eyes.

"Why don't we have tea and lunch in the gazebo out back, I can have the kitchen staff prepare a quick tray of finger sandwiches for us, and anything else you might like," I say, trying to change the subject and usher her out of here as quickly as possible.

She smiles tightly at me and gestures for her to lead me towards the back of the house. I shoot Charles a look and he pretends to disappear towards the kitchen, his true destination is back in the living room, to collect the stacks of papers and hide them. I show my mother the gazebo, and Richard is at my side in a few seconds, asking if he can assist with anything.

I tell him to ask the kitchen staff to make a handful of finger foods for us and a pot of tea, just as Charles return, giving me a wink to confirm he got the job done. Hopefully, he hid them well enough. I don't plan for mother to stick around and search my house, that would look to obvious, but I also never really gave Charles a full tour of the manor, only the major rooms he will be using during his stay. My mother has also been a little more shifty and silent than she normally is, giving me the impression he is here for a reason, and not just to stop by for lunch and tea.

She is looking for something.

I'm not sure what. A part of me tells me it might be Ava and Emily, thinking I'm still lying to her, and keeping them here so she doesn't ever see me with me out in public, or something else, but I can't think of what it could be. Does she know more than I think? Does she know Amber gathered all this information on her, and somehow found out that she printed it and gave it to us, or at least know she gave it to someone, and that is what she is looking for to confirm?

I'm too distracted by the swarm of question in my head, I can barely keep conversation. Thankfully, Charles is here, and can sense something is up. He has so far kept the conversation going with mother, where it doesn't involve much talk from me. I shake my head and offer my mother a tight smile, trying to pick up on what they're talking about.

It seems Charles is speaking about what he has been up to over the last three years, leaving out a few minor details he mentioned to me. My mother nods occasionally in acknowledgment, but remains silent, only asking prompting questions when need be. It's unlike her, she is usually very interested in conversation, and always tries to steer it to be about her every chance she gets.

Right now seems to be the perfect opportunity, since her and Charles haven't seen each other in a few years, she has loads to talk about that involve her and her life. Yet she remains completely silent, but continues to fidget with her clothes and food, her eyes shifting around and she looks slightly upset. I wonder if it's because we're outside the house, giving her no chance to look around or be left alone to check for anything. I also wonder if I'm over thinking, and maybe she just has a lot on her mind, with everything slowly falling apart in front of her.

"Well, this has been absolutely wonderful, a delightful surprise to see both my sons today," my mother says when we finally clear the plate and finish the pot of tea. She smiles brightly at us, but I can see in her eyes, it's fake. She is still hiding something, and it's killing me to find out what. At the same time, I want her out. I don't want her hanging around any longer for me to find out.

"I'll be in town for a few days, I'll have Ashton send you my number," Charles says, slightly pushing her back towards the front door. She slowly makes her way beside us, looking around the rooms and hallways we pass through. I try and keep a close eye on her without seeming suspicious myself, while Charles distracts her with more mild conversation.

"So, are we still on for tomorrow morning?" she asks before she is completely out the door, looking at me.

"W-what? Tomorrow morning?" I had asked her to meet later in the week; not the very next day! But, of course, I should have seen this with my mother. She doesn't like being kept waiting, let alone being cancelled on.

"Yes, we're meeting tomorrow morning, we still have a lot to discuss about your engagement announcement with Amber, who has still yet to be seen. I was also hoping she would be here, she hasn't come home yet, or contacted her father."

That was what she was looking for, it makes sense now.

"She is coming back tonight; she will be staying at my place for the night," I quickly say. My mother raises an eyebrow, before a sly smile spreads across her face.

"Well, Ashton, I am pleased to see you taking this so seriously now. I knew eventually if you just let things be, you too would see how perfect you really are for each other," she says and claps her hands happily. She kisses each of our cheeks before she waves good-bye and finally disappears. Charles slams the door and we both collapse against it.

"Is it just me, or is this getting harder the older we get?" he asks.

I chuckle and shake my head.

***

Come Tuesday morning, I still haven't heard anything from Ava, and I'm about to meet with my mother. I practiced what I am going to say with Charles all night, and made sure to do everything I could to assure I am calm and collect the entire morning before meeting her. Before I left in the morning, I ask Charles to try and dig a little deeper into the name and bank transfer we found.

Charles assures me he has an idea on how to get all the information we might need, but doesn't tell me anything else. I'm a little skeptic, but I don't have time or space to worry about that right now. I'm still worrying about Ava and Emily, and their safety, on top of stressing about talking with my mother.

I know the entire time she is here, I'm going to have to continuously lie to her face about everything; where Amber is, our engagement announcement that is never going to happen, and how much I don't want to hit her, for the first time in my life.

Just before lunch, my mother arrives, looking prim and proper as always. She instantly requests tea and lunch, before sitting down and opening a binder, wanting to dive right into planning. I roll my eyes and take a deep breath before slapping on a fake smile and joining her on the couch, trying to endure the first half-hour of our meeting together. Thankfully, I didn't have to talk very much, she did it all for us. She has everything all planned in an organized binder, with an abundance of ideas that I don't care for.

Near the end of our lunch, she finally turns to me, a glint in her eye.

"So, where is Amber? You said she would be back last night."

I nod, almost robotically. "Yes, and she did. She is at my place right now; Charles is making sure she knows her way around and that she is being well attended to until I return later to see what her plan is afterwards." I know I'm digging myself a hole at the moment, but it's the only lie I can come up with on the spot.

My mother gives me a skeptical look. "Well, if that's the case, why hasn't she reached out to her father yet? He is still worried sick about her, she isn't answering any of his phone calls or text messages, and her bodyguards are also nowhere to be found," she says.

I can almost feel the gears working in my head, trying to keep up with my own lies.

"Her bodyguards are still with her, and she has been asleep for most of the time she has been back, she said she had a long weekend. I can make sure she contacts her father right away when I get back." I smile tightly and try to turn our attention back to the book, but my mother doesn't budge.

"Do you mind if I speak with her now? I'm sure if I here she is safe and sound, her father will take my word for it that she is alright, and will at least be at ease finally," she says, and looks towards my office phone. My heart starts to thud in my chest and I quickly think of a solution. I know Amber still has the same cellphone, and there is a chance she will do me this one last favor, to help us both out.

"Give me a few minutes to make sure she is awake, and I'll ask her to call my office," I say and step away from her, pulling my cellphone out. I type out a quick text to Amber;

I know you have already left for Paris, I hope you made it there safe. I need one last favor from you, to save both our asses at the moment. I need you to call my office phone, and tell my mother you are at my place for the day, safe and sound.

I wait anxiously for a response, shooting my mother nervous smiles every few minutes. Finally, my phone vibrates with a message, and I almost want to jump when I see it's from her.

Consider it done J

Two minutes later, my office phone rings. Before I can move, my mother rushes across the room and answers it.

"Amber, darling, is that you?" she asks, putting on a fake concerned tone. I can't hear what Amber is saying, but I can tell she is selling it as my mother's face drains of tension and she smiles.

"Your father and I have been worried sick, young lady. You should have tried to contact one of us, let us know you were alright–" I drown out the rest of my mother's ranting, noting in the back of my mind to call or message Amber later to thank and apologize to her for putting her through this. Once she satisfies my mother enough with whatever lie she comes up with, hopefully something that matches what I have been saying so far, my mother hangs up and lets out a relieved breath, taking a seat on the couch again.

"Well, I'm glad that is all cleared up. It seems like things are really working out," she says and smiles broadly at me. "I should be off, I know you're a very busy man, and have a pretty lady waiting for you at home," she adds giddily and walks over to give me a hug and kiss on the cheek. I smile and nod at her, not wanting to speak or lie anymore. I wave her off and make sure she is completely gone before rushing back into my office.

I try and rush through my work for the rest of the day, and get home to see what Charles has discovered, and hopefully see Ava afterwards and see what her answer is. Neither her nor Charles have said anything to me all day, which has given me an upset stomach and tight chest since my mother left.

Once everything is done, I race off like I have done so often more occasionally, telling Sandra she is done early for the day. I try and call Charles when I get in my car, but his phone is off, giving me even more bad feelings. I race home, glad to see his Land Rover is still in the driveway, and dash inside. Before I get inside, I stop and see a small speed bike parked in front of Charles Land Rover, a bike I have seen a few times before in the past couple weeks.

I slowly walk inside and listen for voices. I hear the quiet murmurs of people from the living room, where the door is left slightly ajar. I push it open gently, the voices getting louder, and I instantly recognize Charles speaking to one other person.

"Lucas? What are you doing here?" I ask when I see the familiar blonde. He smiles widely at me and rushes over for a hug.

"Charles called me, said you guys could use my help," he says, and I look over his shoulder to see Charles. He isn't smiling like Lucas and I. He has a very grim expression on his face, his eyes telling me he has something urgent to say.

"What's going on?" I ask. Lucas's smile drops from his face and he turns to Charles. He's holding a few papers in his hands, looking down at them sadly.

"I asked Lucas over to try and find out whatever he could on this guy, and why mother paid him. It took a lot of digging, but we managed to find out quite a bit," Charles slowly explains.

I frown and gesture for him to hand me the papers, but he doesn't move. I give him a questioning look, but his grim expression doesn't budge.

"I don't know if you want to read what's on these papers," Lucas says softly.

"What the hell is going on?" I cry, feeling the rage and panic build in my chest.

Charles takes a deep, shaky breath. "We found out, the reason mother paid this guy such a large amount, the day after Ava was involved in her accident, is because she was paying him for completing a job she hired him for," he says, then turns to Lucas, who pulls out another paper.

"Well, what was the job?" I ask.

"He was hired to perform a hit and run accident, on route 17…" Lucas says. My mind starts turning, remembering where I have heard of the road before. It suddenly clicks, and my heart drops to my stomach.

That's the road where Ava was hit.

He is the bastard to hit her!

And my mother is the one who hired him to do it.

It wasn't an accident.