It didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out from my reaction to the caller ID that the person calling me right now was actually the woman in question and Heather glared at me when she realized. I half expected her to smirk condescendingly but all she did was take the phone from my hands and hang up.
"Go home Blake, you need to be at the airport at nine tonight", mom began to usher me towards the door but I stopped myself right before she could throw me out.
"Wait mom there's still so much I don't know. What happened to Alana's birth mom? Does Alana know she's living with people who aren't her biological parents? Does she know about Elena?".
Heather gave up her struggle of trying to push me outside and she finally looked me in the eyes before saying her next words that would send me into a world of utter confusion and betrayal.
"Of course she knows Blake", and with that the door closes in my face and I'm left standing completely dumbfounded and shocked for the second time today.
*************
Zadia had agreed to give me a ride to the airport. When I'd gotten home I had finished packing my suitcase wordlessly. Za has been asking what was wrong all evening but I just couldn't find it in myself to tell her. My mom had said and I quote, 'of course she knows Blake' but what did she mean, did Lana know she was adopted or did she know about Elena? Mom had also said Lana doesn't know we were related so my mind was a jumbled mess trying to make sense of all this chaotic new information I only recently become privy to.
"So you're going to London?", Za asked breaking my chain of thought, "I thought the purpose of you seeing your mom was to convince her to not make you go".
I stopped packing and pulled her towards me wrapping my arms around her waist and she relaxed against my body.
"If I want to take this job seriously then I have to put in the actual work", I lied smoothly, this was not my real reason for going, "I want to prove myself to my mother that I've got what it takes and if that means going to London to secure this business deal then so be it".
she nodded and then reached up on her tip toes to connect our lips. The sudden warm feeling that washed over me seemed to quell the raging emotions that have been consuming my mind all day. This was where I belonged, with Zadia. Alana and I can't be together now even if we wanted to. I'm just glad we never took thing too far because I can't imagine feeling anymore awful or weird about the situation than I do right now.
Zadia and I said our goodbyes as I walked into the boarding area to find Siara waiting for me.
Honestly she was the last person I wanted to talk to right now but heck she was here and she wasn't one of the women I was romantically involved with.
That's probably why I spilled everything to her the moment she asked me what was wrong. Though I should've considered the fact that Siara had always seemed to be a fan of Alana and I being together a deterrent. But who else did I have to talk to? Conner and Adrian weren't here.
Without taking any of that into consideration, I told her everything, but not before I swore her to secrecy and made her promise to take this to her grave.
"Wow", was her comment after I finished, "that's-"
"Messed up", I sufficed, "believe me, I know".
My phone rang in my pocket again. I didn't move to take it out because I had a pretty good idea who it was.
"It's her isn't it?", Siara asked and I nodded. "You shouldn't ignore her though Blake that's not going to solve your problems and you should take into consideration that she doesn't know what's going on. Your mom seems to be trying to mislead you. The most Alana knows is that she's adopted and that her birth mom didn't want her. Surely you can understand why she kept that from you even though you are her best friend. Besides her dad's in the hospital right now. Maybe she just needs a friend, you both agreed to only be friends right? But you're too busy ignoring her. I doubt she knows anything about you guys being related, that'd just be crazy".
I hated that Siara was right. I shouldn't doubt Alana. Just because my mom was a liar and liked to keep things from me didn't mean that every other important woman in my life was the same.
"You're right", I conceded, "I'll pick up if she calls again".
She seemed satisfied enough with my response.
"So what now? You know how she feels Blake. She's in love with you, she's been for a while now", Siara sounded uncertain for once.
Sighing I ran my hand through my hair in frustration, "I know, trust me, I know".
Even though i knew, that did not mean i had the slightest idea how to get myself out of this awkward situation that I was now in.
There was no use in denying it anymore. I knew she loved me. As both a friend and more. That's how I knew that my mom had lied to us both. There was no way that Alana could know that we were related. I wouldn't believe it.
Our flight was announced over the speaker system. I grabbed my suitcase and duffel bag about to walk off to board the jet and just then my phone pinged and so did Siara's, which was pretty weird if you ask me. It was a message from my mother.
Mom: Blake you're in danger, no time to explain, make sure you leave on that jet.
What the hell!
Danger?
My heart skipped a couple beats. I could almost feel the organ pumping blood to my brain. What was happening?
I was in danger?
I'd forgotten Siara had received a text the same time as I had, until I noticed hw her skin had paled and the grave look that was now on her face. For a moment I wondered if she'd gotten a similar text as mine, saying that her life or our lives were in danger but after studying her face it became apparent that it was something else.
"Siara", I cautiously took a step towards her, "what is it?".
Her eyebrows drew together as she met my eyes, "It's Alana, her dad just died".
All the air was immediately sucked out of my lungs.
Dead? Alana's dad was dead? I couldn't process that at all.
This was all becoming too much.
"We have to leave", the words made their way out of my mouth as if I hadn't been the one to say them. Heather had sent me a message to warn me. I was in some sort of danger, more than usual. If she was warning me then I knew this wasn't something to play around with. I had to leave tonight. No matter what was happening.
Suddenly the pieces began to go together: what my dad's lawyer had told me the other day, why Heather suddenly admitted the truth to me. It was all connected, even if I couldn't see how it was connected. Luckily Za was with her dad so I knew she'd be safe even if he was the one I was in danger from and according to Siara, Lana was out of town with her family. Heather could handle herself; she'd be fine as long as I stayed out of her way. By leaving tonight.
Siara walked away from me and leaned against the huge window peering into the night. "If you go you won't just break her heart. You will break her... forever".
I shook my head, my hands tightening around the handle of the duffel bag full of clothes that I'd packed in a rush mere minutes ago. Her dad just died and I was about to leave. I promised my mom I wouldn't talk to her.
I looked up at her, "What do I do then?".
She smirked but still didn't turn to face me fully, "You do what you so best, only, this time you get to create your own exit strategy".
What? Her father is dead and Siara is thinking about an exit strategy?
"No, Siara", I replied a little too harshly "she's not one of my assignments. I can't do that to her. I won't. Especially not with what she's going through".
Her head whipped around to face me and she narrowed her eyes, "Then leave Blake!", she shouted, you're already packed so go. But don't forget the devastation you'll be leaving behind when you do".
I closed my eyes tightly fighting against the raw emotions riling in my chest. Stirring and making a mess out of everything that used to make sense to me.
"You know I'm right", Siara's voice echoed through the huge empty room, "and I know you can't be together but what I don't understand is why you're running away from the only girl you've ever loved".
My eyes opened slowly and I lowered myself unto one of the chairs.
Even though this was all sick and seriously messed up...
She was right. I hated that she was right. I should turn around and go straight to Lana and be by her side as her friend. But Siara didn't know about the text my mom had just sent me.
I sighed in defeated and looked over at Siara as she took a seat beside me. She gave me a small sympathetic smile.
"So what now Siara?".
She gave my hand a slight squeeze, "Now we create one last exit strategy. One where Lana doesn't get hurt. What do you say? For old times' sake?".
A humorless chuckle slipped pass my lips. The speaker called for us to board our flight again.
"Her dad just died and you want to leave town. She's in love with you but she's your cousin so you can't be together. Your mother swore you to secrecy so you can't tell her the truth. If you don't want her to go through anymore suffering the only way out is to create an exit strategy. A way to get out of this 'relationship' you have with her without breaking her heart anymore".
I closed my eyes and ran my hands over my face, "I care about her Siara so I'll agree with you. But we can only do this once I get back". Whenever that is.
Before she could answer my phone pinged in my pocket and Siara gave me a weak smile.
"You promised you'd answer if she tried to contact you again", she prompted.
Before I could answer, the call was cut off and soon enough I realized that it wasn't Alana who had been calling me, but my mom.
"What happened", she tried to look at my phone screen.
My eyes met hers. But no words came out.
When I was sixteen my mom came up with a safe word that would indicate that there was mortal danger. Growing up in a life of luxury was always dangerous.
But even as I stared at the two notification on that screen I still couldn't believe that this moment was actually happening.
If I was alarmed before then I was definitely freaking out now.
It wasn't the voice message from Heather that caught my attention. No.
"What the hell does courir mean?", Siara asked.
Good question. It was a French word I knew all too well.
It means RUN!