Christian got a call from his manager to return to the studio to record a new song. He got on the next flight out, and I was left alone again. A few days later I got a 911 text from Hailey:
911: CALL ME ASAP!!!!!
I call her.
"How could you not tell me that you and Christian are hooking up?" She demands.
"What? How did you-"
"Girl, have you not been on any social media? You're all over TMZ, MTV, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, SnapChat, TikTok, Who's Who Magazine and you've got over a million hits on every single one of them."
"What are you talking about?" I am in complete disbelief.
"Open your phone and type in Christian Eastman Who's who magazine."
I do as she says. I scroll through juicy pictures of him and I talking and kissing on the stage at the theater. There's videos of us telling each other we love each other. I scroll through the comments. Some say they wished they were me while others say they want to kill me.
"No, no, no, no, no. This can't be happening. Who- what- oh god. Has Rachel seen this?"
"She has..." She reluctantly tells me.
"And?"
"She thought it was good to see you move on... but she just wondered why you would move on with him." She starts laughing. "Girl, I told you so!"
I am getting another call. It's from Christian. "Hey, I gotta go. Christian's calling me." I hang up before I hear her full objection on the other line. "Hey..."
"I'll take it you've seen it?" He says slowly. methodically.
"Yeah... we're trending." I pace back and forth in my living room. "How did this happen?"
"I don't know. But my father called. He wants to speak with us both. He's arranged a flight for you. It leaves soon."
"How soon?"
"Two O'clock." He lets out a slow and steady breath. "April, I'm sorry."
"Me too. See you soon." And we hang up.
I gather up a bag as quickly as I possibly can and rush to the airport. I push through security, make my way to the gate, just in time. I board the plane and sit down. A few people in the plane recognized me and some took my picture without my permission. The lady sitting next to me asked me a bunch of questions about Christian, how long have we been dating, is he as cute in person as he is online? I just give very short, impersonal answers.
The plane finally touches down in Manchester. I get my bag, take off down the ramp, and make my way out of the airport as fast as possible while paparazzi and press take my picture and scream questions at me. I get into a rental car, and practically run the press over trying to get away. I look behind me in the rear view mirrors to make sure I'm not being followed. I make it to the Eastman Estate gate and am buzzed in. I pull the car through as the gate creaks open. I have had a pit in my stomach ever since Hailey called me this morning, but now I have full on nausea. I put the car in park and slowly make my way up the steps and into the front door.
I try to think of all the things I want to say, but my thoughts get interrupted by loud shouting. I walk into the living room to find Jacob towering over Christian yelling about how his love is nonsense. My mother spots me and stands up to greet me. She gives me a hug.
"Oh, April. Are you alright?" She asks. I nod my head, and we sit down on the couch together. "I'm so sorry this all happened."
"Sorry? You're sorry? No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that the two of you have been sneaking behind our backs and engaging in complete nonsense!" Jacob yells.
"You calm down right now, Jacob Eastman." My mother glares at him. I thought that tone of voice was reserved for me and Amanda. "Now, there is no reason to get this bent out of shape over people who clearly care very much about each other." She smiles between Christian and I. "However, I do understand it." She takes my hand in hers. "Honey, I'm glad that you finally moved on and found love in someone else but... oh... did it have to be your step-brother?"
"I didn't mean for this to happen. It just did."
"Oh I supposed that you just tripped and fell on my son's tally wacker by accident then, is that it?" He yells again. Christian can't help but snort into laughter when he says that. "Is something funny about all this, Christian?"
"No. I'm sorry. It's just... we didn't plan this. No she didn't trip and fall on me... it's just we didn't really know how to stop it."
"Well, I do. If you two continue in this- this- love affair... You leave me no choice but to delete your Eastman heritage."
"What does that mean?" I ask.
"Jacob, I think that's a bit rash." My mother says to him with a hint of disdain and concern in her voice.
I look over at Christian who is speechless. His face is red and his eyes are starting to water. He gets up from the couch and runs out the back door. I follow after him, calling after him. He reaches the end of the field, right before the woods and turns to me.
"What just happened? What did he mean?" I ask out of breath.
"He means he'd cut me out of the will. Out of my heritage. I'd get nothing." He breathes heavily.
"You're really going to choose money over love?" I ask, angry at him.
"You don't get it. My father... the only way he shows his love is through money. The only way I know that he respects me, honors me, loves me is if he is flashing his endless pit of money around. He paid for University. He paid for the managers to make me famous. He paid for my boarding school. He will continue to pay for everything in life and leave all of this to me after he's gone. But if he discontinues my name as Eastman, the line dies here."
I am speechless. I never really knew a conditional love like that. My parents were always loving and supportive of everything I did. Even the mistakes. I never knew a kind of relationship that had strings like this. There's only one thing to do. I turn, and I leave.
I say my goodbyes to Jacob and my mother. I drive back to the airport and stay until the next morning to catch a flight back to D.C. Christian tried calling me several times, but I just ignored him. I get on my 6 a.m. flight back to D.C. I made it back to my apartment around 7 that evening to find Hailey standing outside in the hallway.
"What happened? Where were you? I've been calling and standing out here for hours!"
"I was in England." I go to the door and unlock it. I set my stuff down on the floor. Hailey comes in behind me. I slam the door shut then walk over to the couch and throw myself down. "Jacob gave Christian an ultimatum. Either end our relationship or be cut off. So, I made the decision for him. I left." Tears make their way to the surface and I finally cry.
Hailey comes over to me and sits on the ground by my head. She runs her fingers through my hair to try and comfort me. "I'm so sorry, honey." She whispers to me. "But what about Christian? How could he just go along with that?"
"I couldn't let him cut off his family name just to love me. I mean, realistically... where was this going anyway?" Hailey says nothing. "I didn't really give him a chance either, I guess. But it's too late now. I made my decision. I'm not going to see him again."
"But he's your step brother... You're going to have to see him at family functions eventually." She stops petting my head and sits on the couch beside me. She picks up my legs and lays them on top of her lap.
"Nope. Not going if he's gonna be there." I wipe tears from my face. Hailey just gives me a look of disapproval. "What?"
"Nothing... I just hope you know what you're doing."
The next few months, the rumors finally died down. I was able to go places without being stopped by random people to ask if I'm Christian's new girlfriend. I ignore it all, and eventually it stops. I am still meeting the president every so often to help with his campaign under the radar.
Over the next few months, I'm bombarded with flight plans from the president. He sends me to Germany, Columbia, Haiti, and Nigeria. I am taken through countless countries and writing on the devastating outcomes of fallen governments. I report back to D.C. at the end of each trip and give detailed explanations of the things going on. I am working over-exhausted.
After my trip from Nigeria, I left the white house and heard a song on the radio. I recognize the lyrics and voice. I turn it up and am surprised to hear Christian singing the song he wrote for me nine months ago. I got taken back in time to what felt like a lifetime ago. I feel a few tears running down my cheek, and shut it off. I roll down the window and am immediately sobered from any harbored feelings as the snow filled air blows against my face.
I get my stuff packed to go to England for Christmas. I promised my mom that I'd go as long as Christian wasn't going to be there. She assured me, he wouldn't be.