We all follow, and I start unpacking the things my parents brought. My mom brought enough comfort food to feed a village. Some people stress eat; my mom stress bakes or cooks. She’s always been good in the kitchen. We didn’t have much growing up, hence my need to be successful, but my mom was able to make a variety of things with the basic food we got through the assistance programs. I think it made her feel better, as if she was doing more for us by being crafty with her recipes to hide the fact we were eating the same things over and over.
“Can I get you something to drink?” Sebastian asks. “Coffee?”
“I need coffee,” I toss over my shoulder. I wasn’t prepared for the parent bombardment this morning, and I know they are going to have a thousand questions. Is it too early to add some whiskey to my coffee?
“That would be great,” my mother says. “You also look like you could use a muffin or two, honey. Have you been able to eat anything since this all happened?”
“I’ve been making sure she eats, ma’am,” Sebastian says formally. I imagine he feels as awkward as I did meeting his parents under similar shitty circumstances. At least my parents haven’t seen the photos of us having sex.
Sebastian starts making the coffee, and my father clears his throat. “Mark has filled us in on everything that has happened thus far. Why didn’t you tell us what was going on sooner, Devin?”
“We didn’t know how serious this all was, or what we were dealing with until yesterday,” I try to explain.
“Blackmail is serious, Devin,” my mother says. “You should have said something.”
The room is quiet for a moment. It’s not like I wanted them to know what was going on, but I can understand their point. “I’m sorry.”
“We didn’t even know you had a boyfriend,” she adds.
Sebastian’s head jerks in my direction, and I can see the surprise on his face. It’s not like I was hiding him; I just have a lot on my plate. I shrug, not knowing what else I can do. “I was going to tell you guys about Sebastian. I just wanted to clean this whole mess up first.”
“Has there been any new information?” my father asks. “Mark called us after he left here.”
Sebastian answers for me as he waits for the coffee to finish brewing. “Nothing yet. I have to apologize to you, Mr. and Mrs. Miller. I can’t tell you and Devin how sorry I am for bringing this into your lives—”
“I’d have liked to hear that before I had to hear all the details of what’s been going on from my son rather than the two of you,” my father says in a harsh voice.
Sebastian nods. “Understood.”
Dad’s glare turns to me. “How are you handling all of this, Devin? And don’t tell me fine. Someone threw acid on you. No one is fine after that.”
The coffee maker beeps, and Sebastian busies himself with filling the mugs. My mom pulls a basket from one of the bags and reveals a variety of muffins. “Let’s sit.”
Sebastian carries the mugs to the island, and I grab the cream and sugar. After we’re all seated with a cup of coffee and a muffin, we answer my parents’ questions about plans and safety and everything else. I feel like I’m twelve again and going to the mall alone for the first time.
“Where were you when this happened?” my father asks Sebastian. “I thought the two of you worked together. Why was she walking out alone?”
“Dad,” I hiss. “It’s not Sebastian’s fault.”
Sebastian gulps and straightens his spine before answering my father. “I was out having dinner with friends.”
I know what my father is thinking, and I would like my parents to like Sebastian when this is all over, so I tell the whole truth. “Sebastian was out with a woman who was supposed to be a decoy for me. He was working on taking the attention from the photo off me and onto himself and Arianna.”
Thankfully, my father doesn’t get a chance to say anything as we get a small reprieve when the phone rings.
“Hi, Clyde,” Sebastian answers. “Okay, you can bring them up.”
“Clyde said there’s a delivery from a florist for you from Midtown,” he explains after hanging up. “He’s going to bring them up.”
The buzzer sounds a few minutes later, and Sebastian excuses himself to answer the door.
“Do you feel safe here, Devin?” my father asks. “I understand not wanting to go back to your place, but you could come home with us if you want to get out of the city. Mark says the police haven’t found this woman yet.”
“I’m okay here, Dad,” I tell him. “As you can see, this building has great security. She can’t get me here.”
“But, sweetheart—”
My father stops talking as Sebastian returns to the kitchen with a large white box wrapped with a yellow ribbon.
“Here you go, princess,” he says, placing it down in front of me.
I pull the ribbon, thankful for the distraction from my father about to insist I come home with them.
My mother’s gasp fills the silence as she sees what’s inside.
A dozen dead roses.
With a card sticking out the top.
YOU CAN’T HIDE FOREVER.
