Zenon's Game Chapter 205

"Is your dad back?" Zenon asked.

Has h*e*l*l frozen over?

"No, no, no," I needed to get this out, since Zenon was guessing wilder scenarios than the truth. "My mom was left in a really vulnerable position when my dad left her. And apparently, your parents called social services on her. They wanted to take me and my sister away."

"They what?"

"They wanted to-"

"You don't have to repeat yourself, Candace. I'm just processing." Zenon ran a hand through his hair and looked down.

"I need to call my parents," he said.

I opened my mouth to say something but then closed it. What could I say? Back then, Zenon was too young to know what his parents were up to. He didn't know how my mother went off the rails.

And now, all these years later, we were dating and our family histories became relevant in our history. But hopefully not our future.

Why did his parents call social services instead of offering to help?

His parents had tried to take me away from my family once before. And I hoped that they weren't plotting to take him away too.

We started to grab our bags and head to the gate. Our flight to Dubai was boarding.

"He said one minute, and it's been thirty," Bryce commented about Zenon.

I looked over at Zenon on the phone, pacing the terminal. He was too far away for any of us to hear.

Axel whistled at him with two fingers and the noise he made was so loud it caught Zenon's attention. It also caught the attention of almost everyone in between.

Zenon nodded for us to go ahead. He was still the phone. So we did.

~Zenon's POV~

I dialed mom's number. Candace really dropped a bomb on me in an airport.

Explains why she wasn't happy this morning. I thought she'd be jumping off the walls at our Dubai trip, but she walked out of her house like she was on a funeral march. I almost expected her to tell me that Winnifred had died again.

I hate the idea that her mom judges me for my parents' behavior. My parents have made so many wrong decisions they could write a manual on regrets. Starting with Jake and his watermelon head.

Mom picked up, "Zenon, I'm surprised you called so quickly. I thought we'd be getting radio silence from you for at least two days."

I asked, "Is dad with you?"

Mom: "He's in the kitchen but I'll go get him. Is everything ok, sweetheart?"

I didn't answer and waited until I heard my dad on the other line. I looked over at Candace. She'd joined the others back at the restaurant.

Mom: "Ok, we're both here now and you're on speaker."

Dad: "What is it, son? You must've landed in New York by now."

I got straight to the point. "Did you guys call social services on Candace's mom?"

I was going to be on a flight for the next several hours and I didn't want to sit there without any answers.

Dad: "What? Did she tell you that? She's stirring up trou- what is it?"

Mom: "I think he means years ago. Remember when we..."

Their voices became distant as they talked quietly between each other.

Dad: "She's too young to know that."

Mom: "Her mom must've told her."

Dad: "Then it's her mom's who's stirring up-"

Me: "So you did. What possessed you two to do that?"

It's like they go around looking for lives to mess up

Mom: "Language, Zenon. It was a long time ago and you didn't know what that family was like back then. Rosalie completely lost it after her husband left. The house turned into a garbage pit. She didn't have any money to feed the kids. They went to school without backpacks."

Dad: "And the alcohol. Tell him about the alcohol."

Mom: "She was an alcoholic. We went over to check on her one day after we saw the front door open and she was passed out with empty bottles of alcohol around her. One of the kids was sitting there, playing with it. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

Dad: "Total pig sty."

Mom: "Those kids were in danger. It was our duty to call social services. Honestly, I think that's what helped Rosalie climb out of her depression."

Dad: "If only she climbed out of our street too."

Me: "Dad, show some respect."

I had no idea Candace grew up like that. It was shocking to hear. Why did she never talk to me about it? I've opened up so much to her.

Mom: "There was a court case and that's when Rosalie started to shape up. An elderly man came to live with them for a while, taking the kids to school and cleaning the house up. I think he died a year or two later but it's thanks to him that she didn't lose her kids."

Axel whistled at me from across the airport. I realized we were boarding and waved at them to go on ahead. I'd catch up later.

~Candace's POV~

Imagine if Zenon missed the plane.

I watched him board, finally. He was the last to come on before they closed the plane doors.

The stewardess spoke to him with an extra warm greeting. I don't think Zenon notices the special treatment he gets on a regular basis.

It didn't take long for his eyes to find mine and I could see the weight of emotion in his eyes. His eyes were such a bright blue that they convey so much emotion and yet, sometimes, not enough.

He was walking towards me and passed by the first few rows. Bryce nudged him from his seat in 3A. He'd already kicked off his shoes, put a blanket over himself and was drinking a glass of complementary champagne.