#43 (Warren confronts India...)
“Engagement of the Century Called Off: Behind the fights, battles, and brawls which ruined Will Montgomery’s chance for happiness!”
The headline blared across the front page of the Kingsport Press with such immediacy no one could tell if the headline was a cruel joke or a vindictive attempt at the truth. From the confines of the country club to well-appointed breakfast rooms to the docks of Kingsport, everyone (even those who claimed they had no vested interest in society) was shocked by the headline which assaulted their mundane breakfast and morning commutes. Even the most intrepid gossipmongers couldn’t believe their eyes which made them call the Kingsport Press only to find that their telephone lines were jam packed with reporters from around the world wanting an exclusive of one sort or another.
There was one person who knew all too well that while the headline dripped of truth, it didn’t represent the facts of Will’s engagement to Connor. Yes, he knew that Will could be terribly passive and wholly difficult, while Connor liked to have things his own way, lest everyone else suffer the repercussions. However, this person also knew a hit job when he saw one. He could feel…sense…that there was one person behind this story…and as he stood on the precipice of confrontation, Warren Montgomery knew that if he didn’t confront the culprit behind this story once and for all, there would never be peace in his family.
“Thank you for meeting with me.” Warren Montgomery let out a jagged cough before saying, “I take it you’ve seen this dreck?”
India Montgomery watched as Warren dropped the Kingsport Press on a marble coffee table in the Morning Room of the Montgomery Estate. Her eyes flickered over the overwrought headline before she said, “Oh. No. I haven’t.”
Warren eyed his sister with intense scrutiny. His sister was someone most people couldn’t bear to be around due to her unpredictable nature. He, however, knew her for exactly who she was. After all, he’d known her since the day of her birth in a way no one, not even their parents could claim. “India, please tell me you didn’t go to the press with this…gossip…”
“Warren, please don’t look at me like that! I… I didn’t do… This isn’t my fault!”
“Then you admit it?!? You always say that it isn’t your fault before you reveal that you’re behind it.” Warren let out a furious growl. “I can’t believe you would do this to Billy!”
“I didn’t mean to do it! I… Warren,” India began, desperately, “it wasn’t my fault. I promise.” Her dark eyes flickered with unknown mystery. “I don’t know what happened. One minute I was…and the next…” Her voice cracked with hopeless resignation as the tears began to flow. “Warren, you have to believe me!! Everyone else has written me off…but you…you’re the only person I can trust!”
“I can’t believe you would do this to Billy! He’s getting married in two weeks!”
“But Connor doesn’t love him, Warren!” stated India with grave intensity. “Connor’s a very bad man!”
“Not this again,” groaned Warren. “Connor has been far too patient with you over the last decade. You’re lucky that Mom and Dad have the resources to keep you away from legal action, India. If you were from some trailer park or something, you’d be in jail right now.”
“Warren, please, listen to me. I only…the reason I told the newspaper about Billy and Connor’s fight and the drama surrounding their wedding is…well, it’s true!”
“He’s our brother,” thundered Warren. “You’ve betrayed him in the worst way!”
“But I didn’t!”
“You just admitted…”
“I told the papers, but I only told them what I heard!”
“What?”
“Warren, I didn’t… Jill was the one who told me about the big fight Connor and Will had the other week. She told me.” India lowered his eyes as she said in a low, dark voice, “I’m sorry, Warren.”
“You’re lying,” seethed Warren. “Jill would never…”
“She did!” interjected India. “And she did it without any help from me. She gladly told me about the fight Connor and Billy had when they were looking at centerpieces or whatever. If you want to blame someone, blame your wife,” spat India, viciously.
Warren stared at his sister with dumbfounded disbelief. He knew Jill didn’t approve of Will’s marriage to Connor, but he never would have guessed that his wife would have told India about their ongoing problems. “Jill… India, you must be mistaken. You’ve always had a tenuous grasp on the truth.”
India let out a frustrated chuckle. “Me?? Oh, that’s right. I’m the crazy one. I’m the one who can’t tell her elbow from her ass. No matter what this family thinks of me, I’m not crazy, Warren. Jill told me what she knew and I told the press. Either way, Connor has no business marrying Billy when he’s already told me that he doesn’t love Billy.”
“He told you that?”
India nodded with satisfied glee. “Connor wants to be with me…and as soon as this article renders his marriage to Billy moot, then he’ll come back to me.”
“You really will do anything to feed your delusional dreams, won’t you, India?”
“Warren,” gasped India, “I’m telling you the truth!”
“No! You’re telling me what I want to hear. I pray to God that Billy and Connor are smart enough not to let this story ruin their wedding day.”
“You’re not going to tell them that it was me, are you? If you do, I’d just die, Warren!” India’s eyes flashed with shades of horror and fear. “I don’t know what I’d do… I… Please, Warren,” pleaded India, basely, “don’t tell them it was me!” Her eyes filled with cold, salty tears. “Oh, god! If Jill hadn’t told me then none of this would’ve happened. I hate myself, Warren. Please…please…”
Warren cast a disgusted eye on his sister, who was sobbing on her knees in the Morning Room of their family’s estate. He didn’t know what to say to her, but he’d seen this act many times before. In that moment, Warren knew that the only thing he could do was walk away from his sister. He had to ensure that Billy was all right and that Connor wasn’t taking him for a ride. Moreover, Warren had to confront Jill about her alleged role in India leaking this story to the press. If his wife was behind it, then Warren had no idea what to do next. However, he knew all too well that India lived in a world of fantasy and delusion, but, on occasion, that world collided with that of truth and reality…
In our next installment, Will makes a decision as Nicholas returns to Kingsport…
Follow Kingsport on Twitter and Facebook.
Email us at Kingsport@SoapKast.com
© 2021; SoapKast, Inc. All rights reserved.