Cammie Healy - Jennifer Foor Page 0,82

situation I’m having a hard time working out. I came home because I needed my family. I felt like this was where I belonged. I assumed you’d support me and guide me in the right direction, but I’ve only been a disappointment since I walked through the door.”

All of a sudden my mother and I were interrupted by loud yelling resonating from downstairs. I could hear that my sister’s had finally returned. My dad was raising his voice, and another male was giving it right back to him.

Wes.

He hadn’t waited at home hoping I’d return to him. He’d jumped in his truck and come after me.

I rushed out of the room and down the stairs, not caring what they would say or do. “Stop it! You can’t keep treating him like the bad guy. I asked him to take me away. I asked him to keep it a secret. He wanted to tell you. He wanted to bring me home several times. It was my decision to stay hidden. It was my decision to go to his house. He didn’t ask me. I suggested it. You’re punishing Wes for something I did. This has to stop.”

“Cammie, we saw you. Stop trying to make it like he wasn’t a part of this. We saw you in the kitchen.” My sister was still assuming we’d done this to screw her over. She was ridiculous.

“Cal, I never meant for this to hurt you.”

“Save your excuses. I can’t look at you the same. I thought you were going to help me date him. Instead you moved right in to have him for yourself.”

“I’m standing right here, Callie. How many times did I tell you I wasn’t interested? You assumed. I didn’t get with your sister behind your back.” Wes was trying to help. In the meantime I spotted the way my father was watching him. It worried me.

“You lied to me. Both of you.”

Josh came down the stairs. I could tell he’d smoked a bowl. His eyes were heavy and seemed calm when all hell was breaking loose. “Let me clear the air for a second,” he stammered. “My boy Wesley has been hot for Cammie since we were kids. He told me they were together the other day. I knew she was safe. When I heard you talking to Cassie about looking into Wes I told her they were together and Cam was fine. How do you think she tracked them down so fast?”

I searched the room, finding Cassie standing near the kitchen entrance. She was giving Josh a look of disapproval, not that it would help her cause. My siblings were lying to protect one another. Wasn’t that normal?

Josh and Cassie started arguing. Callie was pointing to Wes accusing him of being a user.

Wes was doing his best to calm her down, while my father was laying it into me again about being responsible for all of this.

Out of nowhere I heard my mother’s voice. It was loud. She’d finally snapped. “ENOUGH!”

The room quieted.

My small-framed mom walked in the center of the living room with both hands on her hips. “I’ve had enough. This stops here. I won’t have this family falling apart at the seams. Do you all hear me?” She pointed to Wes. “You’re included in this too. All of you, take a seat. This gets resolved tonight.”

I didn’t wait for my dad and Callie to move out of the way. I rushed over and fell into Wes’ arms. He kissed the top of my head and whispered in my ear. “I couldn’t stay away. You promised me a week. I still have a couple days.”

Through the commotion I was able to smile. Remnants of chocolate were still apparent on his face since he’d rushed out the door to come to my rescue. I used my thumb to wipe them off before he led me over to sit next to him on an oversized ottoman.

With my whole family present, my mom finally sat down next to my dad. She took his hand, I assumed to keep him from jumping up and killing Wes.

“We’re going to start from the beginning. Everything will be resolved before any of you leave this room. Is that clear?”

My dad always called my mother Blaze. She used to dye her hair a fiery red. Now I wondered if it was because she could put out a fire with the snap of her fingers.

Most of us either nodded or replied to her comment with a simple yes.

“Cammie,