think a thing through, but this time, I’m stumped. I’m so used to fighting with Nina that I’m speechless. We drove each other nuts over the years. We didn’t realize until recently, though, we were pulling Chevy in two different directions. I apologized to Chevy for that, and from what I understand, Nina did, too.
“You’re a great mom. Not one of us ever thought differently.”
Nina cocks an eyebrow as if she’s skeptical, but I’m telling her the truth.
“Isaiah’s coming into town tomorrow, around noon,” I say. “It’s going to be my and Dad’s first time meeting him. Chevy’s going to meet with him at the diner first, then he’ll bring him to the clubhouse.
“We’re going to play most of this by ear, but we plan for the first meeting to be small—me, Dad, Chevy and Emily. Oz and Violet will be around, but they plan on holding back to give Isaiah some space. Considering your relationship with James, would you like to be a part of this meet-up?”
Isaiah Walker was a shock to all of us. It turns out my brother had another child in Louisville. Many issues with all this, the main one being Isaiah’s not a child anymore. He grew up in foster care, and that causes the demons that live in me full time to growl. If we had known about Isaiah, he would have lived here in this house surrounded by a club full of people who would have loved him as if he were their own.
Nina rests her arms on her bent knees and clasps her hands together. “James was in love with Isaiah’s mother. Do you really think Isaiah is going to want to meet the woman his father sought refuge with when his mother broke his heart?”
“Chevy said Isaiah wants to meet his family, and he wants to understand who his father was. James was my brother, but you were his best friend. Who better than you to paint the real picture of James?”
“James was complicated,” she says.
“Of course he was. He was a McKinley.”
Nina gives a short laugh, and that causes me to smile. Our group of teens howl in hilarity again, and that grabs both of our attention in the way it does with parents full of pride.
“What do you say?” I ask. “Do you want to help?”
“I’ll help.”
Good. I expect Nina to leave, but she doesn’t, and I find myself oddly okay with that. We sit in a comfortable silence on the steps and watch as the next generation plots and plans their life.
Chapter 13
Addison
Life should have theme music. On demand, the perfect song should blast in the background to fit the mood. Even better, when everything’s about to go to hell, the freaky music should play.
How many of us have yelled at the stupid girl creeping down the stairs to the dark, spider-infested basement because that serial-killer-is-on-the-loose music began? I mean, seriously, we all knew Jaws was coming because a cello was playing, right? Otherwise that fin sticking up in the water could have been a cute, snuggly dolphin.
If I had Jaws music that played when everything was about to go bad, my complicated life would be a lot easier. I’d know when to run or lock myself in my room. Only problem: lately, it’d be playing all the time.
My fingers tighten around the backpack in my right hand, and my left grips the bus ticket harder. The bus was supposed to leave the station an hour ago, and we keep getting delayed. Ten minutes here, fifteen there. It all adds up to sand sliding through the hourglass.
I roll my neck as the stress of sitting perched on the edge of the wooden bench seat causes my muscles to lock. This is the furthest I’ve made it in my three tries to flee.
The first time I attempted to leave, my father caught me as I was sneaking out my bedroom window. The second time, my father found me walking along the side of the county road. Both times he reminded me that I’m only seventeen and that he’s still the person that runs my life.
I hate him. I’ve hated him for years and, because of that, this is attempt number three and I’m counting on it being lucky. I’m not seventeen anymore, and I’m done living at home.
“I like girls with blond curly hair,” mumbles a guy sitting behind me, making it perfectly clear to his sidekick that he’s talking about me.