Page 25 of Finding Us

“Yeah, we do.”

CHAPTERNINE

When we getto Garret’s house, his dad’s car is out front. Garret thought he’d still be at work. As we approach the door, his dad opens it before we can even knock.

“Garret. Jade. Welcome home.” Pearce gives Garret a long hug and then hugs me for almost as long. He steps aside to let us in.

The house looks cold and stark as it always does. They really need to redecorate.

Pearce puts his arm around Garret. “It seems like forever since I saw you last.”

“Dad, you saw me in May.”

“Yes, but I’m used to having you closer to home where I can see you more.” Pearce is acting very strange. He seems happy and is showing more affection than usual. “Are you two hungry? Because I thought we could order a pizza for dinner.”

Garret laughs. “Are you feeling okay, Dad? Because a pizza has never been delivered to this house.” He looks at me. “Katherine would never allow it.”

“Katherine isn’t home tonight,” Pearce says. “And I gave Charles the night off. You know I can’t cook, Garret, and I think pizza sounds good. But if you two don’t want that, we can have something else.”

“I love pizza,” I say. “I vote for pizza. How about you, Garret?”

He’s still in shock. I nudge him to get his attention. “Um, yeah. Pizza’s good.”

“All right then. I’ll order it up.” Pearce gets his phone out and looks at me. “Where exactly do you get something like that around here?”

I laugh. “Garret can tell you. I have to use the bathroom. Hey, is Lilly home?”

“Yes, she’s in her bedroom. Why don’t you go get her?”

I race upstairs, stopping at the bathroom quick before heading to her room. I knock on her door and hear her tiny voice on the other side. “Who is it?”

What kid asks that? Most kids would just open the door. Lilly is too funny.

“It’s your friend who promised to visit you.”

“Jade!” The door pops open and her little arms wrap around my legs. I reach down and pick her up.

“Did you miss me?”

“Yes. Please don’t go away again.”

Her voice sounds so sad it almost makes me cry. I feel so bad for her, stuck in her room with no friends.

“I live in California now, Lilly. You know that.” I walk into her room and set her down on her bed.

“When are you leaving?”

“Not until Tuesday, so we have a whole bunch of days to do stuff together.”

She still seems sad, but she perks up when she sees Garret walk through the door.

“Garret!” She runs up to him and he picks her up and spins her around.

“How’s my favorite sister?”

“I’m youronlysister,” she says, giggling.

“And my favorite.”

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