Page 32 of We Thought We Knew It All
It should’ve been exciting, should’ve been fun. Instead, it was awkward as hell. Morgan and Callie chatted excitedly, but the rest of us stared down at our food and ate in silence, waiting. What we were waiting for, I couldn’t say. Maybe for Jay to explode; for this entire nightmare to come to a head.
I glanced up at him as he picked at his food. My father’s death hit him hard. I tried to form some kind of sympathy. I wanted to be as sad as him. The truth was, a relief was beginning to settle in me and I hated that I felt that way. No wonder my brother wouldn’t speak to me.
Callie smiled across at me, lifting my mood. When Morgan called Colby and told him she’d just gotten back to town and wanted to surprise Cal, I wasn’t sure it was a good idea. Now I had no doubts. Callie had never been exactly carefree, but the years had worn her down even more. She deserved to be happy.
I swallowed a bite of potato, continuing to watch her.
“Well...” Morgan’s eyes scanned the faces around the table. “This is sufficiently awkward.”
“Morgan.” Callie shook her head, but Morgan had never been one to hold anything back.
“No, seriously. It’s the first time in ages that we’ve all been back together. Jamie looks like he’s scared to say anything. Jay looks like he wants to punch someone. His wife looks like she doesn’t have a clue what to do. And Colby, well you just look sexy as ever.” She winked at him.
I chuckled. “Leave it to Morgan to make things even worse.”
“It’s what I do.” She shrugged. “Okay, children. I haven’t kept up with some of you so we’re going back to kindergarten since we obviously need an ice breaker. Go around the table and tell us what you’ve been up to since the day we all got out of this God forsaken town. Man, I can’t believe we’re back.” She shivered. “Anyway, Colby can start.”
“Being that I’ve kept in touch with almost all of you -” he started.
“Just do it,” Morgan snapped.
He flashed her a grin. “Fine. The past ten years have been all about school and my residency.”
“Girlfriend?” Morgan asked.
He laughed. “Jay and Amber keep trying to set me up with people, but I’ve been too busy.”
“Colby.” She stared at him. “You’re boring. Next.”
“You see what I’ve been up to.” Callie gestured to the boys who were squirming in their seats looking bored.
“And the book,” Morgan said.
Callie looked down, a blush rising in her cheeks. Damn, that girl was still as cute as ever. She still couldn’t stand attention.
“I’m writing another one,” she admitted.
“Really? You didn’t tell me that.” Colby leaned forward.
Callie breathed in deeply. I knew that look on her face. She was about to tell us something we weren’t going to like.
“It’s about that night.”
Silence.
We all knew which night she was referring to. The same night that haunted us all these years later. My initial thought was that maybe this would be good for Callie, to get it out. I’d let those demons go a long time ago, replaced by others. She never had.
A few days ago, I tried to help her, but I never thought that one moment in the locker room was enough. It was the most real moment I’d had in years and also the most vulnerable. For both of us. I wondered if she was thinking about that.
Morgan’s face had gone white beside Callie. Morgan’s brother, Troy, had been the only casualty in the shooting other than the shooter himself. It’d almost destroyed her family.
“Morgan,” Callie said tentatively.
“No.” Morgan stood. “You can’t do it.” She walked out and moments later we heard the front door slam.
Callie sat stunned for just a second before following her out.
“Some game,” Colby murmured.
