Page 66 of Hearts at Seaside
She stepped forward, just a few inches from him. “I have a right to know. I’m part of this family.”
“You are, and I’m sorry. I didn’t want you to worry about him when you were just getting your life back together.” He had been so sure that protecting her was the right thing to do, and now, watching his sister’s pain and hearing the anger and hurt in her voice, he reconsidered everything he’d believed.
She took another step closer and punched his chest with the side of her fist. “You should have told me. How can he do this? Every night? Are you sure?”
“I should have, and yes, I’m sure.”
“For crying out loud, Peter.” She banged her fist on his chest again and again.
Pete folded her into his arms, and she struggled and pressed against his chest to break his hold, until finally, her sobs took over and she collapsed against him, drenching his shirt with her tears. Pete stroked her back, as he’d done during those treacherous weeks after their mother died.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Sky.” His eyes welled with tears for the harsh reality he’d just revealed. “It’s going to be okay. I promise you it will. I’m going to take care of it.”
“How can it be okay?”
“Because this isn’t who Pop is. I didn’t give up on you after Mom died, and I won’t give up on him.” Flashes of the weeks after their mother’s death came rushing back to him. Sky had been so distraught that she’d stopped going to work every day and communicated less with Pete and their brothers. He’d gone to New York and spent two weeks with her. They’d talked about their mother and he’d offered to pay for a therapist, but she insisted thatbig brother therapywas all she needed. He’d kept close tabs on her after returning to the Cape, and thankfully, she’d come out of it okay. He only wished he could have the same effect on his father.
She pushed away from his chest and wiped her eyes. “What now?”
“Now I’m going to talk to Pop and make sure he goes into rehab. I’m involved with someone now, and I can’t be running out every night to drag him into bed. I can’t worry that one day I’ll walk in and he’ll be dead. This needs to happen.”
“Every night? Dragging him into bed? You’ve been taking care of him? Alone? All this time?” She searched his eyes.
He shrugged. “Someone had to.”
She gulped a breath and punched his chest again. “Why do you always take care of everyone?”
He caught her next punch midair. “Whoa. Why are you beating on me?”
“Because if you’re taking care of him every night, you’re not taking care of yourself every night. I want to hate you for not telling me. You always take care of everyone, but you don’t have to, Pete. You could have let me grieve on my own, and you could have told me about Dad. You could have let Dad deal with his own mess.”
Pete laughed. “Do you think, even for a minute, that I’d let you suffer on your own? Or let Pop disappear into the bottle for good? This is what love is, Sky. This is what family does.”
“No, this is whatyoudo. Matty and Hunter aren’t here taking care of him. Grayson sure wouldn’t ever do it.” Her tears had stopped, and every step she took was determined as she paced a path across the deck. “You’ve been doing this for two years? Two years, Peter? What does your girlfriend think of all this?”
“Her name is Jenna, and she’s all for me getting him into rehab.”
“That’s good. At least someone is looking out for your interests. I want to be there when you talk to Dad.”
“No way.” Pete dug his keys from his pocket.
“Peter! I’m not a kid anymore. Yes, I was devastated when Mom died, but that was two years ago. I want to help Dad. I want him to know I know what he’s doing. Maybe that will push him into getting help.” She paced the deck, her long skirt swishing against her legs. “Maybe this is why I haven’t found my niche. I’ve been looking in the wrong places. I was thinking about coming home for the summer next year. I’ll come home now. I’ll help you with Dad.”
Pete couldn’t even begin to think of Sky giving up whatever dreams she might have to deal with their father, but he couldn’t push her away, either. She was right that she wasn’t a kid anymore, even if in his eyes she’d always be his baby sister. He lifted serious eyes to her and saw compassion and love—and something he hadn’t seen often enough.Conviction. At that moment, she resembled their mother more than she ever had before, and it gave Pete a shiver, and then a sense of pride in how far his sister had come.
“Mom would be proud of you, sis. I’m proud of you. We’ll talk about it. If Pop goes into rehab and you feel the same way a week from now, after you’ve had time to process all this…” He waved his hand in the air. “Then we’ll figure it out.”
