Page 41 of Ever's Last
“What if I don’t want to stay here at all?”
“You want to go on a vacation?”
“Maybe.”
“I’ve held you back for far too long.”
“You never held me back. I wanted to stay.”
“Pack a bag and we’ll head to the other house. I’ll call and tell Anne you’re coming and that she has to be nice.” He chuckles.
“Thank you.” I turn to head in and see everyone staring at me.
“Ever, I’m sorry,” Brick says sadly.
“It’s not your fault,” I tell him, patting his shoulder as he passes me.
“I wasn’t in the car, but I figured out what happened. A lot of people knew and no one said anything,” he announces. Ivy and Linc shift on their feet.
“No one said anything because of what your dad just said. You would have said to keep it to ourselves because it would have ruined Memphis. You are a good person.”
“Everyone knew but me?” I look at my dad.
“We only suspected, and it’s not the whole town, just those close to you and Memphis.”
“I see. So I am stupid.” I start to storm off.
“You’re not stupid,” I hear the voice to the side of me say.
“Haven’t you caused me enough heartache for one day,” I ask Skye as she approaches me.
“I can’t say sorry enough. I was a bitch. I will probably always be a bitch. But I thank you for not turning me in. You’re not stupid, you just have a sweet heart. And I’m sorry I broke it.”
I can’t take this, the pep talks or the apologies or the betrayal or Skye being sweet.
I do as my dad said and pack a bag. My dad is waiting for me. We don’t talk, he knows I don’t need anymore.
Anne, a woman I thought I would never see again, is sitting on the porch when we pull up.
“Take your time. But know you have a right to be mad at him for me. And you have a right to be upset about what he did. He and Skye were wrong and I have no idea why she decided to come clean tonight. I know you’re hurting. You thought you had to stay to help. You’ve missed out on life. Even Ivy and Linc spent time out of state, traveling. You never did. I feel like you’ve been robbed of that. I would have made it work if you wanted to leave.”
“But it would have put you back even more.”
“It’s a parent’s job to worry, not a child’s. Take your time.” I slide out of the car and watch him go. He was always my safety net. He was there since my first step. He caught me when I fell that night, holding my hand through every surgery. Maybe it’s my fault and I’ve held him back.
“I’ve put clean sheets on your bed,” Anne says. I forgot she was even there.
I turn and head inside, putting my bag in my room. I wasn’t here long enough to really call itmy room.
“Ever, I’ve made some dumplings if you’re hungry,” Anne says from behind the door. Anne cooks?
“Okay,” I say, heading for the kitchen. I can smell the dumplings and my mouth waters for some goodness.
I sit at the bar and she hands me a beer. I look at her skeptically.
“Your dad filled me in. I think you need one.” She gives me a small smile.
“Thank you. I didn’t know you cooked.”
