Page 153 of My Merry Mistake
I start to introduce myself, but then I realize that I recognize this woman.
She’s older now, but I see her face every time one of her stupid letters shows up.
I remember the trial. The way she sat there, stone cold until it was time for her sentencing. Then, she had plenty of tears. And now she’s standing right in front of me, in a place that I helped build.
Just her presence here mocks me and everything this place stands for.
I glare at Eileen. “What is she doing here?” My voice doesn’t sound like my own. It’s fueled by anger I don’t like feeling.
“Finn, let’s go outside,” Momma says, trying to take me by the arm.
“No, I’ll go,” Eileen’s eyes are glued to mine.
“Yeah, I think you should,” I say.
“Finn!” My mom turns to Eileen. “Don’t go, Eileen. Let’s talk this through.”
I look at my mom, feeling stabbed in the back. “How could you let her in here after what she did?” I take a step back, shaking my head, anger seething from a dark place inside. I turn to go.
“Finn, wait,” my mom calls after me, but I don’t turn around. Because how could she do this? I storm out the door and ontothe street. How could she betray our family like this? She knows how we all feel about Eileen.
How can anyone who loved Hunter ever let her walk around here thinking that it’s okay?
I get in the truck and slam my hand on the steering wheel, again and again. My palm starts to hurt, and I switch to rearing back and swinging my fist into the passenger seatback.
I hit it. I hit it again.
A group of carolers pass by, singing “Joy to the World.” They’re dressed in old Victorian costumes, and their happiness feels wrong given the way I feel right now.
Angry.
Frustrated.
Hurt. And more than anything—betrayed.
Chapter Forty
Finn
It’s taking everything inside of me not to push the gas pedal all the way to the floor.
I drive out to the farthest edge of my family’s property, white knuckles on the steering wheel, and a cloud of dust in my rearview mirror.
I wish that cloud could erase the past.
I’m headed to a small lake with a pristine view of the mountains. Something about it has always calmed me down.
And right now I need to calm down.
My phone keeps buzzing. I have three missed calls from my mom and one from my dad, but I don’t want to talk to anyone right now. I don’t want to hear explanations of how this happened, excuses about why this was a good idea, none of it. If Eileen was there—having a conversation with my mother about gift wrap—then that must mean they’ve all moved on.
Do my brothers and sisters know about this? Is everyone just okay with it?
What about Hunter?
I open the truck door, step out into the cold December air, and slam it shut with enough force to knock all of the loose change out of the inside door handle where Pop keeps it. It’s coldenough to shock my lungs, but not so much that it stings my skin.
I crunch toward the lake. There’s snow on it, but it’s not frozen yet. Once I reach the shoreline, I take a second to study the scene in front of me. Hunter’s spot. I don’t even know if my brothers and sisters know about it, but he showed it to me. Probably because I never left him alone.
