Page 103 of Broken Hearts
“Was your mom pissed we left early?”
My ears perk up. “What do you mean you left early?”
There’s a flash of guilt on Rhett’s face before he shrugs. “We missed the funeral so we could catch the early flight back to Valley.”
My mouth gapes.
“She chastised me a little,” Rhett admits. “I don’t see what the big deal is. I paid my respects to Carrie’s family at the visitation. Staying wasn’t going to bring her back to life.”
A heavy silence falls over the apartment.
“As long as you got the closure you need.” Adam is the first to speak.
Rhett scoffs and lifts the controller in his hand. “Sure, man. Whatever. Are we going to play or what?”
I’m on edge after that trying to process this information. He didn’t go to the funeral?
Mav enters, still wearing his dress clothes, but the shirt is unbuttoned and untucked. He’s got a box under one arm and carries a bottle of Mad Dog in the other hand.
“Did anyone make it the full three hours?” Rhett asks.
“We told the freshmen if they left before midnight, we’d fill their dorms with that fucking confetti.” Mav grins. He sets the box on the kitchen counter and opens the bottle of Mad Dog. The second, or maybe third of the night. “Rauthruss, that box is for you. Delivery guy fucked up and left it outside my place by mistake.”
Rhett glances up to the box. “For me? Who’s it from?”
“Someone in Minnie-soda.” He picks it up with one hand and tosses it across the room.
Rhett stands to catch it. He stares down at the label and his face pales.
“What’s wrong?” Adam asks, picking up on the change in him.
“It’s from Carrie’s family.” He sits and sets it on the coffee table, glaring hard at the small box.
“Are you going to open it?” Heath asks.
“It’s probably just pictures or something. I’ll open it later.”
“We’re all here and the booze is freshly stocked. Might as well open it now and get it over with.” Mav sits on the arm of the chair across from him.
We’re all staring at him, so he proceeds. He rips off the tape and opens the flaps. His throat works before he reaches in.
My pulse thrums quickly as he sets the contents on the coffee table.
“My first college goal.” He holds up a hockey puck.
“No way, let me see.” Mav grabs it.
“I remember that game,” Adam says.
I have to admit I feel a pinch of jealousy for all the years I missed. For the history I’ll never have with him. I could never admit that out loud, not now, but before all of this happened I was jealous of Carrie and the time she had with Rhett. But as I watch him pull out mementos from their time together, I realize how stupid I was. He wouldn’t be who he is now without her. He’ll carry pieces of her with him forever, and I’ll be thankful that he is who he is no matter how he got here.
Among the other items he removes from the box is a Bruins hat that looks nearly identical to the one he always wears, a few newspaper clippings highlighting Rhett’s high school hockey days, and the last item is some sort of collage or photo cube.
“Oh, hand that over.” Adam grabs it. “I need to show Sienna what your Gumby ass looked like at sixteen.”
The pictures of them together are heart breaking, as are the words cut out from magazines to say things likeperfect couple,true love, andforever. But the real punch to the gut is the sound that comes from it. At first there’s a hint of confusion on Adam’s face when a female voice giggles. “I love you, Rhett.”
But when Rhett’s voice repeats the sentiment back, we all stare at him and then the cube where the sound is coming.
