Page 69 of Hello Forever
When I thought about it, I realized how weird it was that I hadn’t heard from her these past ten days. My father’s arrest had been all over the local newspaper. Even if Amy eschewed theBerkshire Valley Timesin favor of theBoston Globe, someone would have mentioned ittoher.
I tried to remember the last time I’d talked to her. Amy had checked in with me right before Axel’s attack. And then…nothing. That was downright weird, and it gave me a prickle of worry. Had I missed something that had happened to her? Jeez, I hoped not. But my bandwidth was seriously strained at themoment.
“Cax?”
I turned to see Jared leaning on the fridge. He set my phone down and frowned. “Did yougetAmy?”
He nodded, looking grim. “Mark is with her,actually.”
“Really?” I tossed the sponge on the counter. “Iseveryoneokay?”
Jared shrugged. “She says he’s not ready tocomehome.”
“Okay. Should I, uh,callher?”
He shook his head. “She said she’ll come over later. Around suppertime.” He turnedtogo.
That made me feel helpless. “Well, I guess I’d better figure out something forsupper.”
Jared looked over his shoulder again. “Oh—Amy said she and Mark would bringdinner.”
I laughed. “Of courseshedid.”
In the living room, Scotty was glued to the screen, but Axel had dozed off. I grabbed a Barmuth College throw blanket and covered him with it, taking a moment to admire the way his dark lashes swept down toward his cheekbones. Then I sat down beside Scotty to watch the rest of his moviewithhim.
* * *
After the movie,Axel woke up. Scotty ran off to the computer to try to figure out when the next Avengers film wouldcomeout.
I went into the kitchen to get us a couple of sodas. As I poured the Coke over ice cubes, I couldn’t believe how trippy it was to have Axel sitting in the family room. This was a day that I thought would never come. Even if things were horribly complicated, and one of my brothers wasn’t speaking to me, it was still importanttome.
I loved Axel, and I wanted him in my life. And everyone was just going to have to get usedtoit.
When I carried our drinks into the family room, Axel was texting someone. “Who are you talking to? Wait, that soundedjealous.”
He chuckled. “It’s Josh. He wants to know if I need a ride home. He and Caleb keep tabs on my movements. They’re almost worse than mymother.”
My chest got tight. It should have been me who’d helped him all week. But I’d been here, putting meals on the table, trying to convince my brothers that their lives weren’t falling apart just because their father was now notorious for assault. “Tell Josh that I’ll driveyouhome.”
“I already did.” He tried to shove his phone in his pocket, but then dropped it. “Fucking cast,”hesaid.
“Don’t say ‘fucking,’” Scotty said, walking into the room. “Amy’s car justpulledup.”
I shot to my feet, but then thought better of rushing to meet them. Wherever Mark’s head was right now, it wouldn’t help if I rushed him like an offensive lineman. I sat back down again and sipped mydrink.
Both Axel and Scotty looked at me like Iwasnuts.
“Hello?” Amy called from the backdoor. “Cax?”
I stood up again and went toward thekitchen. “Hi.”
Amy scurried to meet me halfway, so she could chew me out in relative privacy. “Cax? How do I not get a call when your father lands in prison? And you’re suing the state for custody of yourbrothers?”
“I’m sorry,” Iwhispered.
“Jesus, Cax. I was in Florida with Derek until yesterday. This morning my father tells me about the whole disaster. So I’m in my car driving over here to rip you a new one when Mark comes running out of the house like it’sonfire…”
“Wait!” I held up a hand. “Back up. You were in Florida with Derek forten days?Amy—that’s not a vacation, that’s cohabitation. Should I check the mailbox for a weddingannouncement?”
