I reached inside the box when I saw a picture of Garrett. He was with my professor, the same one who said she already knew him. That wasn’t the surprising part of it. What caught my eye was the other person in the photo.
I showed it to Mason. “This was taken when they were in college?”
Mason was waiting for me. He nodded, his voice quiet, as he said, “Yes.”
I pointed at the other female. “Is that who I think it is?”
“She went to college with Garrett.”
“That wasn’t an answer.” I didn’t need him to tell me though. I knew who it was.
Logan asked, “Who is it?”
“My mother.”
“Oh.”
Another hush of silence fell over the room.
Logan said quietly, “Are you sure?”
Nate darted him a look. “Dude.”
I shook my head. “It’s okay.” And it was.
I already knew that Analise and Garrett went to college together. It wasn’t just the three of them in the photograph. She was the one I’d singled out, but as I looked over it, I picked out Sharon, Garrett’s now wife, Sebastian’s father, and others. They were posing for a group photograph somewhere. It was sunny. Most of them wore sunglasses. They were all dressed for warm weather in tank tops, T-shirts, shorts, and loose skirts for the girls.
I couldn’t stop looking at my mother.
Her black hair was pulled up into a braid. She was smiling, but unlike the others, there were no sunglasses to block her eyes. She was looking sideways, up at Garrett, with her hand resting over her stomach. He was standing next to her but not looking at her. His shoulder was forward, so his back was turned slightly toward her, and he had his arm around Sharon’s shoulders. His head was angled down, like he’d just shared a secret with her.
Analise wasn’t showing, but a sixth sense told me that she was pregnant.
That was me.
I glanced to Mason.
He’d been watching me the whole time, and he nodded. “The PI thought so, too. The timing’s right.”
I was speechless.
“What?” Nate asked us.
Logan skirted between the two of us. “What’s going on?”
I handed him the picture. “I think my mom was pregnant there.”
He looked at it and hooted in laughter. “Your mom was sneaky. Holy shitola. And he’s still with the other chick. That’s his wife now, right?”
I nodded as he passed it to Nate.
“Oh, man.” Nate shook his head. “Wow. That’s…” He said to me, “Sorry, Sam. That’s gotta be weird to see.”
It was. A lump was clogging my throat, but I shrugged. “I’m fine.”
I wasn’t.
I knew it. I heard about it, but the proof was right there. Garrett was still with Sharon. He cheated on her, like how she’d cheated on him later. And Analise…it was just further proof about what type of person she was.
I’d come from two cheaters. I was a product of them.
I felt like I’d been gut-punched, and I couldn’t breathe for a moment.
“Sam,” Mason softly said my name.
He was going to reassure me, but I didn’t want that right now. I knew what Analise was capable of. Tears stung my eyelids, wanting to be shed, but I refused to let them free. I refused to cry over her. This wasn’t just about what she did, but what she’d continued to do, what she had done to me all my life.
Lie. Cheat. Hurt. Destroy.
That was my legacy. That was where I’d come from.
“Sam, stop.” Mason came over. His hands slid under me.
He was going to pick me up, but I pushed him.
“Stop.” I scrambled to my feet and scooted away. My arms crossed over my chest. I couldn’t stop looking at that photograph.
“Sam. Come on.”
Logan and Nate grew quiet. Nate was still holding the photograph, but Logan grabbed it from him and ripped it in two.
He stood, showing me both pieces. “See? Whatever’s in your head, shove it out, Sam. This piece of shit isn’t you.” He gripped the photo above Analise’s head and ripped it again. She was torn in half. “I was joking before. I’ll take your mom on any day of the week. I know Mason’s ahead of me, and Nate’s with us, too. Stop thinking.” He showed me the ripped pieces again. “This isn’t you.”
I looked at Mason. I didn’t know what I needed, but he’d have it. He always did, and he came to me now. He pulled me into his arms and sat down on the chair behind him.
I was cradled on his lap as he spoke, “I have to tell you guys what my PI uncovered, and some of it has to do with that photograph.”
“The one I shredded just now?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh.” Logan looked at it again. “Oops.”
Nate pulled out some negatives from the box. “We’re good. If we need it, I bet we can get it again.”
Logan’s head lifted. His shoulders bounced up. “Never mind me as I go to burn this piece of shit, and yes, I mean literally. Analise is a piece of shit.”
“Logan,” Mason called after him.
He was heading to the kitchen but backtracked. “Yeah?”
“Stay here for a bit. You all need to hear this just so you know what we’re going up against.”
Logan’s eyebrows locked forward together. “That doesn’t sound good.”