“Aren’t you? How’s the bimbo your father married? You once loved her.”
I wasn’t her. I wasn’t my mother. I blinked and stared at Aires’ tombstone, half hoping he’d tell me she was wrong. What did this mean? What did this mean about me? And Ashley? And my father?
“Let’s not discuss bad things,” she said. “I’ve been on my medication for two years and I’m never coming off. Besides, I came here to catch up on the present, not rehash the past. I’ve got a fantastic job and a beautiful loft apartment. Echo? Echo, where are you going?”
From over my shoulder, I looked at the woman who gave birth to me. She’d never once said she was sorry. “I’m going home.”
NOAH
Water trickled from my parents’ fountain. Children laughed and yelled from the playground behind the neighborhood. Frank had told me to take the day off. I didn’t need a day off. I needed to work. I needed the money. I didn’t need so much damn time on my hands.
I brought Echo here once. Either to impress her or seduce her, or maybe I brought her here to prove to myself I was someone worth loving. Who the hell knew, for all the good it did.
My mind had wrestled with the same question since Tuesday. How could I help her? I drew nothing but blanks. So much for those damn problem-solving skills Mrs. Collins said I was so good at.
“Noah!”
I whipped my head at the sound of Jacob’s voice and my heart squeezed in my chest. Wide-eyed, I stood just in time for the blond-haired midget to tackle me in a hug. “Noah! Noah! It’s you! It’s really you!”
Wrapping my arms around him, I quickly scanned the area. Joe slowly walked across the street, his hands shoved in his pockets, shoulders slumped forward. Carrie held the hand of a struggling Tyler. He extended his other hand toward me.
“Noah,” said Joe.
“Joe.”
Jacob faced Joe, but kept his arm around me. “You did this, didn’t you?” He glanced excitedly at me. “He does things like this all the time. He tells us that he’s taking us to the store and then does something great like get ice cream. Except this time he said we were going to the fountain and he gave us you.”
The faith and love that radiated from Jacob tore at my heart.
“Didn’t you, Dad?”
My muscles tensed and I held tighter to Jacob. Dad.
Joe’s eyebrows furrowed together. “Jacob, I had no idea …”
“That I’d be early,” I cut in. Joe eyed me warily, but didn’t contradict me. Maybe if I played nice, he’d let me see them for a few seconds. “But I don’t have much time, bro.”
Jacob’s smile fell. “Did you know that our mom and dad built these houses?”
I blinked. Our mom and dad. “Yeah. I was about your age then. I helped Dad put up every single porch swing.”
Mom’s smile returned on Jacob’s face. “That must have been cool.”
“Yeah, it was.”
Joe gestured for Carrie to join us. A flash of worry covered her face before she slowly walked over. Like a fish, Tyler slipped out of her grasp and ran headfirst into my leg.
“Hey, bro.”
Tyler responded with a dazzling smile. No bruises. No staples. Just happiness. I mussed the hair on his head.
“Hey, Mom,” said Jacob, “did you know that Noah helped our mom and dad build these houses?”
The smile on her face seemed forced. “Did he?”
“Yep, because Noah is awesome.”
Her lips turned down, but she shoved them back up.
“Wanna come play with us?” Jacob asked me.
Tyler attached himself to my leg and propped both of his feet on top of mine. I cleared my throat. “I’ve got to get to work later and I need to eat before that.” Even though I didn’t work today and even if I did, I cooked food for a living.
“Eat wis us,” said Tyler.
He spoke to me. My youngest brother uttered his first words to me since the day of my parents’ funeral. I stared helplessly at Carrie and Joe. I was trying to do the right thing here. The exact opposite of what I wanted and my brothers were tearing out my heart.
“Come home and have lunch with us,” blurted out Carrie.
Joe touched her arm and spoke soothingly. “Are you sure?”
Carrie turned to him. “You were right, Joe.”
“Noah, would you like to follow us home and have lunch with your brothers?” asked Joe.
“Yes!” Jacob pumped his fist. “Wait until you see my room and my bike.”
Tyler still hung on my leg. “Yes, sir.”
I FORCED DOWN THE ham-and-cheese sandwich, chips and iced tea, even though sitting here on the back patio at Carrie and Joe’s made me nervous as hell. Part of me waited for the cops to show so Carrie could point at me and say I broke some sort of court order. To cover my ass, I called Mrs. Collins on the way here to tell her about lunch. She reminded me three times to watch my language.
“Come on, Noah, come see my room.” Jacob tugged on my hand and I glanced at Carrie and Joe for permission. Joe nodded.
This was the grandest house I had ever seen. The house may have been Victorian-era style, but the entire inside rocked out in contemporary. Granite kitchen counters, stainless steel appliances, hardwood floors throughout the first floor and a foyer the size of Dale’s basement.
Jacob rattled on about school and basketball while we walked up the massive staircase. “Tyler’s room is across from mine and Mom and Dad’s is right down the hall. We have two guest bedrooms. Two! Mom and Dad said that if I keep working with my counselor and go another month without nightmares then I can have friends over for a slumber party. I can’t wait….”