“Because he deserved to know.”
“Deserved!?” my mom bellows. “He deserved a chance to make the decision with you! He deserved a girlfriend who would show a little respect! He deserved a loyal best friend! And most of all, he deserved all the facts—not an edited version you concocted to protect yourself!”
“Please,” Savannah sobs. “I know. You’re right, Julie. I was just trying to make it as easy on him as possible. Please, just let it go. We all need to move on. And when Sebastian comes home, I’ll make it up—”
“You’ll stay the hell away from my son! That’s exactly what you’ll do!”
“I love him!” Savannah’s voice is more than desperate. “We’ll get through this, and be stronger—”
Something stops her short, and I peek in to see that my mom is only inches from Savannah, holding up a finger to silence her.
“Listen to me, little lady, and listen good! As far as you’re concerned, Sebastian no longer exists.” She steps back and smooths her hands over her cardigan, reestablishing her ladylike decorum. “I’ve said my piece, and that’s all I’m gonna say. I’m not your mama—I’m Sebastian’s. He’s my only concern in all this, and I trust my boy’s instincts. You keep tellin’ your tales if you want. You have to live with yourself, not me. But I don’t ever want to see you on my land, or at my table, again.”
“I have performances here, and Echo…she’s my best friend.”
“My daughter is the only real friend you had in this town, but if you think for one second that she wouldn’t lay you flat on your ass for betraying her big brother, then you don’t know her at all. And you sure as hell don’t deserve her loyalty.”
My mom pivots, and that’s my cue to hide as I hear her feet stomping toward me. I scurry around the side of the pavilion and watch as she storms out and into the house, her entire body visibly shaking.
I inhale through my nostrils, then slowly blow the breath out through my mouth. I do this several times, trying to organize all the crazy thoughts, assumptions, and questions that are making me dizzy…and figure out what I’m going to do about it.
I’d never put all my stock in the validity of Kelly Springs rumors, so some of my mom’s “implications” may be just that: rumors. But I heard, firsthand, enough of Savannah’s responses to know that most of the conversation was indeed fact. I can barely process the thought: Savannah had an abortion, and didn’t tell Sebastian about it until afterward.
Yep, that’s enough for me.
I barrel into the pavilion, my brutal rage gaining intensity with each heavy step I take.
“Savannah!” I bark, startling her so badly that she drops everything in her hands—her costumes and such that she’d begun packing.
“Echo! Uh…hey.” Her eyes are red and blotchy as she pastes on a bogus smile. “I came over hoping we could practice, but I’m not feeling very well, so maybe later?”
“Why don’t you sit down and drink some water? You’re not too sick to talk a minute, are you? ‘Cause I think we need to have a chat.” I mold on a sweet smile of intention to reel her in slowly and lean against a frame beam, crossing my ankles casually.
She drops into a folding chair and sighs like it took herculean effort. “About the party, right? Jesus, Echo. I texted and apologized. Maybe you could just get over it for once? Not everything that hurts your feelings is worth a long, drawn-out discussion. There are bigger issues in the world.”
“You’re absolutely right,” I chirp. “And I’m completely over it. In fact, nothing could be further from my mind.”
“Then what have I done now? Come on.” She gestures in an “Out with it” motion. “Tell me how I was a shitty friend this time. I’ll apologize like I always do, and then we can move on.”
A tiny piece of me is actually still rooting for her. I’m still hoping it’s all a big misunderstanding, and that my best friend of so many years will explain everything and confide in me, like my brother didn’t—the latter of which I’ll worry about later.
So I shift into reverse, opening a line of communication that she might get comfortable enough in to spill it. “You’re not always a shitty friend, Sav, and I’m not always a perfect one. But since you mentioned the party, it wasn’t one of your finest displays. You left me right out of the gate, and acted pretty damn inappropriate. I’m hoping, though, that after drinking, you or what’s her name didn’t drive. Did Clay take you guys home?”
“No. Why?” Her eyes hold a glint of suspicious guilt.
I shrug a shoulder. “Just figured he would. Since Seb left, you two seem to have gotten close: clubbing, birthday shopping…and then there was the added surprise of him offering to get your drink at the party.” I tick the items off on my fingers. “Oh, I almost forgot the town tour for Kingston that you rode along on, and the day you showed up, with Clay, to unpack the truck. You and Clay used to barely talk—or so I thought.”