“Knocked off work in time.” He pulls back, unable to give me his eyes. Ever since it came out about his affair with his skanky whore, he’s never been able to look me in the eye.
Probably knows he can’t bullshit me with his bullshit.
“Aunt B.” Arabella barrels through the door, past my mother and father, and into my arms. “Daddy droves us in his car.” It takes a second for me to breathe through the ache she jolted out of me.
“He did, did he?” I inhale through my nose, masking my discomfort.
“Yep.” She nods up and down. “What happened to your face, Aunt B?” She steps back when she notices the small bandage concealing the graze on my cheekbone.
“I have a nasty boo boo,” I tell her as her small hand reaches out and gently touches me.
“Mommy, Aunt B is hurt!” she yells out, like somehow her mother, my best friend, can fix me.
“Is she?” Payton steps into the house, her eyes scanning over my face and assessing the damage. I haven’t spoken to Payton since our breakfast the other day. I’m not sure how tonight is going to go.
“What the hell happened?” Her eyes grow wide as she takes me in.
“I just–” I’m not sure what to say, so I don’t say anything else. Mom, sensing the tension, ushers Arabella out of the room and into the kitchen. Leaving Dad, Jett and Payton all staring at me.
“Come on, son, come help me outside for second.” My dad picks up on the stiffness between us, opting for a quick escape.
Well, this should be interesting.
“What happened?” She drops her bag down on the sofa and takes a seat.
“I ran into some trouble with The Disciples.”
“Jesus, Lib, how do you get yourself into these situations.” She drops her stony stare and scolds me.
“Don’t you start on me, too. It’s bad enough I’m getting it from Mom and Dad. I need my friend. Can I have her?” It’s all she needs to hear to scoot forward and wrap me up in her arms.
“I’m sorry, girl. I shouldn’t have left the way I did the other day.” Her hold on me is strong, and a little painful, but I don’t let her know. It feels good to have her talking to me again.
“I shouldn’t have said what I did,” I admit, not sure if I really mean it.
“No, you brought up valid points, Lib. I shouldn’t have lashed out at you. You’re right, and maybe it’s why I left. I couldn’t handle it. Maybe I am holding on out of guilt with Arabella. Maybe I was afraid to lose you, lose this.” She motions around my parents’ house. The same house we grew up in. “It’s so hard to know what to do.” To me, it sounds like she’s made her decision.
So why did she come with Jett tonight? Like a family?
“I went home, thought hard, then spoke to Jett, and unless I make a decision, we can’t move on. So I made a decision.” I sit, waiting, still not sure exactly where she is going with this. “We’re going to give it a second chance. But one slip up, even just a little one, he’s done.” It’s almost too hard not to react the way she’s probably expecting me to react.
“Well, I’m not sure if my brother has it in him to fix the pain he’s put you through, but I hope for your sake he does. ’Cause if he hurts you again, Pay, I won’t be able to control myself,” I warn on a shaky breath.
“Believe me, he messes up, you can have him after I’m done with him. Trust me on this. I’ve laid it out. He steps out again, he loses his family.” I almost make a snide remark about him not worrying about the loss of his family the first time he stepped out on her, but I only just got my best friend talking to me again. I’m not about to piss her off in less than five minutes.
“I’m happy for you, Pay. I am.”
“I know you’re not really, but you will be again. You’ll see. I promise. He’ll win you back too.” It’s a big call, a big chance she is willing to take. I pray more than anything, Jett can man up.
Not just for Payton’s sake, but for the sweet little girl of ours.
“You sure you don’t want to stay the night?” my dad asks after dinner as he and my mom walk me out to my car. Payton, Jett, and Arabella left an hour ago, but I stayed back and helped Mom clean up.
“As much as I love the thought of sleeping in the same bed I slept in when I was a teenager, my king bed is calling me after sleeping in Fee’s uncomfortable guest bed for two nights. Besides, I’m back to work tomorrow.”
“Are you sure you’re okay to go back to work. Has the doctor given you the all clear?” My mom worries at her bottom lip.
“Mom, it’s barely a bruised rib and a slight concussion. Besides, I’m not back at the house tomorrow anyway. I’m in meetings all day at head office.” I turn and wrap my arms around her, in a good-bye hug. “Love you, thanks for dinner.”
“Love you, too. Call us when you get home. And make sure you tell the nice police officer neighbor thank you again for looking after you.” I reluctantly agree, stupid Hetch, then turn and give my father the same love.