“She wouldn’t do that. She knows we are on her side, and we all need to work together. It’s the only way we can solve this,” her mom answered. Sloan heard a coffee mug set down on a hard surface. It would be a multiple cup of coffee day.
She hated to tell her mother, but there were other ways to deal with it. She and the detective had a great plan. Sloan hoped it went well, but it was better than going to the prom blindly.
“I hope so,” Aaron said.
Enough of this. Sloan needed to make her presence known before they started talking about something she didn’t really want to listen to.
Easing up, she made enough noise to let them know she was coming down the stairs. Just like that, the whispering stopped.
“Good morning, honey,” her mom said from behind the island. Like always, her mom looked beautiful. Her golden hair fell over one shoulder, and her skin was flawless. Sloan’s hopes of having a perfect face like her mom’s had vanished when Boyd left the scar on her face.
“Yeah. Good morning, honey.” Aaron laid it on real smooth. He met her at the step and kissed her cheek. “Sleep good?”
“Pretty good. Considering.” She figured they would think it had been because of the prom, but it hadn’t. It had been because she didn’t have Aaron to hug up to.
“Excited for prom?” He grinned, took her hand, and walked her to the island. They had gone overboard with the breakfast. Sausage and eggs. Bacon and biscuits. Toast and jelly.
“I would be if…” She didn’t finish her sentence. The less she talked about good ole Mr. ICU and the notes the better. She wouldn’t have to lie if no one brought them up. “… if I didn’t have this big of a breakfast to eat.” She laughed and sat down in her seat next to Aaron. “I won’t be able to zip my dress.”
“It’ll zip just fine.” Her mom took another sip of coffee. Used to be, her mom was all “Don’t eat too much… watch your figure.” Now she rarely mentioned it. Maybe her mom finally understood that there were more important things than her measurements. “Eat. Enjoy.”
“Are you going to eat?” Sloan asked Aaron as she tossed a few pieces of bacon on her plate. She wasn’t that hungry, but they’d gone through all the trouble. Plus, who could say no to bacon?
“Already did.” He checked his phone. “It’s getting late. Gotta get home and help the little brother get ready. You know… tie his tie, take lots of pictures, be a good guardian.”
“DCS still watching you?” The Department of Children’s Services had been involved with the two since Aaron had run away in December when he’d been accused — by her mom — of attacking Sloan in the kitchen. He’d come back, the charges had been dropped, but still. Sometimes DCS didn’t know when to quit.
“Like a hawk. Gotta put up a good front. And I don’t get it. Ray will be eighteen in a few weeks. I won’t be needed, but glory be if I slip now. I think they are just looking for me to mess up.”
“It’ll be fine.” She squeezed his hand tightly. “They won’t do anything. You’re a good guardian.”
“I don’t know about that.” He grinned slyly.
Okay, he had a point. Not all guardians kissed their guardee’s love interests. But Aaron and Ray weren’t a normal family.
“See you later. Ray supposed to be here around noon? Don’t you think that’s a little early?”
“We can change it. Three is okay,” her mom said. “It’ll still give everyone time to get ready for the thousands of pictures I plan on taking.”
Thousands of pictures. For her mom to remember the night… in case Sloan didn’t make it. What a morbid thought. “And then we are going to a restaurant.”
“He’d better take you somewhere nice.” Aaron winked before kissing her cheek. “See you later.”
“Are you coming back with Ray?” she asked hopefully. It was so sad to be going on a date with one brother and wanting to see the other one, but it was where they were.
“I don’t know. It might be… weird.” He grinned from one side of his mouth and left.
“It’s all weird.” Sloan bit off the tip of a piece of toast. “I don’t know why they had to pick this week of all weeks to stake their claim.”
Her mom laughed. “Maybe Aaron felt jealous of Ray taking you to prom.”
“Maybe.” But whatever the case, it was lousy timing.
AT AROUND ONE, SLOAN started getting ready. She washed her hair with the door cracked open and a bell hung on the handle in case someone tried to come in again. Never again would she be caught off guard.
The shower was uneventful. She got out, brushed her hair, and put curlers in it. Her mom came in to help with the back. It was fun. Like it had been when she was a little girl. It was nice spending time alone with her mother before all of the craziness began.