“Does your father have a medical or mental condition I should be aware of?”
“Not that I know of.” Regret for contacting the police began suffocating me. How the hell was I going to talk my way out of this so he would leave before my mom or dad returned?
Realizing I didn’t have a choice, I invited the cop into the house and gave him the information for the report, just to get rid of him.
After he finally left, I went upstairs to find Hailey and Sarah. Before heading to my sister’s room, I quickly ducked into mine, changed into dry jeans and a T-shirt, and grabbed a hoodie.
My sister was snuggled under the bedcovers, cuddling her stuffed tiger, when I entered her room. Hailey was sitting on the bed, her wet clothes still clinging to her body.
“Hey, squirt. You okay now?” I handed the hoodie to Hailey and sat behind her as she put it on. This wasn’t the first time I’d seen her in my clothing, and the effect on my body hadn’t changed. A tingling longing tormented me, telling me to pull my best friend into my arms and hug her for everything she was doing for me and for Sarah.
Sarah nodded at my question, then yawned.
Hailey ruffled her hair and pushed herself off the bed. “See you later. Don’t forget our date for this weekend.”
I didn’t want Hailey to leave. I wanted her to stay a while longer. But I could tell she wanted to give Sarah and me some privacy so we could talk, and then I could reassure my sister again that she would never have to worry about a repeat of what happened tonight.
I would make sure of that.
I gave Hailey a smile that said a million things: Thank you. God, you’re beautiful. I want you to be with me forever. Based on her sad expression, she’d seen none of that in my smile.
Once Hailey had left the room, I picked up Sarah’s stuffed tiger. I’d given it to her when she was six years old. She’d been suffering from nightmares that a monster was going to hurt her. I told her the tiger would keep her safe.
I was doing a crappy job of keeping my promise.
“I’m sorry about tonight.” I handed her back the tiger. She clutched it to her chest. “But I promise you it won’t happen again.”
She nodded, but this time a slight frown marred her otherwise innocent face. “Why doesn’t Daddy love me anymore?”
My heart cracked at her words. “It’s not that Dad doesn’t love you anymore. He just…” Shit. “He just doesn’t know how to show it.” I kissed her forehead and made a show of tucking her and her tiger in. “Good night. See you tomorrow.” I walked to the door.
“I love you, Nolan.”
I turned back to her and smiled softly. “I love you too, squirt.”
As I walked downstairs, Mom’s and Hailey’s voices rose to greet me. I couldn’t hear what they were saying; the words were too quiet. I couldn’t even determine if Hailey was telling my mom what had happened.
As I continued down the stairs, their words became clearer.
“I don’t understand why you don’t leave him.” Hailey.
“I know,” my mom said, her voice almost the whisper of a breeze. “Love is complicated.”
What the fuck?
I paused on the final step.
“How can you say that?” Hailey said. “This isn’t love. Not even close to it.”
I quietly entered the kitchen. She was glaring at my mom, her body tense, my mother’s face pale.
That’s when they must have sensed me. They both turned around, and the guilt and confusion on my mom’s face almost knocked me back a step. But I knew what had happened tonight wouldn’t be enough for Mom to leave my father. It would have to be bigger, something just short of him killing her.
At the sound of the garage door opening, my heart pounded loud in my chest, sending Morse-code messages to anyone within a ten-mile radius. I grabbed hold of Hailey’s hand and tried tugging her toward the front door. She stood firmly in place and yanked her hand away. Shit, what was she up to?
“Look, Hailey, I have to get you out of here.”
“Why? Is your father going to bully me like he bullies you? Is he going to hurt me like he hurts you?”
The door to the garage clicked open. Footsteps thumped from the laundry room, their sound uneven. My father was drunk enough that he stumbled as he walked.
I grabbed Hailey’s hand again, and this time she didn’t resist me. But it was too late. Before we could make it to the front door, my father stepped from the laundry room.
Fuck.
Chapter 28
Nolan
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. The unexpected memory tore down the dam of emotions I’d been successful so far in holding back.
A sob broke free. I buried my face in my hands.
Somewhere in the back of my mind, I heard the distinct clicking of a camera but ignored it. I stared at the blurry words on the gravestones, still unable to talk beyond telling my mom and Sarah I was sorry.