“If it’s any consolation, I agree. At first, I didn’t think so, but after McKinley listed all of the reasons it would be believable between them, I agree this will work,” Aaron adds.
“Evan,” Dad says his name, causing him to give my father his full attention. Dad doesn’t say anything just gives him a tight nod. Mom places her hand over Dad’s resting on her leg.
“Have you talked to your parents? I’m sure they want to be there,” Mom says.
“I . . . um . . . n-no I haven’t talked to them. They don’t know about the letter.”
“Mom, it’s not a real wedding,” I tell her.
“We need to make it look real, Kinley. If you are going to go through with this, we need to make sure it looks real. There will be no room for anyone to doubt it.”
“Dad can’t travel,” Evan says.
“Well, looks like we’re taking a road trip,” Mom says. “You call them and let them know what going on. Then I’ll call your mom and we will take care of the details.”
Evan joins me on the couch, and I’m once again the center of his attention. “McKinley, I need you to be sure about this.”
“Positive.”
“I don’t know how I will ever be able to thank you for what you’re doing for us.”
“You don’t have to thank me, Evan. I want to do this. They can’t have her.”
He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear. “Thank you.”
“All right, well, we’re heading home. I’ve got some planning to start. Evan, you let me know once you’ve talked to your parents and I’ll take care of the rest. You have enough to worry about. Your mom was just saying how she can’t wait to meet her granddaughter. Looks like she’s going to get that wish.” They say their goodbyes with the promise this is all going to work out.
“You about ready, Kinley?” Aaron asks.
Am I ready? No, I don’t want to leave her. “I . . . not really,” I admit.
“You can stay tonight. I might need backup with Mom and Dad. Mom will want to talk to you to make sure you’re okay with all of this,” Evan tells me.
“Yeah, there are probably a lot of things we need to discuss about this . . . arrangement.”
“All right, well, you all know where to find me if you need anything. Kinley, I can come back for you later,” Aaron offers.
“I’ll bring her home in the morning. I would have been dropping Lexi off anyway. I think she needs this time with my little girl as much as I do,” Evan tells him.
“Yeah,” Aaron says. “You guys call if you need anything.”
I stand and hand Lexi off to Evan. “I’ll walk
out with you.”
Aaron says his goodbyes and we head outside.
“Aaron, I know this has to be weird for you, but I have to do this,” I lay it out there for him. I refuse to ask his permission; I don’t need it.
“I get it. I’m also not blind, Kinley. I can see the way you look at each other. I’m worried one or both of you are going to come out of this crushed, but I understand this is the only way to keep them away from her.”
“He’s a great guy, and he’s been through enough.”
“What about you? Can you keep your heart out of this?”
“It’s too late, Aaron,” I tell him honestly.
He pulls me into his arms and hugs me tight. “You’re not the only one, little sister. I can read Evan like a book. He’s been fighting this.”