Philadelphia.
Maryland.
Of course Mama would ask why he chose a college in New York when he could have traveled, but Kaiden never offered an explanation. She can assume whatever she wants, but he would have had to accept one shortly after I moved here and we barely talked at that point. His family is here—his past. Not all of us want to escape it.
Now Mama watches everyone like she’s putting something together in her head. I’ve stopped wanting to figure out what because it only hurts me more to guess. Grandma always changes conversation to something lighter if the topic gets too difficult or the silence grows too thick. She’s always been good at that.
Shortly after presents, Grandma gathers their things to get ready for Dad to take them back to their hotel. When I go to the kitchen to grab a glass of water and take my medicine, Mama and Dad are by the back counter with their backs to me.
“…doesn’t need to know that.”
“How long, Joanne?” Dad whispers harshly, crossing his arms. His back and shoulders are tense as he stares at her.
I stay hidden behind the wall, biting my lip as I study Mama from around the doorwa
y. Her head is down, her hands resting on the edge of the counter like she’s a child being scolded. “I was angry, Henry. You can’t blame me after what you said.”
Dad throws his hands up. “She’s still my daughter, for Christ’s sake. Did you ever tell her about the terms you made me agree to?”
I swallow. What is he talking about?
“No.”
“No,” he repeats blandly. “She’s hated me for years. I’m not an idiot. If she knew the damn truth, maybe things would be different now between us.”
A hand curls around my arm, startling me. I look over my shoulder to see Kaiden, whose finger is pressed against his lips like he’s shushing me. Settling into his body, I peak back over at my parents.
“One of us is telling her, Joanne. I don’t give a shit which one it is, but she needs to know that I never intentionally avoided her.”
Drawing back in surprise, Kaiden wraps an arm around my waist. When I gather my bearings, I try escaping his grasp to confront them. Kaiden tightens his grip and backs us up despite my silent protests.
When we get to the living room, I turn around and glare at him. “Seriously? I need to talk to them.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Kaid—”
“Trust me,” he says quietly, letting go of me when he sees I’ll listen.
Sighing, I find Grandma watching us with interest. Ignoring whatever she must be thinking, I walk over and give her a hug. “I’m glad you’re here. I think I’m going upstairs for the night though. Maybe watch a movie with Kaiden or something.”
One of her white brows rises. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days?”
My whole face heats as Kaiden chuckles from behind us. “It’s not like that.”
Grandma rolls her eyes and swats my butt as I turn around. “I’m old, not naive, Emmy. I personally don’t see a problem with it. I’m sure I’ve done far worse in my youth, and he’s a looker. You could certainly do worse too.”
Groaning, I make my way to the stairs with Kaiden following close behind. “I like your grandma.”
I push his arm. “She practically called you hot, so I’m not surprised.” When we’re closed in my room, I sit cross legged on the bed and toy with my shirt sleeve. “Why wouldn’t you let me talk to them? That seemed like a vital time to announce I heard everything.”
He sighs and sits down next to me, flicking a piece of hair on my shoulder. “Your dad said he was going to tell you, so let him come to you.”
“But tell me what?”
He grins. “It’s the curiosity that you hate, isn’t it?”
Staring at the wrinkles of the comforter, I shrug loosely. “When you live every day not knowing what’s going to happen, how you’re going to feel, you crave answers. If I knew for a fact I’d wake up tomorrow pain free with tons of energy, I’d do things I can’t when I’m too tired to lift the blankets off my body or walk from the bed to the bathroom. I’d get my nails done because it wouldn’t hurt for the technician to touch my fingers or bend my hand the way she’d need to. I’d dye my hair a stupid color that I’d probably regret because it wouldn’t fall out or burn from the sensitivity.