Page 168 of Her Wicked Plan

Climbing the stairs two at a time, I get to my old bedroom and head for the bathroom door. We shared the bathroom when we were growing up. I had a door in my room, and she had one in hers.

She would take hours to get ready, barely allowing me time to brush my teeth. I’d always be rushing to school, thanks to her. I gently knock on the closed door using a single knuckle.

“Come in.” Her voice sounds soft.

The door creaks open, and she sits in the tub with a ton of bubbles surrounding her. Her hair is thrown up in a messy bun, and her arm is dangling off the side of the tub with her wineglass in hand. The sight makes me laugh, drawing her eyes to the sound.

“Remember when we were little, and Mom used to bathe us together? She would dowse the tub in that purple bubble shit you liked and then let the water fill up. By the time you and I got in the bath, the bubbles were almost overflowing.”

A hint of a smile plays on her lips. “You used to let me give you a bubble beard.”

“But when I wanted to give you one, you told me no.” I take a seat on the closed toilet next to the tub. “You said beards were for boys, and you were a princess. You insisted I make you a crown instead.”

That earns me a chuckle. “It was an awful crown. I almost wished you would have given me a beard instead. You looked so cool with one.”

“Trust me, you wouldn’t have looked half as cool as I did,” I tease.

Her mouth falls open with a gasp, and soon, she flicks soap at me. I laugh, not dodging her hit nearly enough. Suds land on my arm, and I gather them up, flicking them right back at her.

She laughs—truly laughs at the playfulness between us. Then, as she realizes how happy she seems, she quiets down and bites her lip, holding in tears.

“Chlo.” Her nickname comes out softly. “You can talk to me, you know?”

She relaxes back on the tub. “I know, and I’m sorry I haven’t been. You are going through all of this, too. It’s just that . . . I’ve been so busy with Carter and dealing with his dumbass father. And things with mom have taken a turn for the worse.”

“You shouldn’t be dealing with all of that alone,” I say, resting my elbows on my knees. “Although it seems Myles has been a big help.”

Her eyes coast over to mine, something that looks like a hint of guilt living in them. “He comes over whenever he can. He has also been really helpful with Carter when the kid’s father changes his plans last minute and won’t take his son for the weekend.”

“What a dick.” Anger fills my blood.

“Myles will take Carter off my hands, sometimes only for an hour or the whole day.” Her eyes focus on the bubbles. “That way, I can get work done or help Mom when Dad has to go to work.”

“I’m sorry I haven’t been here.”

“Don’t do that, Leo,” she dismisses my apology. “You have a very important job. Mom knows that. We all understand that you can’t come and go as you please. Do not feel bad when you are doing your absolute best.”

“I’m sure if I ask for more time off...”

“No.” She cuts me off. “You will do no such thing. Mom is beyond proud that you landed this job. That you are making a difference in your patients’ lives.” If only she knew. “She doesn’t want your world to stop even when hers spirals out of control. She doesn’t want our lives to be that way, and I know I am a mess, a complete and utter mess, but I’m trying. I’m trying to see the brighter side of things.”

“Like how Mom will be with Lucy?”

“Ugh!” Chloe groans. “I didn’t think he was going to say all that shit, and it made me even more sad. A little happy, too, since he’s so optimistic about it.”

“Maybe we all need to think like a six-year-old.”

“Not a bad idea,” she agrees. A beat of silence expands throughout the room. The movement of water ripples as she brings the glass to her lips. After a long chug, she whispers, “What will life be like without her?”

My eyes remain on the floor. Each of the square tiles are perfect except for one with a long crack in it from me dropping something on it when I was thirteen. I thought I got lucky, seeing as the other tiles were still intact, but I saw the damage when I lifted the large object. It hit that one spot perfectly.

“Hard. It’s going to be hard, but we will get through it. We have each other—Dad, Carter, and Myles. If one of us shatters, we will help pick up the pieces.”

The words rang in my ear. They were similar to what Veronica had told me: that if my heart shattered, she’d be there to pick up the pieces.

“We’ll always have each other.” Her glossy eyes look up at me.

“Always.”