Page 69 of The Crafting Con

They’re the words I want to hear, but they’re still not quite enough. I have to dig just a little deeper before we’re through. “Lately you’ve started drinking again,” I whisper, gaze falling to my hands. I feel guilty for bringing it up, like I’m some kind of snitch, but it has to be done. Today, there will be nothing left unsaid. “And crying. In your room.” I force myself to lift my head and look her in the eyes. “I’m worried about you.”

A shadow passes over Mom’s face, and she’s quiet for a long moment.

My stomach twists into a knotted ball.

“It’s the baby.” The words are hushed, drawn from her lips with obvious reluctance. “Your dad and I never told you, but we tried for a really, really long time to have another child. Part of me even wondered if that was the reason he left. And then, when he shared his news… You’re right. I haven’t been handling it very well. I’m sorry.”

A lump forms in my throat, and I swallow, wrapping my arms around this sweet woman who is just as messy and imperfect as me. “I don’t need you to be sorry,” I whisper, squeezing her tight. “I need you to accept that there are things you can’t always handle on your own and get help. Go back to therapy. Join a mom’s group. Talk to me. Be honest about your feelings. I can take it.”

She sniffs, squeezes me back. “All right, I will. But only if you promise to do the same. Be honest about the things you want. I can handle it too.”

“Deal.”

We sit like that for a long moment, arms entwined around each other in silent comfort, and when our grips finally loosen, and we lean back into the couch cushions, Mom looks at me with the beginnings of a wry smile creasing her face.

“You truly haven’t spoken to Declan in five years because of me? That poor boy, he had such a crush on you back then. I feel like I owe him an apology, as well.”

My cheeks flush beneath her questioning stare. “Actually…”

And then the entire story spills out, from Stasia getting me to go down to Declan’s garage to finding out about Dad’s coinciding appearance at OA Con. I may leave out a few details—no way I’m telling my mom how firm Declan’s lips are and how my heart breaks into song when we kiss—but I hit all the key factors. When I finish, Mom declares an emergency ice cream run, which leads to emergency Chinese food delivery, which leads to an emergency, late night Gilmore Girls marathon. (I reassure her that this truly is something we both love, unlike The Bachelor. That I can live without.)

It’s after ten by the time Mom hits pause on Lorelai’s manic coffee monologue and rolls her head to look at me, face cushioned against the leather couch cushions. “So what are you going to do about the workshop? It sounds like you really wanted to be a part of it.”

“I did. I do.”

“Sooo?”

“So…” I picture Declan at the convention. Add myself in beside him. It looks good—like something worth fighting for. I reach for the laptop sitting on the coffee table in front of us and crack my neck as I flip it open. “I’m going. Just as soon as I find someone with a badge to sell.”

“You can’t just buy one at the convention?”

“Nope. Sold out.”

She nods as if she should have expected this, which she most definitely did not. “Right.”

My fingers fly over the keyboard, pulling up a ticket resale site and scanning the listed offerings.

Mom pats me on the shoulder. “Well, good luck with that. I’m off to bed.” She stands, stretching her arms up over her head. “Oh, and while I realize you’re not going to prom tomorrow, I am going to insist on getting pictures of you in that dress at some point. It cost me a fortune.”

I look up from the screen and arch a brow. “Counter suggestion—you wear the dress, and I take the pictures.”

“Ha!” Mom rolls her eyes, then frowns. “You know, that actually sounds tempting… I’ll think about it.”

I grin, going back to my search. “You do that.”

Soft laughter drifts in her wake, and I close my eyes, savoring the sound of it. I know there will be more bumps in the road eventually, but I feel ready for them now. I feel… strong.

Which is good.

Because after I lock this badge down tonight, I may very well find myself coming face-to-face with the most painful parts of my past. And I’m going to need every ounce of strength I have to get through it.

CHAPTER 28

DECLAN

Zero days until OA Con

“That should do it.” Hiro hops down out of the bed of my truck, the last of my prop crates loaded and ready to go. He joins Bailey and Zeke, who are leaning against Bailey’s dinged-up green Jetta drinking to-go coffees. They’re dressed as Sophie and Howl from Howl’s Moving Castle, which naturally has me thinking of all the Ghibli-couples Ava and I could cosplay together.