Page 129 of Carson

My brother looks at me like I’ve grown two heads.

“If we’re there, we can work on her … subtly. ‘Cause I’m telling you, brother, Mom and Dad are loving having her there.”

“You want to stay at their house? Like sleep there and everything?”

“Yep. I say we pack our bags, grab a basketball and head over there.”

“Dad said it was okay?”

“Yeah, but you have to make supper tonight.”

He sits back, thinking about it. “You think she’ll come out if we’re there?”

“We make it impossible for her to resist us, or drive Mom and Dad so nuts they kick us all out.”

“Let’s do it.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Luna

Khloe and I are signing to each other as Lily folds clothes at the end of the bed when a ruckus rings out below.

Loud footsteps thud up the stairs and the twins run by the room, pushing and shoving each other. They’re so loud, even Lily hears them coming.

“Hi, Mom,” they say in unison, and then continue on down the hall.

“Carson, Cole,” Khloe yells, jumping off my bed and hurrying after them.

They growl. She squeals. And then there are giggles and bursts of laughter.

“Did they have bags with them?” Lily asks as she rises from the foot of my bed.

Before she gets to the door, they are running back by. Cole has Khloe on his back. Their heavy boots bang against the steps.

“What is going on?” Lily asks as she heads to their old room. I follow because I’m curious to see what it looks like.

The second I step in I smile. It’s your typical boy’s room. Posters of girls, not as naked as the ones Cole has back at the cabin, adorn the walls. There are a couple of shelves with trophies and medals hanging from them.

“They must plan on staying,” Lily says, noting the bags on their beds.

She looks at me to gauge my reaction.

“Is this okay with you?” she asks.

Loud and rambunctious laughter filters up the stairs, and Lily sits down on one of the two beds in the room. “I will miss that sound,” she says, but she’s not necessarily sad, because she’s smiling.

I lower myself on the bed across from her, listening.

“Mom, Kelsie’s picking on me,” Carson yells up the stairs. Their other sister must be here too.

“I am not. Carson drank all my iced coffee in one gulp.”

Lily’s smile widens, and tears fill her eyes.

We listen to them fight, Cole joining in. Little Khloe just giggles.

“Goddammit, get your asses in the kitchen, you got stuff on the stove,” Dan yells.