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Tears filled my eyes, so I shook my head back and forth, feeling like my world was closing in on me. The accusation cut deep.
“We want to hear you answer each of his questions, young lady. You won’t get out of this with those crocodile tears,” Mom said and I swallowed hard.
“Scott and I were never exclusive. Hunter’s been in recovery for more than five years. And I’ve never done drugs. Unless you consider alcohol, which is just a legal drug,” I said shakily and hated myself for it. How’d they know that Hunter had a history with drugs? If they had even suspected that Hunter was an addict, they would’ve stated it sooner. Jake was the only person whom I could’ve imagined Hunter’s business to them.
Suddenly, it wasn’t just the painful ache in my heart that made my chest feel heavy from my parent’s confrontation. Uncontrollably, more tears flowed down my face and puddled onto my skirt at Jake’s disloyalty. He hadn’t told me that he’d talked to my them about Hunter, in-depth, because he’d been on board with their decisions to be in the driver’s seat in my life, while I was just as passenger going for the ride.
I didn’t even listen to my parents, as they blatantly whispered about me. What had I done? Why’d I check out like that when my parents had seen me? Would Hunter ever give me a chance to talk to him again? Explain myself?
“Since we first asked you about Hunter, you’ve lied to us,” Dad said with a grim set of his mouth and Mom rubbed his back, showing him affection that I hadn’t seen her do in a long time. “This isn’t like you. And we’ve seen these small acts of rebellion snowball into some real mess with other kids back home. We’re going to put a stop to it, right this minute. Break up with him or move your stuff out of our house by Thanksgiving. We don’t want Pete to see you moving out. You’ve already gone and set up your own little life here—” He gestured with arms up and down as he glared at me. “But this isn’t reality. And there’s nothing worse then entering the real world without your Mom and me supporting you. Beth is a prime example of that, and she’d be worse off if you and Jake hadn’t taken her under your wings.”
***
STAYING WITH MY FAMILY wasn’t a hard choice to make. I loved them. Besides Beth and Jake, they were all I really had in this world. I wasn’t like Beth—made of tougher stuff, or forced to strike it out on her own in life. I knew that if her Uncle Anton hadn’t graciously welcomed her into his home after he’d been informed about Cindy’s grand departure that she would’ve made it. It wouldn’t have been easy, but she would’ve found a job somewhere in Miami until she started her regular cleaning job when the fall semester had started.
It was the day before Thanksgiving and watching Pete swim in our little pool at the back of our house was the only joy I had since I’d told Hunter that we needed to talk. I shouldn’t have messaged him “we need to talk,” as it was apparently the universal code word for “I’m breaking up with you.” Hunter had told me that he had no hard feelings, and that it was probably for the best, but I disagreed. He’d so easily gave up on us. He’d misunderstood my lack of reaction when my parents had caught us together.
The doorbell rang and Pete splashed through the water so that he could fix himself up for Beth and Bri. He’d grown two inches since the end of this summer and was officially the tallest boy in his class. He didn’t think of himself as a little boy anymore. Even though he was beginning to physically mature and had to live with managing his speech impediments as best as he could, he still had the wonderful naivety about our parents and about life.
“Say hi to them, but after that, scram,” I told Pete as we padded back inside the house. “You can come downstairs if it’s important.”
He quickened his steps and was the first to open the door for them. Usually, I’d have no problem with Pete lounging nearby us. One thing I was thankful for was that he hadn’t blabbed what I’d talked to my friends about before, or else Mom and Dad would really have had me under lock and key. Pete didn’t know about Hunter and I didn’t want us to spark his curiosity. It’d hurt me too much to field questions to him about who Hunter was and why I was sad.
After Pete hugged Beth and Bri for a little too long, he took the plate of crackers and cheese that I’d prepared for him. He ate quickly, as he dashed up the stairs to his room.
Beth and Bri looked like they’d worked a day at the Paloma with their bright colored polos and khakis on. I didn’t miss how much Bri had the same glow as Beth. They were able to be with their boyfriends—publicly without anyone challenging their relationships. Sure, Beth’s cousin, Cassidy, could’ve torn Beth and Chase apart, but I thought she and Chase were stronger because of that hurdle.
“Did you get to see Chase leave with his team?” I asked Beth and motioned them to sit at the kitchen table. I was mixing the fresh squeezed orange juice with the milk for Beth and Bri, who had become a fan of morir soñado.
“Yes, I did,” Beth answered. “The bus left for Tampa at seven this morning.”
“And how about you?” I teased Bri. “Have you had any face time with Pierce?”
“He’s come every weekend and we chilled at my house… with Gavin conveniently popping up.”
We giggled and I handed them their drinks. “Gavin might not give Pierce the third degree after all,” I said. “His death stare contains enough warning for Pierce to thread carefully with you.”
Bri gestured widely. “Since Gavin and I first met, he’s watched out for the friends I had…and the boyfriends” Inhaling deeply, she grimaced for a second, probably remembering her last boyfriend, who hadn’t been good to her. And then Beth wore the same exact expression as the confusion that was percolating in my head.
“Huh? When you and Gavin first met?” I asked.
“The fact that he and I both have emerald eyes fooled everyone, but no, we don’t come from the same parents.” A slight smile formed on her lips. “I can’t believe no one spilled the beans on that piece of info. Like Joel or Rylan. Gavin doesn’t like to talk about it,” she said in a low tone. “I think I’ve made peace with my beginnings as much as I possibly can. When Gavin found me in the child services waiting room when we we’re kids, I was soiled, emaciated, and very disoriented. The other kids were messing with me and making fun of how disheveled I’d been, and when Gavin came out of his corner, he shut them down with just a look. Gavin looked worse for wear himself.”
Beth held her hands over her chest and I returned my gaze to Bri, the love and admiration she had for Gavin was unquestionable. “My God, Bri,” Beth said with a shake of her head. “And you let me bitch and moan about Cindy? Were you and Gavin in the same foster home, or adopted at some point?”
Bri pursed her lips. “You never bitched and moaned. Gavin bounced around in more foster homes than I did. We stayed in touch, because he happened to find kids that were in the same foster homes I was in at his elementary and middle schools. I guess foster kids can spot other foster kids miles away. And we knew how to use computers, so we’d instant message each other when we could get access to a computer with internet. We were matriculated into Paloma High School after we both passed their entrance exam by the skin of our teeth and were awarded scholarships. Ms. Fletcher, a retired social worker, began fostering children when her own children moved out of the house. She left the house to Gavin and I, when she relocated to where her kids were in St. Croix.”
“So, she abandoned you too?” Beth blurted out.
Bri cocked her head. “No, Ms. Fletcher didn’t. She’s a lovely woman. No one really wanted to take two teenagers into their homes. Gavin and I would’ve been assigned to group homes, until we aged out. So, she helped us with getting the resources we needed. She never tried to be our mother, or create this bond that just wasn’t there—or maybe it was too late for Gavin and I to have that with her, but we’re immensely thankful. Tomorrow isn’t the only day that Gavin and I are thankful for our blessings. It’s everyday.”
Beth’s eyes shone gently and I saw the emotion that tightened at her throat, because she downed her morir soñado.
“So, you and Gavin haven’t known Pierce, Joel, Rylan and everyone at Paloma’s Edge since you were little?” I wondered.
“Nope. It feels like we have, though,” Bri replied with a grin.
I retrieved their empty glasses and changed the subject, since Beth was processing what she’d just learned about Bri. At the same time, I knew that Bri didn’t want to fully go there—mentally. She’d accidentally let that part about her childhood come out. I felt honored that she’d confided in us—not only about her rough childhood, but about Gavin’s as well. So much made sense about his guarded exterior now, and his overprotectiveness of Bri. She was the only consistent person he’d had in his life growing up. She gave him purpose.
