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“To think Melody Nicci Giovanni dies in the street like a dog.”
Mommy? What? I tried to slide over farther when all of a sudden I was yanked back into the house, the grip on my ankles and the back of my shirt not letting up until I was flipped onto the bed.
“Have you lost your goddamn mind?” Uncle Neal hollered right in my face. He was so angry he looked like the Hulk; a vein was even sticking out in his neck. The only time I had ever seen him like that was when someone called Nari a bad name. He took a deep breath when I backed away from him. “You could have gotten yourself killed, Ethan.”
“No, I do it all the time.” I frowned; I was good at climbing up stuff.
“That’s—” He started to yell again, but just shook his head at me instead, bending down in front of my bed. “That’s not what I meant. You need to stay inside until we know it’s safe okay?”
“Safe from what?” I asked, but he didn’t answer. “Uncle Neal. Safe from what? Did something happen? Where is my mom? They said something happened to my mom.”
Uncle Neal was a good liar, but Uncle Declan and Dad were better liars, so I could tell when he was lying.
“Your mom’s fine. She’s just working late.” That was his lie, and I didn’t want to be a baby. I didn’t want to get upset or angry, but that pain came back in my chest. It hurt, it hurt more than when Wyatt said he hated me.
“Ethan—”
“You’re lying.” No. No. No. I don’t want to cry. Big kids don’t cry. Dad never cries. Wiping my face as fast as I could, it wouldn’t stop. Damn it! “My mom! What happened to my mom! Is she dead?”
“No—”
“Then let me call her,” I said, reaching to my bedside table for the phone my dad had given me for emergencies only, but he took it from me.
“Ethan?” Wyatt woke up, rubbing his eyes. “What’s going on?
“Nothing’s going on, go back to bed, Wyatt.” Uncle Neal lied again, this time taking me by the hand and dragging me out of the room.
“Let go! Give it back!” I tried to pull away.
“This is the first time you’ve acted like a little brat in a long time Ethan. I’m disappointed.” It wasn’t Uncle Neal who said that. Turning back, I froze, staring up at my Nana, my nose running no matter how much I tried to suck it up. She crossed her arms, frowning at me.
“You’re the oldest, so when your father isn’t around, you’re the one he counts on to take care of your siblings. If he saw you right now, he’d be disappointed,” she added when Uncle Neal let go of my arms. I fell right in front of her.
“They…they said my mom was dead. It’s not true, right?” I whispered.
“No, she’s not dead. But—”
“Ma, don’t.” Uncle Neal cut her off, but she ignored him, brushing her hand on my face.
“Your mom is hurt, Ethan.” She smiled sadly, and for some reason I couldn’t move. “I’m telling you this because your brother and sister will find out and when they do, they are going to need their big brother to be strong.”
“But…but is she okay?” Nobody could hurt my mommy. Dad always said she was the strongest. No one was stronger than her.
“She’s going to be. Your mother is Melody Nicci Giovanni Callahan, do you know what her name means?”
I shook my head. “It’s just a name.”
“Melody, to sing, Nicci, of victory, Giovanni, the one shown favor, Callahan, wise. It’s not just a name. It’s who she is. And you are Ethan, strong and enduring. No one in our family makes a mistake when naming their children. Be strong when everyone can’t be. Endure even when it feels like it’s too painful, and you will never let your parents or yourself down.”
Wiping my face, I got up, coughing until my throat didn’t feel shaky anymore. “Sorry, Nana.”
“My precious, you never have to tell me sorry for anything.” She hugged me. Nana always smelled like vanilla and it made me feel better. “Now off to bed.”
Nodding, I walked back into the room to find Wyatt poking his head out the same window I had.
“Wyatt, no.” I ran over to him, pulling him back.
He frowned. “What is going on? Why are we here? Where are Mommy and Daddy? Why were you crying?”
