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Gage strode into the room, apparently having heard the tail end of the argument. “Come on.” He took Kendall’s hand. “I’ll bring you home and we can get your car another day.”
“Don’t you give a shit that one of your firefighters might not fucking make it?” Kendall screamed. Gage picked his sister up, but she fought him, much like I had outside. She wasn’t doing anything but tiring herself out. Sobbing, she crumpled against Gage like a wind-up toy who reached the end of its string.
“Let’s grab Chase and we’ll go to the station and see who’s there. We’ll let them know what’s going on.” Gage patted her shoulder.
“I said such mean things to everybody.” Kendall wiped furiously at her eyes. “I was wrong.”
“It’s time to go.” Gage scanned the room, nodding to each of us. He hugged me before returning to the middle of the room, waiting for his sister.
Kendall walked to the couch and threw her arms around Marissa and me. “I’m really sorry, and I know that doesn’t mean much but I’ll make it up to you.” She kissed Marissa’s cheek. They had been friends forever. Neither of them would allow one fight to disrupt their friendship. “I apologize for saying mean shit about your boyfriends. Are you really having their baby?”
“Yeah, but it’s supposed to be a secret.” Marissa hugged her. “I forgive you.”
“I accept your apology too, Kendall.” I added my forgiveness. “I love you. I understand how upsetting this is.”
“Thanks, Tia. I love you too.” Kendall swallowed hard. “I really liked hanging out, Emma. Can we maybe get cocoa one day?”
“Yeah, I’d like that. Sorry for yelling at you.” Emma cuddled into Marissa’s side.
“I yelled too. I’ll text you when this is over.” Kendall side-eyed Luke. “I wasn’t thinking clearly.” She held her arms up to him, and he hugged her tightly. “I’m sorry for fighting with you.”
“I forgive you, darling. Don’t worry too much. We’ll let everyone know what’s going on.” Luke let go of her and clapped Gage on the shoulder.
“Come on, Kendall.” Gage motioned for his sister to follow him.
We watched them leave before falling into a calm silence, the first one since things went sideways. There was a lot of commotion happening outside, and I worried about the state of things.
“I want you to sit here for a while.” Luke patted my hand. “Unless someone carries you to your room, stay on this couch where I can see you. Understood?”
“I haven’t listened yet.” I threw a haughty tone at him because I was caught up in a plethora of emotions and still shaken up. “If I hadn’t come back home, none of you would be in this situation. Hell, if I had stayed in the first place, things would be different.”
“Tiana.” Luke pinched the bridge of his nose. It seemed to be a gesture my circle of friends did whenever I was around. “Now is not the time.”
“I need some air,” I announced, standing up. Marissa reached for me, but I crossed the room, heading toward the back door. Luke wasn’t far behind me.
“Come back here,” he grumbled, but I wasn’t interested in what he had to say.
My plans always included running away from a situation rather than staying and figuring it out. It was something Tanner and Dane had been helping me with a lot over the past few weeks. With Dane occupied outside and Tanner likely fighting for his life, I had no one to assist me out of the spiral. Luke and I didn’t have that sort of connection. I had to get away from everyone, no matter the cost. All these unfortunate sequences of events unfolded because of me.
Tears pricked my eyes, but I would not cry again. Making it to the backdoor, I opened it but immediately bumped into a solid wall of muscle. It was the last person I wanted to see. Gulping, I stared up at Jesse. “I need to go outside.”
“You need to stay indoors.” He motioned over my head, likely signaling to Luke that he had the situation under control. “There’s nothing for you to see out there.”
“I don’t know where Dane is. I have no idea if Tanner is going to be okay. I’m not listening to what Luke told me to do.” I lifted a finger for each thing that I had done.
“Dane is talking with a police officer. He’ll be in soon and I’ll bring him to the hospital. Tanner is a tough son-of-a-bitch. Try not to worry right now. He’s in very good hands.” Jesse studied me for a moment. “If you aren’t listening to Luke, you better at least listen to me.” He assuaged each fear or worry with ease. He also made it clear that I’d be doing exactly what he told me to do from here on out.
“Well, since everybody else hates me, I’m leaving forever this time.” I echoed the same statement I’d made time and time again. I brought a lot of drama to Falcon Creek, so it was time for me to go. “I won’t let you talk me out of it this time.”
“I don’t hate you.” He cupped my cheek. “And there are other ways to get you to stay, since talking hasn’t worked.”
“Bu-but I can’t keep apologizing for being such a terrible girl,” I stuttered, trying to get my feelings out. His promise wasn’t lost on me, but I couldn’t pick it apart. “I keep messing up an-and not listening.” My Big side was apparently done for the day. Too much stress and the overwhelming fear of not knowing what was going on brought out my Little side again. “I did this.”
“Making mistakes helps us grow as people, buttercup.” He lifted me up into his arms, and I wrapped my legs around his waist. “You are not a terrible girl, and if you speak like that again in front of me, I’ll wash your mouth out with soap. Am I understood?”
“Yeah, Jesse.”
“We’ve been circling around a dynamic for a long time, buttercup. I think Uncle Jesse is appropriate given the circumstances, but we’ll sort it out this weekend.”
