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There was a somber mood at breakfast the next morning. Claire helped Logan make breakfast for everyone, but the rest of us quietly drank our coffee and scrolled on our phones. I couldn’t tell if Christian and Braden were contemplative because of the game today, or if they were worried about our future the way I was. I decided not to ask.
Braden picked up the newspaper and turned to the sports page. “Holy fuck! Did you see this?” he asked.
“Language,” Logan snapped.
“Yeah! Language, Uncle Braden!” Claire added.
“Holypotatoes,” Braden clarified, holding up the newspaper to Logan. “Did you see this article? It’s about you!”
I jerked in surprise. The newspaper article! I had intended to tell everyone about Jackie and her story, but had forgotten about it thanks to everything else going on.
“This is my fault,” I moaned. “I knew about this and forgot to tell you. I’m so sorry, everyone.”
“Sorry about what?” Christian asked. “What’s it say?”
Logan took the newspaper and scanned it. “Why are you sorry?”
“The journalist came to me for a story the other day. She wanted a statement about it. I told her I would talk to you guys first, but then I forgot because…”
“Because we were busy that night,” Logan finished for me, eyes twinkling.
“Because we gangbanged you that night,” Braden whispered. I kicked him under the table.
“This story isn’t what you think,” Logan said, tossing the newspaper on the table. I leaned forward to read the headline.
THE TORONTO TERROR
Logan Landry’s Humble History
“Huh?” I said. “This isn’t the story I was expecting…”
“Jackie contacted me, too,” Logan explained. “I convinced her not to run the story aboutallof us.”
“How did you do that?”
Logan tapped the newspaper. “I gave her a juicier story. I spent two hours on the phone with her, telling her my life story. Growing up as an orphan with Emily. Bouncing from foster family to foster family. Struggling with bullying. It’d better be a good story, because I told hereverything.”
Christian skimmed the article. “There’s nothing in here about all of us.”
“That was my one stipulation. She had to keep my current personal life out of it. She warned me that they may still run the story in the future, but it won’t be for another eight months. Hopefully longer.”
“Holy… potatoes,” Braden said while reading the article. “You really opened up to her. You held nothing back.”
I got up and hugged Logan. “I’m proud of you.”
Logan shrugged. “I’m a dad now. I have to stay in touch with my emotions.”
“And never lose your temper!” Claire chimed in.
Logan reached down and ruffled her hair. “That’s my girl.”
The doorbell rang, which sent Logan’s four dogs into a frenzy of barking and scrambling from the kitchen to the front door. Logan glanced at his watch, frowned, then went to answer it. When he returned, he was followed by the absolute last person I wanted to see.
Kathy Polk, from Social Services.
“Hello, Claire,” she said, looking around the kitchen. “It’s good to see you at home this early… and not at work.” Her eyes met mine, then narrowed.
“Ms. Polk, I’mso sorryabout what happened on Thursday,” I said. “I swear, it’s a misunderstanding.”
