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“Thank you,” I said. The nerves were there now because I knew this was going to be a very heavy conversation. I wanted there to be an explanation that would make everything okay, but I couldn’t think of one that would even be a possibility. How could what they did ever be explained?
“You all right?” she asked.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
“Is Peyton covering Magnolia Beans for you?” She walked beside me as I made my way to the living room.
“She is. She’s got it down. And I’ll get back there in time to close up for the day.”
“Sounds good.” She squeezed my hand as she continued on to the kitchen, and I turned into the living room area where we liked to hang out and chat or play board games.
“Hey,” my mom said, with a big smile on her face. “I’m so happy you were able to sneak away from work. But wewere surprised you wanted Gramps here, too, so we’re hoping everything’s okay.”
“I told you that our girl is a brilliant businesswoman. She’s always thinking of new ideas.” Gramps sipped his tea.
My father looked up at me with all the pride in the world. Not a clue about the bomb I was about to drop. I poured myself a cup of tea and sat in the chair across from them, as they were all three sitting on the couch.
“It’s not about work, actually. It’s about something that is pretty upsetting, and I’m hoping we can make sense of it and figure out how to move forward.”
My mother’s eyes widened. “Are you sick?”
“No. I’m not sick, Mom. But what I’ve learned has made me feel pretty horrible, if I’m being honest.” My gaze locked with my father’s, and I saw something there. Fear, maybe?
“What is it?” Gramps asked.
“Do you remember years ago, before Slade’s boating accident, there was a situation at The Daily Market? Two teenagers apparently stole something and then shoved Walt down, and they were sent to a juvenile detention center for the crime.”
“Yes. That young man who owns the gym, the boxer, he was involved. And his father had just gone to jail, as well. It’s all everyone was talking about back then. And his friend was there, as well. He was a few years older. The whole thing was very sad.” My mom set her teacup down on the table.
“I remember this,” Gramps said, as he ran a hand over his jaw. “They could have killed Walt. He hit his head and was hospitalized for some time.”
I turned my attention back to my father. “Do you remember this, Dad? I believe you went to see Walt in the hospital.”
“Why are you dredging this up? This has nothing to do with you,” he said, pushing to his feet and walking to the window to look out at the gray skies as the rain continued to fall.
“I’m bringing it up because I just learned about it. That boxer, the one you are so quick to label as trouble or a bad kid—he had nothing to do with what happened. The irony of this whole situation is unbelievable. And I just want to know who was involved in this. I know that you were,” I said, waiting for my father to turn around and look at me.
He finally did, and he glanced over at my mother before his gaze moved back to mine. “I did what needed to be done. For this family.” He wasn’t even going to try and deny it. I should be glad that this lie was finally going to be out in the open, but knowing Dad had done what he’d done made me look at him differently.
“I don’t know what we’re talking about,” my mother said. I didn’t miss the slightest tremble in her voice.
Gramps looked between me and my father, as if he were trying to figure out what was going on.
“Romeo and River were not the people who stole anything that day, nor were they the ones who pushed Walt over. They were just two teenagers who were in the wrong place at the wrong time. And you let them take the blame for something that Slade did.” The tears were falling now, because even saying the words aloud made me sick to my stomach.
“What? Is this true, Jack?” Gramps asked, and his hands were fisted at his sides.
I knew in this moment that my father was the only one involved in this whole mess. And as devastated as I was that he’d done this, I was relieved that my entire family hadn’t taken part.
“It’s not as devious as you’re making it out to be.” Dad shoved his hands into his pockets. “I found out that Slade and Ronny were there. Ronny had been in town with his father, and apparently, he’d convinced Slade to skip school that day. They’dstolen a bottle of whiskey. He’d told me that they ran out and that the other two boys had been there, as well. I thought they were all in on it. I just did my part to keep Slade and Ronny out of it.”
My heart raced at learning that Ronny had been the other person there that day.
“How, exactly, did you keep him out of it, if they’d been at that store?” Gramps’s voice was ice cold now.
“I just said that Slade and Ronny had been with me fishing. There weren’t witnesses at the store, aside from the other two teenage boys, who, by the way, had been ditching school, as well.”
“Ditching school is different than robbing a store and violently attacking the man who worked there!” I shouted, because his casual demeanor was pissing me off. “They’d cut school because Romeo’s father had just been sent to prison. He was devastated and a little lost. They were there buying candy, Dad. They got out of there when your drunk son and his disgusting friend started vandalizing the place. And they left. But they turned around and saw Slade push Walt into the liquor counter and run out the door, laughing. They went back inside to help him.” My hand was on my chest as tears ran down my face, and I tried to speak through my hysteria.
