by Jenni James
It was probably the most purely selfish act I had allowed myself. But the chance to forget for a moment about poor Kylie, my feelings for Gregory, and the home I hadn’t even seen yet was too much to resist. For five minutes I lost myself in the music. Five glorious, wonderful minutes.
Afterwards, I put the lid gently down and pushed the stool quietly into place. My heartstrings tugged as I looked at the piano one final time. “Goodbye, friend.”
“You’re welcome to come back, you know. Anytime.”
Startled I turned. “Collin!” He must’ve just come in the room. “You scared me.”
He smirked. “Yeah, well, big surprise there. Is there anyone I don’t scare?”
“Are you going to be okay? I mean, with trying to entertain my stepsister?”
Collin snorted as he stepped back from the door and let me pass. “Nah, I’m not worried about Sydney. Like she’s going to come and hang with me—that’ll be the day.”
We began to walk slowly down the hall. “Well, what are you going to do while you’re here?”
“I don’t know. I was thinking Gregory might let me go in and read to Kylie every now and then.” He paused a moment. “Man, that shook me up. I don’t think I have ever been that scared in my whole life.”
“Really? You didn’t show it. You were so strong.”
“No, not really.” Now it was his turn to blush.
I nudged him with my elbow. “Hey, I never did say thank you for all of your help yesterday. So, thank you. You were a rock, and I needed one right then.”
“Come on. I only did what you told me to do.”
“Without question or complaint. You’re a really great guy, Collin. You really are. One day you are going to sweep some beautiful girl right off her feet.”
“Yeah, right. Now I know you’re crazy. First saying goodbye to pianos, and now telling me I’m going to make some gorgeous girl fall madly in love with me. Yep, stark-raving mad.”
“Hey, I mean it.” I stopped and grabbed his arm. “Collin, don’t stop writing, okay? Every time you feel like it, grab your phone and put it in there. One day there will be a girl that will fall madly in love with you over the songs you write about her. I’m not kidding. You’re an awesome, caring guy. Thank you for letting me see the real you. I’ve enjoyed the experience more than you could ever know. Now come here and hug me goodbye before I cry.”
He hesitantly stepped into my arms, and I squeezed the dickens out of the poor guy, then laughed as I let go.
He chuckled. “For what it’s worth, I think you’re an amazing girl yourself. And if you weren’t so in love with someone else, I’d try and win you over.”
He knows! “Collin?”
“Please. Like I don’t have eyes. But don’t worry—no one ever talks to me anyway. Your secret is safe. Take care, Amanda Ellis. And thanks for all you’ve done for me.”
After we collected my bag in front of my room, we made our way to the large entryway.
“Here, I’ll take your luggage to the car for you,” Collin said.
“Thank you.” I stood just a moment longer as he walked out the door. Then I made a full circle around the room. Has it only been forty-eight hours since I first walked into this house? It seemed like days—no, weeks. So much had happened in such a short time—so much that had changed our lives forever. I turned as the front door opened. Gregory walked through, and my heart nearly burst at the sight of him.
His eyes looked questioningly into mine. “Are you ready to go?”
No, I never want to leave this place. “Yes, I’m ready. As ready as I’ll ever be.”
He held his hand out for me, and I closed the distance without wavering. Holding hands, we strolled out the door and down the drive to his car. Anna and Frank were there, waiting to say goodbye.
I released Gregory’s hand when Anna crushed me against her. “Goodbye, dear!” she said. “You take care now, you hear?”
I was surprised at such a fond farewell. “Thank you. You too.” I hugged her back.
Laughing, I turned and faced Frank. “Goodbye.”
“Ah, get over here, gal! You’d better give me a hug, too”
I was squeezed and released quickly but not before Frank whispered, “You better find a way to get a piano. Fingers like yours need a place to dance.”
“Thanks.” I smiled as we broke apart.
“No need to thank me.” He wrapped his arm around his wife. “Me ’n’ Anna have enjoyed hearin’ ya play more than hearin’ a wild coyote sing off-key to the moon. It’s been a real treat.” He glanced over at Collin behind the car and then winked at me.
Poor Collin. I’m sure he’ll have a load of fun here for the next little while. I just hope Frank doesn’t give him too hard of a time. I grinned. “Thanks. Bye, everybody.”
I climbed into the Mustang’s back seat and heard a chorus of goodbyes. A sullen Lilly was already in the front. One look at her blank stare and I was brought back to the seriousness of the last twenty-four hours.
Few words were spoken as we drove the twenty miles or so to the airport. We arrived quickly, and before I knew it we were scurrying aboard the private jet. It was very small, with six reclining leather seats set up conference-style facing each other, behind the pilots’ chairs. Lilly and Gregory sat down next to each other, and I sat across from them.
The plane took off. After Gregory made sure Lilly was comfortable, I was happy to see him push his seat into recline mode. He really looked like he could use a nap. Even though the jet was sound-proofed, I could still hear the faint roar of the engine. Quietly, I watched the landscape pass beneath us as we headed toward Farmington. The next time I glanced over, Gregory had his eyes closed, and Lilly was snuggled into her chair, already asleep. The trip was made in complete silence. I tried not to think of what would happen over the next month or so of summer. Things seemed pretty bleak.
All too soon, we landed. Gregory gently woke Lilly up, then thanked the pilot. We were shuttled to a car waiting for us at the airport. After a double click from the keys Gregory had picked up at the front desk, we climbed in the vehicle and were on our way. In the back, Lily had buckled her seatbelt and fallen asleep almost immediately. I sat in the passenger seat.
I tried to think of all sorts of wonderful things to say, but dismissed each one. Besides, Gregory seemed to have a lot on his mind. I turned my head to the side and looked out the window. Huh? Why are we leaving Farmington? I sat up.
“I hope you don’t mind. I thought it was best to get Lilly home as soon as possible.”
“I—uh, no. It’s fine,” I answered.
“She hasn’t handled the accident very well. I think she had nightmares all night. She was still shaking this morning when I helped her pack. She’s really ready to get home. Well, it shook us all up, but she’s a bit younger. ”
“How old is she?”
“She just turned sixteen a few weeks ago.”
“She seems older.”
“Yeah, that’s why we get along so well as cousins. She’s always been mature for her age.”
“Hmm.” I didn’t know what else to say.
“Okay.” Gregory turned and looked right at me for a second before glancing back at the road again. “I’ve been giving it some thought, and I think the best thing to do is pick up Kylie’s mom together, so that way you can collect the rest of your things from there and then I’ll drop you at your new house. It’s on Kellynch Drive, right?”
“Yes.”
“Okay, good. I know where that is. I’ve been debating what to say to Ms. Russell, about Kylie and how serious it is. She knows her daughter is in very critical condition and will most likely remain that way for a while, but the last report she got from the hospital was last night. I’ve been undecided about telling her the news this morning. I was thinking that she should hear it from the doctors personally in a couple of hours—maybe then Kylie will be awake. Plus, I was wondering if the tragedy might bring her parents closer together.”
>
“Gregory, are you trying to make it more dramatic?”
He reddened. “Well, I just thought if they had each other to rely on and to hear the news together it would be more meaningful. And maybe they would get over this silly business-comes-first thing and see that family truly does come first. Kylie is their only daughter. This would mean the world to her, during her healing process, to have her family back. What do you think? Do you think it’s a good idea? If you don’t, I won’t do it. I’ll go ahead and tell her right away that Kylie isn’t expected to die. But I was hoping for your opinion before I did anything.”
I stared speechlessly at Gregory’s profile as he watched the road. He’s asking for my opinion. My opinion! Suddenly my chest was filled with warmth and felt like it would burst.
He glanced back over. “What?” He softly chuckled. “It’s a really bad idea, isn’t it?”
“No. No, I—I like it. I just can’t get over you in the role of matchmaker, that’s all. I think it might work, too.”
“Really?”
“Yes, I do,” I said sincerely. “You will let me know what’s happening with Kylie, won’t you?”
“Yes, of course.”
“Thank you.”
“No problem.”
The remainder of the journey to Lilly’s was made in thoughtful silence. Gregory dropped her off, and before I knew it we were at Kylie’s house. Ms. Russell was all cool politeness, just like a professional businesswoman would be. But her eyes belied that façade; they were swollen with dark circles beneath them. She’s a nervous wreck, I thought. Since she was already prepared to go, I hurried up the stairs and soon returned with the rest of my belongings.
By the time Gregory parked in front of my family’s new, much smaller house, I was ready to be out of the car and away from Ms. Russell’s rapid-fire questions. She wanted to know every detail—every bit of everything that had happened. It was all too much too soon for me, and there was no way I could reply as coherently as she expected me to. I was grateful for Gregory’s calm, direct answers. So far, he had managed to keep the morning phone call from her.
Without hesitation he helped with my luggage and saw me to the door. I knocked a few times before I realized no one was there. Confused, I turned toward Gregory, who set about looking for a hide-a-key. He found one in a hanging basket near the porch and proceeded to open the door for me. Once in the empty house, I felt a little strange. I wasn’t sure where to put my things—I wasn’t even sure which room was mine. We walked a few steps and found a small living room that contained a couple of couches.
“In here is fine, I guess.” I smiled to show how much it didn’t affect me that no one was here. Gregory had called my parents earlier, so they had known I was coming. “Thanks for the lift. Literally.” I smiled, thinking of the plane ride.
“Are you going to be okay?” He glanced around the small room and looked back at me.
“Yeah, sure. I love to explore, remember?” My smile tightened. I tried to laugh, but it came out more like a loud croak. Message to self: Fake laughs are not your strong point.
Gregory fidgeted a bit more. “I just don’t like—”
“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine.”
“I need to go.”
“I—I know.”
“You’re sure you’re going to be okay? You sure you don’t need me to do anything?”
“Ms. Russell is waiting. I’ll be fine.” I started to walk out of the small living room.
“Andy?”
I stopped and turned back toward him. His face was stressed, worry lining his brow. I hungrily traced every feature with my eyes before settling on his deep brown gaze once more. My breath caught in my throat at what I saw in his eyes, at all of the words he wouldn’t utter. With a slow blink I deliberately shut them out. When I opened my eyes, I searched the floor by his brown leather shoes.
“Andy?” The shoes walked closer. I took a step back and then another and then another until thump. My back connected with the wall.
“Andy.” Gregory put a hand on my shoulder, then reached down with his other hand and gently held mine. “Don’t—don’t shut me out. Please let me say this.”
I looked up, right into dark, intense eyes that were too close for comfort. My throat was so dry I couldn’t have spoken even if I wanted to.
“I want you to be happy, okay?” His fingers slowly laced through mine. “Please be happy. It’s all I have ever wanted for you.” He leaned forward, so close there wasn’t a hair’s breadth between us.
My eyes closed instinctively. I could feel the warmth of his lips as they hovered just above mine. I gasped but otherwise didn’t move—I was too nervous.
But Gregory definitely moved. I could feel his lips brush the tip of my nose and travel gently to my forehead. A long, soft kiss lingered, while the tip of my nose tickled against the sensation of his slightly stubbled jaw. He smells so good! And then my eyes fluttered open as he moved away. He stepped back, two, three steps before I felt the tug of my hand still laced through his. He stopped and we both looked down. Carefully, I removed my fingers one by one until my hand fell motionless to my side.
“Goodbye,” he mumbled, his voice trembling slightly.
“Bye.” I slowly blinked. When I opened my eyes, he was gone. A few moments later I heard the front door slam shut. With a great sigh, I closed my eyes, slid down the wall, and collapsed into a puddle on the floor.
Seventeen: New Beginnings
When I could use my limbs again, I got up and quietly walked around the house. I explored every room. There weren’t many, just a living room, kitchen/dining room, family room, and three bedrooms—one with a master bath and a tiny walk-in closet. There was only one other separate bathroom. I’d have to share it with Sydney, and I wondered how that would work. Probably not very well.
I loved the small backyard. It had a lush green lawn, and floral bushes lining the fence. I noticed my parents had already set up their patio furniture. Even the grill looked like it had been used, since the cover was off. Maybe they had a little party last night. I looked at my watch—it was almost 4:00. With a sigh I made my way back into the house and found my bedroom again. I could tell it was mine by the unopened boxes stacked around the room and because it was the smallest. My bed had been assembled, but there were still more boxes resting on it. Time to find the bedding.
After opening about six boxes, I found my sheet and comforter set. I went promptly to work, removing the containers from the mattress and putting the sheets on. In a few minutes my bed was together and I felt much better about the whole “moving” thing. There was something special about having your own bed that made a new house seem right. The rest of the afternoon and evening flew by while I worked on my new room.
I also washed a couple of loads of laundry in between dinner and a movie. It was much later, after I had gone to bed, that I heard my parents’ giggled whispers as they came in the front door. I expected one of them to peek into my bedroom, so I sat up. When they passed my door, snickering, I lay back down. They probably think it’s too late and I’m asleep. Except I wasn’t. And I couldn’t. Thoughts of Moab kept running through my head, and I wondered too many times how everyone was doing there.
It took a while to get used to the new house. Every time I walked out of my bedroom I would turn the wrong way—the way I used to turn to head downstairs. There was no downstairs in this house. Or upstairs. It was a bungalow. The next morning was no exception, and I had to turn around and stop myself from running into the linen closet before I wandered into the living room. My dad was on the couch with his laptop.
“Hi, Dad.”
He looked up as I came into the room. “Oh, hi. What do you think of the house?”
“Um, it’s nice.”
“Well, from what we hear it’s the nicest on the whole block. And the largest.”
“Really?”
“You’ve seen the backyard, haven’t you? It’s definitely the biggest. The front yard, to
o.”
“Oh, that’s nice.” I wasn’t sure what else to say, so I sat across from him on the other couch in case he was in the mood to chat.
“So, the Russells,” he said. “Did you get to see them? How were they looking?”
“Uh—bad. I didn’t see her dad, though. Just her mom.”
“So was Kylie’s face messed up after the accident? Sydney was saying she looked pretty messed up. You know, she needed stitches and everything.”
“Um, yeah, it’s pretty bad.”
“Well, I’m just glad it didn’t happen to my girls. Just imagining Sydney’s face with scars all over it makes me shudder. It’s a darn good thing you girls were smart.”
“Dad, Kylie almost died. I’m sure considering that, no one—”
“Yeah, yeah, I know.” He sat up in his seat. “Don’t get me wrong, I love you girls and I wouldn’t ever want to lose either of you. But really, scars on top of it—man.” He shook his head in disgust.
In that moment it hit me how prideful and vain my father actually was. I don’t think it’d ever registered before, not completely. It was sad, really sad. I stared at him silently while he drank out of a mug that had been sitting on the end of the table next to his elbow.
He set the mug down. “Well, Veronica has gone to do some early shopping. We’ve been invited to go to a dinner party tonight, nothing major. So if you get home and see that we’re not here, don’t wait up, okay?” He shut the laptop.
Get home? Where does he think I’ll be going? “Oh, are you done with that? I’d like to check my email.”
“Well, use the computer in the family room. I’m getting ready to head back into my room.”
“Oh, okay. I didn’t realize it was set up already.” Dad walked away before I had even finished talking.
I made my way through the kitchen into the family room. I clicked on the computer and imagined what life would be like if I had different parents. It was silly, I know, but sometimes when you’re all alone your mind starts doing silly things.
