Chapter 16
Lana was perched on the edge of my bed flipping through my photo album from last summer when I finally made it home. I closed the door to my room a little harder than needed, unable to hide my frustration that she’d been going through my things again. Her head snapped up in surprise. Good, I hope I scared her. Serves her right for going through my stuff.
“OH. Hey, Ash, you’re finally home,” she replied, smiling politely.
This girl was not real. She was always soft spoken and never showed any emotion. It was as if my Aunt Caroline had given birth to a freaking robot. My mood was crummy and seeing her infiltrating my personal space didn’t make it better.
“I hope you don’t mind I pulled out your photo albums. Our mothers have been talking in hushed whispers and I got bored. I’m really glad you’re here now.”
There was a genuine smile on her face, making me feel a tad bit guilty for being so aggravated with her. I mean, her dad was a douche bag and her mother wasn’t exactly trying to comfort her. Instead she was making everyone in the house relive the experience over and over. Sympathy for what she must be going through won out over my aggravation and I walked over and sat down next to her.
“Sorry I left you here with them so long. I ended up hanging out at Sawyer’s later than I intended.” Not exactly true but that was all she needed to know. A dreamy smile lit her face and she dropped her gaze back to the album in her lap. I glanced down and saw it opened to a picture of Sawyer on the beach. His suntanned chest was glistening with water and he had the silly grin on his face that always reminded me of when we were kids.
“You’re so lucky, Ash. Sawyer has to be the most beautiful guy in the world. I remember wishing I could switch places with you when we were kids because you got to play with him and his cousin all the time. Even back then he was so chivalrous and handsome.”
Chivalrous and handsome? Who uses those words to describe boys? My mom maybe. I shook my head and flopped down on the bed.
“He’s not perfect,” I replied, shocking myself. For the first time in my life I’d admitted Sawyer Vincent had flaws. Lana turned her head to look back at me. Both of her auburn eyebrows were raised up in question.
“No one is perfect, Lana.”
She seemed to think about it for a moment then turned to study my album some more.
“I guess that’s true. Once I used to think my daddy was perfect.” She trailed off. My heart twisted a little at the hurt sound in her voice. I didn’t know if she wanted to talk about it or forget it. Since her mother yapped about it all the time I would think she’d want to forget.
“The other cousin. What was his name? Bill or Ben?”
“Beau,” I replied, curious as to what she was going to say.
“That’s right. Ugh, I remember the time Beau handcuffed me to the chain-link fence where Sawyer’s daddy kept his hunting dogs. I was terrified of being so close to the gate. I remember thinking those snarling dogs were going to somehow gnaw my hand off through the fence.”
I chuckled at the memory and Lana twirled around on the bed and frowned at me.
“It isn’t funny. You know I’m scared silly of dogs. And that awful boy made me sing ‘I’m a Little Tea Pot’ to the top of my lungs over and over. Each time he told me to sing it louder if I wanted to get free. And the louder I got the angrier the dogs got. It was horrible.” She stopped and a soft smile touched her lips, erasing the previous frown. “Then Sawyer showed up and scolded Beau then unhand-cuffed me. You finally popped up out of nowhere about that time and made up some lame excuse about needing Beau’s help with something. The two of you took off running with your giggles trailing behind y’all. Sawyer just shook his head as he watched y’all take off and apologized for his cousin. He was so sweet.”
I’d forgotten that escapade. We had so many I couldn’t remember them all. But hearing Lana retell it I laughed out loud remembering. I’d been hiding behind the big ol’ oak tree just a few feet away. Beau had told me to stay out of sight in case Sawyer showed up. I’d had to shove my fist in my mouth to keep from laughing out loud at the sound of Lana singing so loudly and off key.
“I was so sure the two of you would end up together. You’re still laughing about my torment seven years later. You two were evil.”
I leaned up on my elbows and smiled at Lana. “If I remember correctly you had told me I was as smelly and stinky as an old fish and no boy would ever want to marry me ’cause I stunk and my hair was always as stringy as a mangy dog’s.”
Lana blushed and covered her mouth. She’d obviously forgotten that part.
“I did, didn’t I?” she replied, looking mortified.
I nodded and bit back another laugh at the expression on her face.
“Yep, you did. Beau didn’t like it too much so he decided he’d make you pay for saying something so mean to me. That’s the reason he handcuffed you and made you sing.”
Lana gave me a knowing smile. “You were hiding behind the tree you came running from when Sawyer showed up, weren’t you? The whole time I was being tortured you were listening.”
I laid back down, slipping my hands behind my head.
“Yep, I heard it all.”
A pillow hit my head, startling me, and I reached for the one beside me to whack back at my giggling cousin. Who knew Lana could be silly?
“Girls?” My mother’s voice interrupted us and we froze with pillows held high in the air ready to pummel each other. Mom hesitated before stepping inside the doorway. She’d pulled her blonde hair back in a ponytail and her face was washed clean of make-up. I could see the stress and worry in her eyes. This mess with my aunt was draining her emotionally.
“Yes, ma’m,” Lana replied immediately, dropping her pillow like she had been caught doing something horribly wrong. Mom shifted her gaze between the two of us. A smile touched her lips when it became apparent we were having fun not actually fighting.
“Sorry to interrupt the pillow fight,” she said, “but I need to speak with Ashton alone for a few minutes if it’s okay, Lana.” Lana immediately nodded and scurried toward the door. “Thank you,” Mom said as she passed and Lana mumbled something, keeping her head down. It occurred to me Lana thought I was getting in trouble and I wanted to laugh. The girl was paranoid.
I threw the pillow in my hand back at my bed and sank down onto the large soft purple chair beside me.
“What’s up?” I asked. Mom took a seat on the edge of my bed, sitting almost exactly like Lana had. Her back was straight and her hands were folded in her lap. I never realized how different from my Mom I really was.
“I need you to do me a favor. Actually, it’s a favor for Lana. Tomorrow night your Uncle Nolan will be here to talk things out with your Aunt Caroline while your father and I referee. We all believe it will be better if Lana isn’t here to witness what is said. I am sure at times it’s going to be loud and emotional. She’s already been through so much. I see no reason to force her to be exposed to this drama. Your father and I want to protect her and if you could take her out with you tomorrow night it would be wonderful. I’ve not forced her upon you since school just started back and you were away from Sawyer most of the summer, but I need your help now.”
I agreed there was no way Lana could be here for the screaming that was bound to come out of the gathering tomorrow night. However, I’d planned on going to the field party with Sawyer. Maybe taking Lana wouldn’t be so bad. I’d have more chances to sneak glances at Beau with Lana around. I could distance myself some from Sawyer, using my need to make her comfortable as an excuse.
“Sure. No problem. I’ll keep her out late.”
It was at least an hour later when Lana returned to my room. The solitude had been nice. I’d checked my emails. Responded to one from Leann. Then I’d curled up on my bed and listened to my favorite playlist. When Lana quietly stepped into my room she was already in her pajamas and her hair hung in thick, wet locks that framed her pale face. I’d always envied her pretty red hair. Her pale skin and freckles I could do without but her hair I envied. Reaching up I pulled the ear buds from my ear.
“Hey,” she said, walking over to the twin mattress on the floor beside my bed.
“Hey,” I replied, wondering what had put the sad expression on her face. Knowing my aunt, she had told Lana about her dad coming tomorrow night. The woman was as dumb as a box of rocks. How she was blood related to my mother was beyond me.
“You okay?” I asked as she pulled back the quilt on her mattress and slipped under the covers. She shrugged her shoulders then turned her head to peer up at me.
“I know he’s coming.” I nodded. I figured as much. “Thanks for taking me out. I don’t think I’m ready to see him.”
In a way I could understand. He’d not only betrayed her mother, he’d betrayed her too. I’d be furious with my dad for doing something like that. But then it wouldn’t make me stop loving him and missing him. Lana hadn’t seen her dad in over a week. Surely she missed him. Even a little.
“Will you ever be ready to see him?” I asked, wondering if I should just keep my mouth shut. She didn’t respond right away and I was beginning to think she wasn’t going to.
“Someday. Just not yet,” she whispered against the quilt touching her chin.
I laid down on my pillow and stared up at the ceiling. My parents might drive me crazy with their need for me to be perfect but at least they’d never put me through the pain I knew Lana must be experiencing.