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A cop showed up behind Collin and cleared his throat. “Sir. We’ve been asked to escort you and your brother out.”
Collin smirked at me. “Give me an hour and this will be sorted out, Ada. We’ll be back.”
“Thank you, officers.” I leaned against the doorway and blew out a heavy sigh.
“Just make sure your aunt stays away from the station.” The cop motioned for Collin to leave before him. “Please.”
“Of course.” It was a completely empty promise because no one could make Aunt Maxine do anything she didn’t want to do. If she wanted to go to the station and harass the officers, she was going to. I would’ve said anything to get them out of the house and give them a taste of their own medicine, though.
“We deserve this.” Joe’s voice was full of aggravation. “But we’re not giving up. You belong with us, Ada. You belong with Jud.”
I winced and rubbed at my chest. Hearing Jud’s name was hard. I kept expecting to look up and see him but he wasn’t there. He had every right to hate me the way I wanted to hate Joe and Collin.
I moved to the window and watched as they talked to the cops on the sidewalk in front of Aunt Maxine’s house and pressed my forehead against the glass. When Joe turned to look at the house I moved out of the way and locked the front door before lying down on the couch again. Of course, my thoughts were full of the guys. I could hear Joe’s apology rattling around my brain but I couldn’t forget the way the two of them had looked at me before kicking me out. I wasn’t sure I ever could.
65
***Collin***
“WhydidIexpectthis to be easy?” I stretched out as much as I could in the tiny lawn chairs Joe had picked up for us at the souvenir shop up the road. My body ached from spending the day in the sun. I was pretty sure I had sun poisoning but I refused to budge from my spot in Ada’s front yard. “Nothing with her was ever easy.”
“Some parts were easy.” Joe tilted his head toward me and did what might’ve resembled a smile. “But, yeah… I guess I just hoped that she’d see that we came all this way for her and she’d forgive us.”
A couple walked by on the sidewalk and nodded at us. “Nice night we’re having.”
I snorted, sending them away with scowls on their faces. I couldn’t make myself care, though. “I get being angry at us. We messed up. Why can’t she be like a normal person and just yell at us or something?”
“You know she isn’t normal.” Joe leaned back too much and the back of his chair collapsed, tossing him to the ground. He let out a bitter laugh and just laid there. “This is karma. I hope she’s at least watching this and having fun at our expense. Maybe it’ll soften her up some.”
My phone rang and I shifted awkwardly in the chair to pull it from my pocket. I saw it was Alex and answered. “Is everything okay?”
“Are you with Ada yet?” Alex and Avery had really come into their own since we kicked Ada out. They’d gone from kids who stayed hidden in their room to kids who weren’t afraid to tell me how royally I’d fucked up. I would’ve really loved the change in them if all their anger wasn’t directed at me.
“No.” I sighed. “Well, yes. We’re at her house. She doesn’t want to see us right now, though.”
“Can you give the phone to her? I have to ask her something.” Alex heard my hesitation and lowered his voice. “Dad, please. It’s about this girl at school.”
“You want to talk to me about it?”
“No.” He groaned. “Can you just give the phone to Ada?”
I fought my way out of the lawn chair and glared at Joe as I passed where he was still prone on the ground. “Stupid fucking chairs.”
“Kendall said you and Uncle Joe are trying to get Ada to come back but she doesn’t think Ada should forgive you. She said you and Uncle Joe went right back to being jerks and Ada deserves better. I want her back, though, so can you and Uncle Joe be better?”
I knocked on the door harder than I meant to and stepped back to gather my composure. It wasn’t easy to hear your family tell you all about yourself over and over again, no matter how true it was. “Just watch it, Alex. I’m doing my best.”
“Then why isn’t Ada back here already?” His question lacked the sarcasm I would’ve liked to help me stay frustrated. Instead, it was sincere with a hint of sadness that broke my heart.
“Because she’s upset with me and Joe. She isn’t ready to forgive us just yet.” I looked up as the door opened a crack and rolled my lips into my mouth as Ada’s face appeared. Riddled with wariness, she made sure she was blocking the door, as if I was going to burst inside. Which…maybe she was right to block it. “Here’s Ada, Alex. I love you.”
Ada’s eyes went wide as she stared at my phone. “Alex?”
I nodded and felt something snap deep inside my chest as Ada eagerly reached for the phone and then hesitated. She pulled her hand back slightly and frowned, like she was expecting a trick. I pushed the phone into her hand and went back to my tiny lawn chair with Joe. I sank into it and stared into the setting sun, letting it burn my eyes and disguise the water in my eyes.
“She answered the door. That’s a plus.” Joe tried to sit back up and gave up when the chair dumped him out again.
“I don’t know if I understood just as severely I fucked up. She just didn’t trust a phone call from Alex when it came through me.” I stood up again and walked towards the beach across the street. “I’m going to take a walk. I’ll be back.”
