Page 106 of His Reckless Freshman

“So it’s true?”

After a heavy sigh, my aunt murmurs, “Yes, but I really think you should talk to Caroline about this. It’s her story.”

“Why didn’t she tell me?” I whisper. “Why didn’t anyone tell me? Mom said she’d gone to the hospital with a stomach bug!” My whisper turns into an angry growl. “She lied to me!”

“Well… she was trying to protect you. She didn’t think you were ready for the truth, and she asked that we⁠—”

“I’m not some kid anymore!”

“I know.” Aunt Michelle’s reply is so soft, and I guess I shouldn’t be getting angry at her. Don’t shoot the messenger, right? “I’m sorry, sweetie. I don’t know how you found out, but I really think you should talk to the people directly involved. Caroline will open up if you ask her to, and I’m sure your mom will as well.”

“No, no.” I squeeze my eyes shut. “Please don’t tell Mom that I called you.”

“I won’t,” my aunt assures me. “As long as you promise to talk to these people yourself. Secondhand information is never the best.”

But it’s possibly more honest if my lying family is anything to go by!

I can’t believe they kept something this huge from me.

“It was a really tough time for my baby girl. But she’s come out the other side stronger.”

I nod, trying to shake off my salty anger at my cousin and actually have a little sympathy for what she went through.

A miscarriage? That’s awful.

But I’m still kind of annoyed.

She lied to me.

My mother lied to me.

Probably to protect my innocent ears. They didn’t want me to know that my cousin, who I looked up to, had slept with someone outside of marriage. And Caroline obviously didn’t want to tell me she’d gone through this major life crisis.

I can’t believe she didn’t tell me.

That hurts in a whole new way.

Everyone was trying to protect me from this truth, and it makes me want to scream.

I’m not some little girl in pigtails! I could have handled it. I could have been there for Caroline. I could have helped her work through it!

But she didn’t want me to.

Yet again, the unwanted, useless little girl.

Closing my eyes with a sigh, I mumble a soft goodbye to Aunt Michelle.

“You take care, sweetie. And make sure you talk to Caroline. She’ll want a chance to explain this.”

“Yeah,” I mumble. “Thanks.”

Hanging up, I shuffle into class, trying to process this bombshell.

Taking out my pen and journal, I write down everything I just overheard and what Aunt Michelle confirmed for me.

I’m trying to make sense of it all, and writing things down helps.

So…