Page 124 of Savage Heart

“Mom,” he says. “You need to hear this.”

A collective hush falls.

“Lincoln seemed okay,” he says. “But he was panicked.”

I cannot breathe. I turn to Linc.

“I don’t want you to hear this,” I tell him, tears falling fast.

“I’ll be okay, Mom,” he says softly.

“Linc,” I plead, but he’s riveted by Brandon.

“He kept saying he was sorry,” Brandon continues. “Kept saying he was going to lose everything—his scholarship, his future. He was scared of what it would do to this family. Because Lincoln was the one driving that night, and he was drunk.”

I put my fist to my mouth, unable to believe he’s going there. Why did he have to say that he was drunk? Gasps ripple through the crowd. Evelyn turns and looks at me in shock, and I feel a hand on my shoulder and turn to see Otis, his eyes sorrowful.

“I knew it couldn’t have been you,” he says, squeezing my shoulder.

Jennifer lets out a wail. “Brandon, this isn’t true! Stop. What are you saying?”

“I didn’t know what to do,” Brandon says, tears streaming freely now. “He begged us . . .” He shakes his head. “He begged Iris to cover for him, and she promised she would.” His voice cracks. “She said she’d take the blame so he wouldn’t lose everything . . . so none of us would ever have to know.”

It feels like every eye in the stadium snaps toward me.

“Mom, is it true?” Linc asks.

I stare at him through blurry eyes and nod. “I’m sorry, Linc.”

He presses his face into my shoulder. “I love you, Mom,” he cries. “I’m sorry.”

“I love you, baby. You don’t have anything to be sorry about. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth. I didn’t want that to be what you think about when you think of your dad,” I say into his ear.

I hold him against me, and Maverick puts his arms around both of us, as if he can shield us from the rest of the world.

“I thought I was doing the right thing,” Brandon says, his voice breaking again. “Honoring what my brother wanted.”

He looks at Linc again.

“But he never would have wanted this,” he says. “He never would have wanted Iris and Linc to be outcasts in Ironwood. He never would have wanted them to carry this alone. It was a sacrifice of love that Iris has borne, and I cannot let her keep carrying this. Lincoln was a good person who wasn’t perfect, and he loved Iris. I hope we will still remember him just as fondly. But it is long past due for the truth to come out. It’s time we let go of the anger and treat each other with kindness.”

His eyes meet mine again.

“I’m sorry, Iris,” he says quietly and leans over to help a sobbing Jennifer off the field.

We’re left with a heavy silence. The current principal of Ironwood High gets up and motions for the band to start playing.

Maverick stands and holds his hand out for me. I take it and stand, and Linc puts his arm around my waist, and we leave the field together, Otis following just behind. When we reach the sidewalk Maverick turns, and a flicker of surprise crosses his face. I look behind me and see Maverick’s entire family standing with us.

Chapter 32: All in the Family

Maverick

My family hovers near us, and I want them to all have time with Iris . . . but not here in the school parking lot with all the prying eyes after that big revelation Brandon just dropped.

“Iris, where would you like to be?” I ask.

“Just away from here,” she says, in a state of shock.