“Evelyn!” she cries. I kiss her now-straight blonde hair. She must be fourteen now. April walks over warily, watching our exchange. A moment later, she recognizes me.
“Evelyn?” she says, looking a little taken aback. I hear car doors, making me look over my shoulder. Orion and Ryland hop out of the car, but they stay back, just watching instead of approaching.
April’s eyes dart to them nervously, making me wonder if she recognizes them. If she does, she says nothing. I chat with her and Lana for a bit until April says they need to leave, and I have a feeling it is because of Ryland and Orion.
Lana gives me her phone number, which I put in Ryland’s phone. Ryland and Orion hop back in the car while I say goodbye and hug Lana. April comes over and wraps her arms around me, shocking me.
I never told her what her husband did, or even Lana. I only asked Lana if Derrick ever hurt her, which she denied. After that, I left and never looked back. I left before the police arrived, so I never heard of them again. I knew with him gone; she was safe.
April grips me tightly, a little too tight. Her words, however, make my blood run cold. “I know what you did, whore. You will pay for what you did to my husband,” she whispers, let’s go of me, and steps back. My heart rate rises, and I feel a little sick as I swallow back the bile rising in my throat. I feel Orion behind me when I stumble back. April grabs Lana’s hand, tugging her away.
“Call me, Evie,” Lana sings out, using her nickname for me, and I nod.
“You okay? What did she say to you?”
“Nothing, it doesn’t matter,” I say, turning back around and getting in the car. I can feel Orion’s eyes on me, watching me carefully. I know they must be able to feel my emotions through the bond.
E
velyn
I can feel Orion watching me as we pull up. April’s words replay in my head. How does she know? Did she know what he did? Did she know all that time and never bothered to help?
“Evelyn, what did April say to you?” Orion asks, leaning between the seats.
“It doesn’t matter, Orion. I just want to go home,” I tell him. Ryland looks over at me. At this point, I can feel both of their worries through the bond.
“Evelyn,” Ryland says, but I cut him off.
“Please, can we just go home? I want to go back,” I tell him.
Ryland turns the car around, going back the way we came. I lean against the window, wondering what April meant. It scares me knowing she knows what I did. Ryland suddenly pulls over, making me look up at him.
“What are you doing?” I ask, but he says nothing, just hops out and walks into a store and a moment later, comes out with a bag. He dumps it on my lap, and I place it on the floor between my feet. Ryland starts the car and drives back to Thaddeus’ parents’ house. I get out of the car and walk toward the front door as another car pulls up in front of me. I can see Bianca and Thaddeus sitting in the silver BMW. Thaddeus looks up at his parents’ house, shaking his head, and he doesn’t look like he wants to get out.
Walking over, I open his door. Ryland and Orion get out and close their car doors, making me look back. Thaddeus still sits in the car.
“Come on, are you going to sit in there all day?” I ask, holding out my hand.
He grabs my hand, hopping out. As soon as he’s at his full height, he scratches the back of his neck. I can feel his nervousness through the bond, but before I can question him, the front door opens. Imogen walks out, her face lighting up when she sees him. She runs down the steps and hugs him, relieved he has come back. Theo and Tobias walk out, and I suddenly feel nervous. The feelings through the bond hits me hard as I am consumed with Thaddeus’ guilt.
Theo walks off of the porch first. He walks over and rips Thaddeus towards him, hugging him tightly and smacks him on the back. “Son,” he says, and steps back.
Thaddeus looks towards his other father. Tobias walks down, stopping in front of his son, and I watch Thaddeus’ eyes go straight to the burns on his father’s skin. He swallows, and I can feel his sadness at what he did, but his guilt is the worst. His father is alive, so I don’t understand the overwhelming guilt he is feeling. Surely it can’t be over his father’s scars.
“Come on, let’s go inside,” Tobias tells him, clapping his hand on his son’s back.
Thaddeus nods, following them in, his mother clinging to him. I see Amara walking out of her little home as she skips over and leaps on Thaddeus’ back. Orion grabs my hand, tugging me toward the house. I laugh as I watch Amara cling to his back like a monkey, until he tosses her off, wraps his arm across her shoulders, and puts her in a headlock, messing her hair. She squeals as he drags her up the stairs and finally lets her go. Ryland walks up behind and then shoves her off the side, making her growl at him as she lands in the garden.
“Mutt!” she screeches at him, just as Tobias spins around and glares at her.
“Get out of my garden, Amara!” he snaps at her.
She dusts herself off and stomps inside the house. We walk into the kitchen, and I help Imogen make coffee. Thaddeus sits at the island counter next to Bianca. They seem close, as he seems more comfortable in her presence than his parents.
Ryland walks over to Thaddeus. He wraps his arms over Thaddeus’ shoulder and kisses his neck. I smile at them and turn back to the coffees. No one says anything, and it actually feels awkward as I place coffees in front of everyone and sit next to Thaddeus.