I decide to call Elle, not caring whether I wake her up or not. She answers on the fifth ring, gasping for air. I close my eyes and try to block out any imagine that pops into my mind about why she can’t breathe.
“Aren’t you on vacation?” she asks.
“Hello, my darling daughter. How are you?”
“Hi, Mom. Busy.”
“Did I catch you at a bad time?”
“No. Maybe. I’m trying to get dressed before Quinn gets here. He called and begged me to head down with him today.”
My heart soars, filling with love. “Oh, okay. Well, I had spoken to your brother and sister today and didn’t want you to feel left out.”
“No worries, Mom. Quinn filled me in. Family vacation. Two weeks. One warm. One cold. Got it. Quinn’s here, gotta go. Love you.”
I pull my phone away from my ear and watch the call go dead. She is so opposite from Peyton, but used to be her shadow. It wasn’t until college that she developed this new sense of freedom. I know she doesn’t always need me, but dammit, I’m her mother and I need her sometimes.
Instead of calling Harrison, I send him a text. I don’t know if he’s already surfing or what. For all I know, he’s playing the drums and won’t answer anyway.
Take care of my babies. Don’t forget Peyton’s game is on.
You forget they’re my babies too. I love you, Katelyn. Everything will be fine.
Enjoy your time with your friends.
Noah’s game is on too. We’ll be watching both.
I love you
I know he won’t text back because he doesn’t want to take away from this trip. He knows how important it is for Josie, Jenna, and me to get away and not worry about what’s happening back home. What he doesn’t understand is that back home is where I’d rather be. It’s not that I don’t like being here; it’s just that I want everyone together.
10
Jenna
“Mum, everything is a disaster!” Eden screeches into the phone. I pull it away from my ear to quell the ringing. “Mummy, are you there? I think we should call Grandma and ask her to come out here until you’re home. Daddy is telling me he’s going to show Dane his gun collection.”
Remember that vacation Jimmy said I needed so badly and I didn’t want to take? This is why—they fight and he does something to piss Eden off. She in turn has a teenage drama fit, which just makes the situation worse, like now.
“Eden, your father doesn’t own a gun, let alone have a collection of them,” I tell her as I toss my head back in frustration. One week. They only had to find common ground for one week.
“He says he does, along with Uncle Liam and Harrison. He said he’s calling in the Arsenal. I don’t even know what gang that is!”
And that right there is the drawback of living in California. She thinks a football team is a gang. “Oh Eden, Arsenal are a football team that play in England. You and your dad went to some games one time when you were visiting your nana.”
“Oh,” she says, her once crazy, high-pitched voice is now back to normal.
“Here’s the thing, Little One. Your father doesn’t like the fact that you’re growing up, okay? He’s having a hard time with his baby girl not needing him, and the boy thing—every parent goes through this. Your Aunt Josie did the same with the girls that came around to date Noah, and I can bet you that Uncle Liam is about to go through this with Betty Paige.”
“But it’s not fair. I don’t understand why he wants to harm Dane?”
“He doesn’t, Eden. He wants to scare him. He wants that boy to know that if he hurts you, makes you cry, harms a single hair on your head, he will pay for it. Every dad who loves his little girl does this. It’s a part of life.”
“But, Mum…”
“No buts, and I’m not calling Grandma to come save you. You and your father need to learn how to coexist when I’m not there. Where is your dad?”
“Downstair