“Well, hell hath no fury like a pissed off mother,” Katelyn says angrily. I feel like I need to yell out booyah or give her a nice pat on the back for being a fierce bitch.
Peyton walks over to me and collapses in my arms. “I got you,” I tell her as she starts to weep. “I’ll come with you.”
“I’ll be fine. I’ll call you and let you know what’s going on. I’m sorry.”
I pull away and cup her cheeks. “You never have to apologize for wanting to protect your family, Peyton. Our house, it’s not going anywhere, and we still have a few weeks until we have to be back in Portland. Go. Go take care of your brother and let him know I’m here when and if he wants to talk.” I kiss her quickly and nudge her toward her mother, who is waiting at the end of the walkway. I go over and stand next to Harrison and watch as they pull out of the driveway.
“Most of my life is in that car.”
“Mine too,” I tell him. “Do you need me to call my dad or anything?”
Harrison shakes his head. “No, I’m going to follow them. I need to speak to Quinn and figure out where Alicia is, and end this once and for all.” Harrison heads toward the garage and within seconds his motorcycle roars to life.
I’m left standing there, wondering what the hell I should do besides pace. After phoning my parents, pacing is exactly what I end up doing, checking my phone every few minutes for Peyton’s call.
15
Peyton
My mom speeds down the freeway, weaving in and out of traffic. Her hand is glued to the horn, yet no one seems to care. I have one hand on the door handle and the other is clutching my seat. This could be reminiscent of the accident I was in, but Kyle wasn’t being a daredevil and trying to kill us. Not that my mom is either but tell my mother the one thing she doesn’t want to hear, and she becomes a madwoman.
When the text came in from my sister, I thought it was a joke. The words “Alicia’s back” could’ve meant anything but to our family it means the depths of hell have risen, and to my mom, it means her son’s in trouble. And that’s how I find myself sitting in the passenger seat, while my cool, calm, and normally collected mom curses at every car that gets in her way.
She finally exits, but the onslaught of dangerous driving continues. I don’t know why I said I would come with her. Maybe because it’s my brother and he needs all of us around, or maybe it’s because I didn’t want my mom to be alone with her thoughts. There will be no eyewitness to give an account of the brutality my mother will enforce on that wretched monster, and I’ll happily help dispose of her body.
We’re close to Quinn’s when I hear her sob. I look over and see her staring toward my side of the car. My mom pulls over and pushes the button to drop my window down. “Quinn!”
The man turns. It’s my brother and my heart breaks. I open the door and rush to him, wrapping my arms tight around his waist. “Quinn, I’m sorry.”
He doesn’t say anything. There doesn’t need to be words to match his sobs. I’m pushed away, replaced by my mother. Anyone else would be jealous, but I’m not. He needs her. He always has. They share a bond like no other.
“My son,” she says as she holds his face. “Get in the car, honey.”
He does, crawling into the backseat. I follow, sliding in next to him. Quinn lets me hold his hand. He doesn’t talk and only stares out the window. When we arrive at his apartment, my mom doesn’t shut off the car.
“Peyton, I need some time alone with Quinn.”
I nod in understanding and start to slide out of the car. Quinn’s hand grabs ahold of my wrist, halting my exit.
“She’s going to come to the apartment. She has a bag of clothes on my bed, give them back to her and tell her I don’t want to ever see her again.”
“Alicia?” I hate saying her name aloud and cringe at the look on my brother’s face.
He shakes his head. “Nola. I’m through with her. Done. What she did, it’s unforgivable.”
“What has she done?”
He doesn’t say anything.
“Quinn,” I say his name softly. “Maybe you should talk to her.”
He looks at me. His eyes are bloodshot, and his face is blotchy. I can’t remember the last time I saw him like this, if ever. He may be a somber guy, but never overly emotional. “She played me, P. She brought that woman into my life, blindsided me in a place where I felt safe. I’m done. She lied about who she is and what she’s doing here, all because of who she knows. I can’t have people like that in my life. People associated with—”
“Okay,” I tell my brother, holding my hands up. “Okay.” I don’t need to hear any more. The girl he brought home to meet us has betrayed him in the worst way. Quinn can take a lot, but not when it comes to the woman who abandoned him.
My mom drives away with Quinn. I stand there in the parking lot, watching the red taillights of her SUV until they’ve blended in with the other cars on the road. Inside, his apartment is clean, and it smells girly. You can easily tell a woman’s touch has been here.
I find the bag Quinn told me about and set it by the door. Part of me is hoping she doesn’t show up here, but if this were me, I would. I’d knock and pound on that door, demanding he listen to me. Although, I ran from