Mom was not convinced. “And how did you know about it, then?”
“Jake took me the first time. Years ago. I hated it, so I didn’t go back.”
“Of course, Jake took you there. He was nothing but trash.” Mom had never liked my first boyfriend. She’d said he’d do nothing but hurt me. It was one of the few times I hadn’t heeded her advice. She’d been right. So very right.
Cynthia let out a gasp. “It was with me, wasn’t it?”
I had to lean and turn my head to the right to be able to see her sitting so close to me. “Huh?”
“When you asked me to come sit with Brett while you went out to do something, it was then that you went back?”
I nodded.
“You told me that you were going to Brett and Sonia’s place to get some of their stuff, that you couldn’t stand not doing anything for him!”
The hurt in her eyes cut through me. I had never before lied to Cynthia.
Christina reached out and squeezed Cynthia’s forearm. “It’s okay, sweetie. Finn was going through a hard time then. I’m sure he wasn’t thinking straight and was going off emotion and adrenaline. He and Brett had just come back from seeing what the vampire had done.”
I smiled gratefully at her.
Not done, she turned her eyes on me. “That doesn’t, however, explain what you were doing there now. I know you’re hurting from the breakup, but if this place is as bad as Dad is hinting, I can’t imagine what you’re doing there.”
I sat there, four pairs of eyes on me. Waiting. What was I to say?
Tell them! Tell them! Tell them!
“I don’t want to have to tell you. You’re right. I was having a hard time.” I tried to catch each of their eyes, but Cynthia stared holes in her lap. “Let’s just say I made some really bad choices, but I’m better now.”
“You said that before.” Mom looked ten years older, as if all the stress I’d put her under had suddenly crashed down upon her. “I even thought you were better. I should have sensed you weren’t as okay as you seemed.”
“Mom, it’s not your fault. I was in a dark place. There was nothing more you could have done. You’ve done everything you possibly could. All of you have. I just wasn’t ready to move on yet.”
Dad rested one of his hands on Mom’s shoulder. “And now? You’re ready to let Brett go and move on now?”
I nodded.
“Why now? How do you know it will be different this time?” Dad didn’t sound angry anymore, only worried.
“I went and saw one of the nymphs this morning.”
“You did?” Cynthia looked up at me now. “Which one?”
“Jordskote.”
Dad nodded. “It makes sense she would be the one to come to you.”
“I didn’t go there to speak to her. I wasn’t planning on talking to the nymphs. I just wanted to be at the cliff. I thought it would help me start to do better.”
Mom looked at me expectantly. “Did you tell her what’s been going on?”
I shook my head. “I didn’t have to. She already knew.”
Cynthia still sounded awestruck. “What did she say?”
I shrugged. As much as I loved my family and as much I owed to them, I wanted to keep my conversation with Jordskote to myself. “She… ah, said I was going to be fine and everything is okay.”
“Really?” Christina looked skeptical.
