Simmons was going to drag Luke through the mud. He was going to use that one innocent comment to do it, and we couldn't even call it a lie. Not on the stand. Not under oath.
We were so fucked.
Chapter Sixty-Three
According to Faith, she hadn't said anything to her mom. Not that she'd tell me that, but she had no problem talking to Luke. She said she'd been thinking about their talk - which he told the rest of us about - and that she still thought it was wrong, but she wanted him to be happy too. Evidently, that sentiment didn't apply to me.
Ever since she'd caught Ash and me together, that girl gave me the cold shoulder. Ash got huffs at best, but I just got glares, if she acknowledged me at all. Yeah, I was in deep shit with her, but I didn't know how to get out of it. And just to make things even more fun, Cy's ex had told Paul Simmons that Luke claimed to be Cy's boyfriend.
In other words, our house of cards was starting to fall down. There were now just six days until the court hearing. Five, if I didn't count the day it would all go down. Just a bit longer, but it was wearing on us.
No one wanted to touch when Faith was around. Not holding hands, not a hug, and certainly no kisses. Instead, we talked, but it was always in hushed tones, and we tried to do it out in the open. Going into a room together and closing the door was something only couples did. Luke and I could get away with it. Cy and Ash could too. If I tried to talk to Cy alone, Faith turned surly again.
Her moods ebbed and flowed, though. Every so often, I'd start to think she was forgiving me, but the next day we'd be right back to square one. I tried to convince Luke that we should say it was nothing, that he'd just been there for the shower and I'd been startled to be caught in my nighty. He shot that down fast.
Meredith hadn't believed Faith when she'd complained about Brody. It was a big deal to the girl, and he was worried that she'd think he was doing the same. Faith knew what she'd seen, and she wasn't wrong. To try to tell her otherwise would destroy all the confidence she'd gained back after the videos. Cy agreed that it might send her back to cutting, or possibly something worse.
I could take the blame. I was strong enough to carry that for her. Ash was trying, but it wore on him a little more. He honestly adored that child, and having her hate him broke his heart. Oh, he'd never admit it, but he'd lost a bit of his spark and now spent too much time walking around inspecting his toes.
It was Friday night when he finally couldn't take it anymore. Faith had got up at dinner and stormed off. None of us were quite sure what had upset her this time, but Cy said he thought it was when Luke had smiled at Ash. A tiny, little thing. A normal thing that none of us had even noticed - but she had. Not even an hour later, I heard Ash sling something across his office, and the resulting clatter did not sound like the "something" had survived.
"Ash?" I asked, hurrying across the hall to find his back against the wall and both hands in his hair.
He waved me off and tried to relax. "Tantrum. Sorry."
"It's going to be ok," I told him, moving closer. "She doesn't understand."
"She fucking hates me, Vi."
All I could do was nod. "Yeah, but I don't. Cy doesn't. Luke doesn't. We'll be able to explain it to her soon enough."
He just groaned. "For a moment there, I thought I had it all. I honestly thought I might be cut out for this. I was getting used to explaining things to her, and I loved how she came to me when she had questions. I felt like I could be something to her, and one little slip, and it's gone. I don't think she's ever going to forgive us."
I just reached up to cup his face, making him look at me. "She will. It might take a while, and it's probably not going to be easy, but it'll be worth it."
"I don't want to wait," he said softly.
"I know," I assured him. "I don't want to either. I miss what we used to have. I'm sick that I can't just sit down and talk to her. It doesn't feel right to stay quiet about this, but it's what we have to do."
But the sound of footsteps made both of us step back. A moment later, Cessily rounded the corner, and the look she gave us was scathing. She shoved a finger at one side of the room, then pointed to the other.
"What the fuck are you two thinking?" she demanded.
"No," I said, rounding on her. "Don't get that attitude with me.Thisisn't a game we play. I'm right at the end of my chain, Cess."
She pulled in a deep, tense breath. "She was just in the kitchen, you idiots."
"And?" I asked, but Luke was rounding the corner, a look of concern on his face.
"What happened this time?" he asked.
"They were alone in here together," Cess said. "Worse, Faith was in the kitchen when I came out of my room, and she was looking this way."
"Fuck," Ash groaned.
But I was done with this. "Let me make this very clear for both of you. I will put up with her attitude. I will do my best to act remorseful. All this time, I have kept my mouth shut, haven't tried to explain, and kept my distance from that girl because it's supposed to help. I can even deal with the distance this has put between all four of us, but if you think that I'm going to suddenly stop acting like I care about Ash to make this work? No. That is where I draw the line."
"Just stop touching him," Cessily said.
