“Oh, God.” I rest back against my pillows, trying to piece together last night.
I pull off the covers and force myself into a sitting position.
I feel like I’ve got a thousand pound weight on my head.
At first I don’t remember why.
When I do, I consider never getting out of bed again.
The fundraiser. Uncle Fred. All those drinks…
Could I have acted any less professional?
What must Cam think of me? And did Mama see me drunk? I honestly can’t remember most of last night.
I turn on my phone and skip over my father’s text to check my messages. I’m hopeful it’s Cam and pray he isn’t completely put off by me at this point, but I’m disappointed that it’s just Celie. Apparently Mama’s finally made an appointment with the lawyer. For tonight at six.
Tonight seems awfully fastI text her back.
You said you were inif I could get her to do itshe responds.
Saying you’re in to Celie is essentially making a blood promise. I don’t dare tell her I didn’t hear a word she said last night. And I can’t back out of being there for Mama as she works to unwind her life from my father’s for the first time.
But I need to tell someone about that text.
“I’ll be there with bells on,” I say when Celie answers.
“Great. And bring Cam if you want support. I’m bringing Pru.”
“Because he’s your husband!” I say.
“Even so…bring him if it would help.”
“I’ll see.” I pause. “So I got something last night.”
“Please tell me you didn’t catch that flu that’s going around.”
“No, not exactly. More like a message from a ghost.”
“What do you mean, Vannah? Spill.”
She starts cursing as soon as I tell her about the text from our father. “Coach McMann is asking to see you when the Caves come to town?”
“Apparently.”
“I can’t believe he contacted you,” she says slowly.
“I know.”
“He wants something,” Celie says, and my blood runs cold.
The same thing occurred to me as soon as I read the text. Because my father doesn’t do anything without a reason.
“If he does, I have no idea what,” I say. “He’s about to get married and have a son…what could he possibly need now?”
“I don’t know. But when you do meet him, keep your wits about you, Vannah.”
“How do you know if I’ll agree to it or not?”
