“Good. That’ll make him happy.”
I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “How was your bunco club?”
“You care about bunco?”
“Yes, I care.”
“Well, I hosted, and you know I love the summer months because I can make very nice fruit salads.”
“I’m sure that was a hit.” I hated to interrupt her, but I had to ask, “Is Dad around?”
“Sure, hon. I’ll grab him.”
“Thanks.” I waited silently with my phone pressed firmly to my ear.
My dad’s voice comes on the line. “How’s it going?”
“Hey. You still planning that golf trip at the end of the month?”
“Yeah. You want to come?”
I laughed. “No, god, you know I suck at golf. I was just wondering.”
We chatted for a while longer, both my parents together on the other end of the line. I checked my watch, my face screwing up in pain.Shit.I’m running behind. “I should probably get going… Bye. Talk to you later. Love you.” I hung up the phone and put my head in my hands, heaving in a few more deep breaths.Fuck. I can’t do this. I can’t keep saying goodbye.
But I have to. It all ends tonight.
I called Cody, my brother, next. He didn’t answer. My chest collapsed as I left a message. “Hey, it’s me. I know you don’t answer phone calls and you especially don’t listen to messages, but listen to this one, okay? I love you, Codes.” I pursed my lips. “Also, the candy stash that you’ve been looking for since you were ten is under that loose floorboard in my room. Give Mom a call every once in a while, huh?”
I hung up and checked my watch. “Thirty minutes,” I murmured aloud. I called Breanne, my sister, next.
She did answer. “Hey, what’s up? You need money?”
I broke into a huge grin. “No, just calling to say hi. Is Xander there?”
“Ah, you don’t even want to talk to me. Got it.”
“Sorry, he’s my favorite nephew. He’d be my favorite even if he wasn’t my only nephew.”
I heard Breanne in the background find her son and hand the phone over to him.
“Uncle Kit? Hi?”
I beamed widely at the sound of his voice. “Hey, kid.”
“What’s up?”
“Nothing. Or, well, I wanted to tell you I might not be able to make it to your game this weekend.”
“Oh. That’s fine.”
He sounded disappointed.Fuck. I closed my eyes tightly. “All right, cool. How’s school going?”
“Fine. Algebra sucks.”
“Well, math is shit, so yeah. Don’t tell your mom I said shit.”
“You can say shit. I’m in high school. I say shit.”
