“Oh, well that’s good, I guess,” she says in a distant tone. “Congratulations.” Her tone is forced as she walks away from me.
What the hell? How is she not excited that I’m walking again? I thought she would be jumping for joy for me, not surly about the entire situation.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, taking a few steps to follow her.
“Nothing. Long day.” She’s lying. I know it. “I don’t feel good. I think I’m just going to take a shower and go to bed, if that’s okay.”
She’s definitely lying. She was fine when she walked in—more than fine, she was happy to be home and was excited to eat. What made her mood change so quickly?
“Okay, let me know if you need anything,” I tell her, letting her go.
I hear the shower start as I start putting away dinner, making sure to pack her a lunch for tomorrow. Quickly, I start the kettle and get her favorite tea out. I know she’s lying, but clearly something is bothering her, and teaalways seems to calm her down. Within minutes, the kettle is boiling. I pour her a mug, and grab the Advil bottle and her pack of favorite cookies I ordered earlier and go drop them off on her bedside table before returning to the kitchen to eat my dinner . . . alone. It doesn’t taste as good I was expecting.
She doesn’t come out of her room all night and I leave her alone, giving her the space she wanted.
I’m calling Summer again.
The phone rings twice before another man answers her phone. “Hello,” he says.
“Is Summer there?” I ask, a little irritated by these random men I don’t know picking up my sister’s phone.
“She’s in the shower, can I take a message?”In the shower, can I take a message? She has some explaining to do.
“Who is this?” I ask, dumbfounded, because I know it’s not the Chase guy I spoke to earlier.
“Toby. Who’s this?” Do they not look at the caller ID before answering her phone? I know she has me asLiam - The Oldest Assholein her phone.
“Her older brother Liam,” I tell him.
“Shit,” I hear him murmur.
That’s when I hear Chase ask him, “What’s up?”
“I answered her phone. It’s her older brother, again.”
“Damn, now you’re gonna get in trouble.”
What in the world is going on over there?
“She just came out. I’ll pass her the phone,” he finally says.
“Okay, thanks,” I say, confused and looking down at my phone to confirm that I selected the right contact.
“Liam?” Summer asks, answering her phone.
“Yeah—” Before I can say anything else she cuts me off.
“Chase and Toby . . . they were—”
“Helping you with your groceries,” I cut her off. “Summer, you’re a grown-ass adult who’s worked around the world. You could be sleeping with both of them and I wouldn’t care.” I hear her choke at my comment. I know I’m letting my usual assholery slip out right now, but I don’t care. Sloane has me on the edge.
“I need your help,” I tell her, hearing the desperation in my own voice.
“This is starting to become a habit, Liam.” I can hear the sarcasm in her voice.
“I know, and I’ll owe you one, big time,” I promise her.
“I’ll keep you to that. What happened? I thought you were making her supper—celebrating your cane-less life?” she asks.
