He shrugs and squats down in front of theotherbag.
Taking the opportunity to make sure the house is in one piece upstairs; I quietly head up and knock softly onLiam’sdoor.
He doesn’t answer. The last time I walked in without an invitation, I was greeted with the unexpected, so, I knockagain.
Still no answer, though. “I’m coming in. Just warning you,” I say through the crack ofthedoor.
I open the door, finding Liam crouched in the corner on the phone. “You thought you could hide from both of us, you fucker.” Liam doesn’t acknowledge I’m standing here, and I’m not sure he can sense anything other than what’s happening on the other side of the phone call. “Don’t even try to make an excuse. You’re a piece of shit and you know it. Drop dead.” Liam looks down at his phone, and I take the opportunity to back out of the room and close the door alongtheway.
“Julia,” hegrunts.
I guess he did see me. I reopen the door. “What are you doing? I’m not blind, I saw you standingthere.”
“I—I was just worried,” Itellhim.
“Well, you don’t have to worry. Everythingisfine.”
Then why are your eyes glossy? Why are you shaking, and why is your face beet red? Why are your knuckles white, and why do I think you could crush your cellphone within your grip right now? “Sorry for intruding,” Itellhim.
He glances over at me, looking through me as if I were awindow. “What?”
I shake my head, realizing I’m in over my head. “Nothing.”
Feeling like we’re suddenly strangers, I leave his life and close him back up in his room before turning towalkaway.
Another crash hits the wall, sounding like its only inches away from where I’m standing. It causes me to jump, and I think it’s best if I stay away until he calms down. If I can’t wrap my head around any of this, I’m not sure howhecan.
The door flings back open, and he brushes by me and into the hallway bathroom, locking the door behind him, probably to ensure I don’t barge inagain.
While in the bathroom with the door closed, Liam has left his bedroom door wide open, and the letter is lying, unfolded, in the middle of his floor as if he wants me to lookatit.
I take a step forward and ...oh no, I tripped into his room, landing just an inch away from this evidently life-shattering letter I shouldn’t belookingat.
My eyes are closed to respect his privacy but when I hear a crash come from the bathroom, my eyes flash open, forcing me to look at the upside-downletter.
Crap. I shimmy to the right, pivoting around in a circle, looking like a freaking second hand on a clock. What is wrong with me? Loose screw. I have a loose screw and I accuse others of beingcrazy.
But as my eyes focus on the right-side-up letter, my mind goeshaywire.Whoa.
I’ve avoidedLiam like the plague for the last three hours because um ... yeah, I know too much, his life has probably just been flipped upside down, and I have a big mouth that I need to learn to control really quick. I can’t comprehend the ins and outs, and the who-knows-what details of this situation. Sam must know, considering Dylan is a minor, but if Sam knows, why would Liam need aDNAtest?
My brainhurts.
Dylan and I have been watching a movie for the last hour, but he’s getting fidgety, and the clock is ticking closer to four, which means Sam and Daniel will be home soon, probably in tornado mode to prepare fortonight.
“You need to go pick out something for Dylan to wear tonight or he’ll come down in a wetsuit,” Liam calls down from the top of thestairs.
I turn my head, looking at Dylan. “Is that true? You’d really wear a wetsuit to one of your parents’ parties?” I can’t help but laugh at the thoughtofit.
“It would embarrass them, so why not?” Sarcasm. Ilikeit.
“I hear ya, buddy. I’d probably do the same thing at your age.” I nod my head toward the stairwell, and Dylan groans as he drags himself from the couch and up thestairs.
“I hate these stupid parties,” Dylangrunts.
“What’s so bad about them. I thought you were happy that Leelee iscoming?”
“Everyone gets drunk, loud, and stupid,” he says. His words—words from a ten year old’s mouth—surprise me. How does he know what drunk even means? That’sawful.
