"Together. Today." He plates the eggs, slides them across the island, looks at me. “This is the only thing I know how to cook that will end up edible. Now eat, then we are calling."
I eat three bites and try to construct a reasonable argument.
My phone lights up before I can try anyway.
Anna: girl. GIRL. Jeremy is outside your house and I am outside your house ARE YOU ALIVE
Anna: also we brought donuts
Anna: also Jeremy knows about Patrykov because Maggie from Play and Pizza has a cousin who—anyway. ARE YOU OKAY
Anna: the donuts are getting cold
Rye reads it over my shoulder with the expression of a man who has already emotionally prepared.
"Tell them an hour."
One hour. Do not come in.
Three dots.
Anna: ...the call.
Anna: JEREMY. IT'S THE CALL.
I put the phone face down.
But, he picks it right back up, standing next to me.
Dad's face fills the screen first, mom comes in over his shoulder.
He looks better. His color is back. He smiles when he sees me. Then his gaze moves just past my shoulder and the smile does something complicated.
"Rye."
"Brother."
The silence that comes next lasts four thousand years. Somehow, I sense, Dad knows.
It’s a twin thing.
"Elodie." Dad looks back to me. "Are you—"
"Safe. I'm okay."
"I know what happened with the trial at the house." His jaw moves. "Rye texted me after you were asleep."
I look sideways at Rye. He does not look at me.
Of course he did.
"Scotch." Rye leans slightly into frame. "I need you to hear me before you say anything."
“What?” He’s not happy, but this needs to happen so I take a long breath and hold it.
"Your daughter is the most important thing in my world. That was true before this week and it will be true until they put me in the ground. I should have come to you before it came to this." Rye doesn't pause. "I won't apologize for what I feel. But I am asking you to trust me when I tell you I have never put my needs ahead of her. Not once. I never will."
I'm holding the edge of the island like I’m going to float away.
