"Look – you're an independent young woman. You can do whatever you want in this world and I will support you. Or I can stay out of your way if that's what you'd prefer. But providing for you…caring for you…" He scratches his head. "I'm probably not supposed to say things like this, because it's old-fashioned. But the thought of it feels really good to me. Is that okay?"
I fling my arms around his neck in a big hug. “How about we make our own rules?"
"Sounds great.” His grin lights up the air around us. “Rule number one, it’s okay for me to go ahead and confess that I love you.”
I swear, all the birds in the forest fall silent for three heartbeats.
“Don’t freak out, darlin’.” Knox reaches for me. “Just let me love you. Please?”
I exhale into his chest as he strokes my hair. “I love you, too. Wild, right?”
“Yeah.”
We breathe together for a while, making the most of the moment. Then Knox kisses the top of my hair. “Go pick a room. I'll get your stuff inside."
My heart is fluttering as I take a quick peek through the rooms upstairs. It’s exciting to notice the house is set up well for children, even if that’s years down the road.
Knox is smart to suggest this is only temporary for now, but in my heart I know this is forever. We belong together. It just feels strange to say that out loud yet.
The bedroom across from the library is the furthest from the master bedroom. It will also have the best early morning light. I drop my bags on the bed and sprawl out for a moment. I've barely begun to relax when my phone rings with, surprisingly, a video call.
I sit up and answer. "Hi, Mom."
My mother is holding the phone close to her face, glaring at me. "You got my sister arrested?"
"Not exactly."
She huffs so intensely that the camera fogs up for a second. I quickly explain everything that happened as succinctly as possible. Mom's eyes widen. "You’re exaggerating."
"I'm really not. Honestly, I still can’t believe that you sent me to live with that woman."
"She’s mysister, Hanna. I've known her longer than I've known you."
"Well, you must not have been paying attention for the past several years. Read the reviews of her shoe store – people can't stand her. She's a psycho."
"You’re overreacting. Since when are you so dramatic?"
A shadow moves in the hallway, and a few boxes hit the floor. Knox leans against the doorframe and I wave for him to come inside. He might as well hear this, too.
"Mom, I'm not being dramatic. You just don't want to face the fact that your sister is evil."
"How dare you?—"
"Also, you don't want me coming home.”
She blinks at me slowly. Then she pulls the phone back and starts spinning the silver hoop in her left ear. She only does that when she's trying not to blurt something out.
"Don't worry, Mom. I'm not coming home. Ever."
She sighs with relief, forgetting that I can see her. "That still doesn't excuse the fact that you called the authorities on your own aunt."
Suddenly I realize I’ve fallen into my old pattern. I'm not breathing fully. My shoulders have pitched forward. I'm practically curled up in a ball. It takes me a few breaths, but I expand my shoulders, lift my chin, and center myself as a little voice in the back of my head chantsjust let it all out.
"Aunt Blaire is a menace. She could've burned down the entire neighborhood. What kind of psycho sets their niece’s books on fire? What kind of lunatic plans a second fire in the garage to ruin all my belongings with smoke?"
"That didn't happen," Mom snaps. "You're making it all up. There's just no way?—"
She continues babbling while I look over at Knox, lifting my eyebrows. "Everyone in my family has lost their minds," I mouth.
