“The change is inevitable. It’s hard to grieve without it.” My mom reaches for Tate’s arm and gives it a squeeze.
The table falls silent, all of our minds elsewhere, on someone else. That is until my momma speaksup—
“Speaking of change.” She looks between Tate and me. “We weren’t going to bring it up, but we also feel like if we don’t, our heads might explode.”
My forehead wrinkles as I try to figure out what they’re talking about, and then it hits me.
“Chase told you.”
They laugh.
“He didn’t have to,” Mom replies. “Did you really think no one would catch the two of you kissing over by the big oak tree in Tate’s backyard?”
“You’ve known for that long and didn’t say anything?”
“We knew when you were ready to come to us, you would. But with everything going on, we assumed you wouldn’t,” Mom continues. “Your mama has been dying to ask all of the questions.”
“Can you ask them after we finish our lunch?” I cross my arms. “And then we will tell you the whole story.”
Okay, not the whole story because there’s no way I’m talking about mine and Tate’s sex life with my moms, but the rest of the details are definitely fair game.
“Deal.” Mama grins, stabbing her fork into her salad.
My phone vibrates against the table, and my eyes, as well as Tate’s, dart to my phone.
My hand trembles as I pick it up. I don’t even have to unlock my phone; the message is pasted on my screen.
I let out a shaky breath and look up at three sets of eyes already on me.
“She’s gone.” I hold back my tears. “Mrs. Harris is gone.”
thirty-nine
Tate
The night we found out about Mrs. Harris, Fletcher held me while we both cried.
It didn’t feel real; it still doesn’t.
Zeke doesn’t even leave his room anymore. He’s drinking himself into oblivion, and none of us knows what to do.
I can’t blame him. This is a kind of loss you don’t expect until you’re grown up and have a family of your own to lean on. No one deserves to go through this at twenty-one. And even though we’re his family, we don’t know how to help him at the moment.
He even broke up with Avalon.
I think that was the moment we realized he officially hit rock bottom.
She was by his side through his mom’s last days, and then he threw her away like it was nothing.
“Have you guys talked to him?” Avalon tugs at the strands of Brinley’s rug.
“Declan said he’s been doing a little better since his dad stopped by. He came out of his room today.” Ember smiles. “Actually ate something.”
“Good.” Avalon forces a smile. “Is it weird to miss him? Like I hate him, you know, but I miss him.”
“I knew when we went to Greystone, and you were angry with him, that it was coming from a place of love.” Ember reaches out, pulling Avalon into her.
“I can’t believe her funeral is in two days.” Brinley pulls her knees up to her chest. “It still doesn’t feel real.”
