I take a step back, shocked at her words, but before I can press her, she waves to someone over my shoulder and heads back to the bonfire, leaving me in darkness next to a river of piss.
CHAPTER 22
Then
We were all together when Ava found out about her dad’s new family. We were ten and it was the first time Mom had let me visit Ava in the city for a sleepover. She had driven me the whole way down, all six hours, and was staying with a friend in Brooklyn so she could take me home the next day.
Late that night, when we were snuggled up in Ava’s queen-size bed, we heard her mom shout from the living room. “Motherfucker!”
Ava rolled her eyes and turned the volume up on the TV.
But that didn’t drown out the sound of glass shattering. Ava winced and her body stiffened. “I’ll be right back.” She stepped out of bed, then tucked us back in. “You guys stay here, okay?”
Imo and I looked at each other but didn’t say anything. She grabbed my hand under the blanket and squeezed hard as we tried to focus on the rom-com blaring in the room.
I don’t remember drifting off to sleep or hearing Ava come back, but when we woke in the morning, Ava was sitting in the big armchair in the corner of her room, her cell phone in her hand. Her messy bun was askew and she had bitten her nails raw, so you could see blood.
“My dad’s new wife had her babies,” she said when she saw us stir. “Twins.”
We knew better than to say anything resemblingcongratulations. Instead, Imogen climbed into the chair with Ava and I plopped down at her feet.
“Bianca and Jordie.” She snorted. “Couldn’t get much more ridiculous than that, huh?” Ava stood, not letting us respond. “I ordered bagels. Lox and whitefish and the whole deal.”
Ava wrapped us both in hugs so tight I thought we might meld together for once, finally.
“Maybe you guys can stay another night,” she said softly. “Call in sick to school. We could watch moviesallday. The good nineties ones, too. Julia Roberts.”
Imogen nodded eagerly, encouraging. “Maybe,” she said.
“Yeah,” I echoed.
We all knew that would never happen, but no one dared mention it, especially when it was clear that Ava’s mom had left us to go to the gym, or a spa, or a boozy brunch somewhere downtown. When my mom came to pick me up, she hugged us all and hung out for a bit, eating half a bagel with schmear and lox and capers.
“I swear this tastes like the bagels we get at camp for Sunday brunch, don’t you think, girls?”
Ava smiled at my mom. “I’m not supposed to tell anyone, but Stu and Mellie get them shipped from H&H,” she said, then looked over at the window. “My dad worked it out. Back when I was a Rambler.”
Mom smiled at Ava. “Well, isn’t that nice.”
Ava shrugged. “It was nicer when he wasn’t cheating.”
Mom set her bagel down and turned to me and Imo. “Imogen,how about I drop you off at home on our way back up to Roxwood?”
“Okay,” she said. No one mentioned the possibility of another night together.
“Great,” Mom said. “Go get your stuff, you two.”
I looked at Ava and she kept eye contact with my mom, always grateful for attention from Willa.
Imogen and I left them together at the table and gathered our things, stuffing pajamas and socks into our overnight bags.
“Do you think she’s gonna be okay?” Imo whispered.
I peeked out the door and saw Mom holding Ava as she sobbed, her shoulders shaking, her head resting against Mom’s chest.
Something pulled at my heart. Jealousy, maybe, at my mom giving Ava so much attention. But no, not quite. Rage, perhaps, at Ava’s dad for inflicting this kind of pain. But that wasn’t it either. When I turned back around to Imogen’s hopeful face, I realized it was pity. For all the smoked fish and penthouses and queen-size beds with feather pillow toppers, she would never have the one thing she desperately wanted. Parents who cared.
“She will be,” I said to Imo. “Okay, I mean. We’ll help her get there.”
