“We thought she was just out with her friends at first,” Suzannah said as we headed back to the kitchen. Suzannah went right for the fridge, opening the door with an ease that reminded me how much time she and Tommy spent here. She had married into the family but seemed to know more about us now than I did.
“This whole thing is just …” She shook her head.
The fridge was packed with casserole dishes and Tupperware. Suzannah fished out three bottles of Corona, my father’s favorite beer, and handed one to me before we went out the patio door.
“Here,” Suzannah said, handing Tommy a beer and giving his shoulder a soft squeeze. “You look like you could use one of these.”
He gave her a small smile. “Thanks.”
My eyes cut across the dark yard, looking past the trees to where the Hopelys’ house lingered behind. Tommy’s gaze followed mine and he seemed to understand. “Mrs. Hopely still owns it,” he confirmed. “Still living there too.”
I tried not to let my unease show on my face. Well, that answeredthatquestion.
Tommy took a long swig from his beer, still staring at me. “You know how weird it is to see you sitting here, Rose?” He shook his head. “It’s been like a decade.”
“Well, I wouldn’t be here under any other circumstances.”
Tommy looked defeated. “I know.”
“It’s not you,” I told him, clutching the beer bottle tighter in my hands. “You know that. It’s being back in this house, where, you know.” I shuddered. “And seeing mom isn’t making it any easier,” I added darkly.
“You could try to be nicer to her,” Tommy said, taking a swig from his bottle. He had a different relationship with our parents than I did. It seemed to be easier for him to forgive them for abandoning Will. Perhaps it was because he naturally spent more time with them down here, had given them their first grandkids, but I’d always felt a little betrayed by it.
“Icould,” I said sarcastically.
“But you’re not going to, are you?”
I smirked. “Of course I’m not.”
Tommy sighed. “I wish you two would work it out. This isn’t worth fighting over anymore. She’s your mother.”
“She lost that right once she stopped being a mother to Will when he needed her the most. She can kiss my ass.”
“But you put up with Dad,” Tommy reasoned.
“He’s not my favorite person on earth either, but at least he didn’t immediately start a replacement family.”
“And yet he doesn’t support Will either, Rose. You know that. He’s made that very clear over the years, but still you cut him slack and vilify Mom for the exact same thing.”
“It’s different.”
“Is it?” Tommy shook his head, and he looked so much like Will that it felt like a knife to the chest.
“Why are you playing devil’s advocate right now, Tommy?” I asked. Yes, he had stayed close with my parents, but he had also supported me in my tireless crusade for Will. And he was in touch with him too. He wasn’t as devoted as I was—it wasn’t his full-time job, and he had the responsibilities of a family that I didn’t have—but his support was there. I didn’t like the insinuation that that might have changed.
“Rosie, I’m on your side,” Tommy assured me, his face turning soft. “And I admire your loyalty, but right now we have to focus on finding Hazel. That might mean working with Mom. Despite her flaws, you know she’s hurting.”
“Yeah, well, karma’s a bitch.”
“She’s really not so bad when she’s got Steve around,” Suzannah piped up, her hand reaching over to grasp Tommy’s once again. “He grounds her. And she’ll probably be too preoccupied with looking for Hazel to get under your skin much.”
“I would love to believe that,” I said, taking another sip of beer. I could hardly taste it, but I liked having something to do with my hands. My mind was swirling with thoughts of my younger sister, wondering where the hell she could be. It felt wrong to be here having a beer with Tommy, knowing that half of our siblings were currently incarcerated or missing. Our already-fractured family was now in pieces.
“So what’s the plan for tomorrow? We’ll keep looking, right?”
“Definitely. They might want us to sit back, but none of us can do that,” Tommy said indignantly. “We’re going to go out again first thing in the morning. Should be easy enough to avoid the cops given they’re starting with—”
He stopped abruptly, his face going white as his hand squeezed Suzannah’s. He was holding something back.
