Page 127 of Last Man Standing

“I don’t think you should tell her.” Stony and sad, Mom folds her arms and flattens her lips. “I agree that she needs someone to trust, and my behavior over these last few weeks excludes me from being that person. Telling her achieves nothing but assuaging your own guilt. But don’t look me in the eye and pretend you’re something you’re not.” She exhales a heady breath, shrinking her chest and swallowing whatever bitter flavor sits on her tongue. “And for the record, I really was trying tonight. This dinner was supposed to be about celebrating Uncle Bas.” She glances his way and softens in response to his droopy eyes. Then back to me. “It’s clear to me Scarlett matters to you, baby. And there is nothing in this world that matters to me more than my family. Believe it or not, but I don’t want you to tell her about the texts. I don’t want her to realize the person she clings to is about as trustworthy as the people she openly denigrates. What started out as a completely reasonable security measure has now stretched into something that’ll send her running, and I’m terrified that even if she’s running from you, you’ll still follow. Tonight was about welcoming her into my family. It was about ensuring my family stays together. I’ll apologize to her myself if my questions felt like an interrogation, but what I will not apologize for is loving my son so much I would do anything, say anything, and dine with anyone, if it means not losing him.”

“Y’all better shut up already,” Koda chirps, leaning halfway out of his chair in an attempt to look into the hall. “She’s gonna hear you bickering.” Giving up on his efforts, he simply drops to his feet and wanders to the doorway. “Maybe I should be her boyfriend? I didn’t lie to nobody.”

“She’s taking an awfully long time to pee,” Uncle Bas rumbles sleepily. “I think you’ve got yourself a runner, boy.”

Shaking my head, I drag a hand through my hair and groan. Because they’re right. All of them. Monitoring Scarlett’s phone from day one was smart, and technically, we told her that first night about the security software that would scan everyone’s texts.

But telling her now, after painstakingly earning her trust, would be insane.

Morally right… but insane.

I exhale a gusty sigh and squeeze Bas’ shoulder. “Are you good to get back to your room, old man? Need a little help?”

“Eh.” He pats my hand. “I reckon Mav and your dad can handle it. Go talk that pretty girl down from whatever crazy plan she’s concocting before it gets us all wounded.”

“Yeah.” Fuckin’ awesome. I move across the room and fist Koda’s hair, twisting him around and forcing his head back until our eyes meet. Since he’s the innocent one here, I lower into a crouch and fake a smile. “You don’t get to be Scarlett’s boyfriend, Booger Brain. I kinda like her. Like…” I grab his hand and press it to my chest. “Right up in here. I kinda even love her, with the capital L and everything. But don’t tell Mom, because she gets defensive about this stuff and shows her ass because she thinks she’s being replaced or some shit.”

Behind me, Mom’s breath catches and grief makes her hurt.

Good. For right this minute, while I’m hurting, I’m glad she’s hurting, too.

“But…” I ruffle his hair and straighten my legs. “Since you miss out on being Scarlett’s boyfriend, I say you can have my dessert.”

His eyes flare comically wide. “Double desserts? Really?”

“Triple, actually. Since Scarlett didn’t have hers either. Sit your big butt at the head of the table and eat all three bowls of whatever we were gonna get. I’m pretty sure I can smell apple pie in the oven.”

He bobs his head enthusiastically. “I looooove apple pie!”

“I know you do.” I drag him in and wait for his customary leg hug. But when he’s done, I straighten my spine and drop my chin to my chest.

Time to face the fire.

Here’s hoping she hasn’t assumed the worst already.

“Goodnight.” I don’t bother turning back to the rest of my family. I don’t kiss my mom on the cheek or hug my dad. I don’t hit Mav, though physically assaulting one another is basically how we express love. I simply stride into the hall and pray Scarlett hasn’t figured out how to open my bedroom window yet.

If she’d gone out the main doors, the silent alarms would’ve alerted us already.

But the window… that’s a loophole I haven’t told her about yet. Just like I haven’t told her about that time I read, in real time, her words to Lincoln.

I hate it here, Linc.

I just wanna go home.

I’d rather not tell them it’s my birthday, because them not knowing is better than them knowing and not caring.

Every girl wants a pony for their birthday.

Would Tank protect me if bullets were flying and shit was going bad? Sure. Assuming his mother says it’s okay.

I walk the hall just as eagerly as prisoners walk toward scheduled death. My stomach jumps with nerves, and my veins burn with dread. My head throbs with an ache somewhere in the very back of my skull, but right there at the front, I cling to her promise.

She won’t assume the worst without giving me a chance to explain.

Stopping at my door and glancing back along the hall, I flatten my lips and wave Koda’s curious gaze away. The instant he dives back into the kitchen with a silly giggle, I open my door and prepare for… fuck, I don’t even know what. An open window. A loaded gun. A suitcase, already packed and stacked on my bed.

Stepping into my room and closing the door behind me, I find Scarlett lying on the bed. Her dress is gone, and in its place are a pair of pyjama shorts and an oversized hoodie.