Page 6 of When Sky Breaks

“I don’t know. He made me swim with sharks.” I let a little smile quirk my lips.

Graham pauses, fingering a black loc on his head. “He what?”

Phoebe laughs. “Oh shit, I forgot to tell you that. Here’s the pic.” She pulls her phone out and brings up the ridiculous picture I sent her where Johnny and I are standing in wet suits, my face one of pure horror, looking down into the shark cage while he’s laughing. I’m not sure what kind of voodoo he used to get me in there, but I did it. Ten out of ten will never do it again.

My phone rings, and I tense, thinking this time it is Johnny. Why would I be nervous to talk to him in front of Phoebe and Graham?

Because you’d have to flirt with the realization you’re moving on. And it’s scary putting your heart out there again.

Dad flashes across the screen, and while I’m relieved, trepidation floods me. “Hey Dad,” I say and get up, waving at the two on the couch as I head to my room for privacy.

“Hey baby girl, did I catch you at work?”

“No, I’m home.”

“Good, good.”

He’s quiet, which is unnatural for him.

“Everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m all right. Just miss you, that’s all. How was your vacation?”

For the second time, I stiffen as I push open the door to my room. Of course, I told him I’d be on a trip, but I never said with whom. It’s not a conversation I wanted to have yet.

“It was good. Relaxing.” Total lie. I remained in a state of constant fear for my life, thinking whatever activity Johnny had planned was going to get me killed.

“That’s great. I’m happy to hear that.” There’s a long pause before he sighs. “When do you plan on coming home to visit? You promised you’d come eat dinner at least once a month when you moved in with Phoebe and that kid.”

I huff a laugh so I don’t cry at his sad tone. Kid. We’re all twenty-three, but I’m not going to argue with him about semantics when he’s admonishing me about not being back home in five years.

“I know, I’m sorry, Dad.” Can’t very well blurt out it’s not him I’m avoiding.

The promise of dinner also comes with the caveat of spending time with Trek and…I can’t. Time did nothing to heal that wound. It scabbed over, but seeing him would rip it off, exposing every raw nerve I have.

“Please come home soon, Sky. I, I—just wanna see my girl.”

That plea in his voice almost undoes me. I sigh, “I will. I promise.”

“I’m going to hold you to it, all right?”

We both know it’s another lie.

I end the call and toss my phone to the cold side of my bed.

Foster is the last person I want to punish with my absence. He saved me. Literally saved me from dying in that fire, and here I am being ungrateful.

Five years is a long time to stay away from home. First, it was school—a legitimate excuse. He’d meet me somewhere close for dinners at Christmas or my birthday. I don’t know how I avoided Thanksgiving, but I pulled out all the reasons. Work, more work, double shifts, I need the holiday pay.

Phoebe sticks her head in my opened door. “Everything good?”

“Yep, it was Foster. He keeps begging me to come home.”

She slides in all the way and closes the door, placing her back against it. “Well, it has been a long time.”

“And the award for the most astute lawyer goes to?—”

She rolls her eyes and picks at her manicure. Red this time. Says it makes her feel powerful at the law firm. “Oh hush. You’re just irritated because you know I’m right. Speaking of home, have you talked to Trek recently?”

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