Page 62 of Drifting

I try a few more times with the same results. I squeeze the phone in my hand.

“Baby, I’m sorry.” Patty goes to hug me, but I pull away, pacing. “I was waiting to talk to you about this.”

I feel a little bit of hope.

“He talked to his lawyers again, to see if there’s anything we can do. I’m sorry, sweetheart, there’s nothing.”

And there it goes.

“Nothing? There has to be something! I just heard her get hit, then a large crash. She’s being abused, and who knows what else.”

“I know you care about your cousin, honey, but she’s with her family.”

I gawk at Patty. She doesn’t understand Cin is my family. “I would think you, of all people, would understand that sometimes being with family isn’t for the best. Especially if that family abuses her. This is bullshit. What good is all this money if we can’t do a damn thing!” I yell, picking up my alarm clock and throwing it against the wall where it shatters.

“Shelby, calm down,” Patty says in an authoritative voice.

“I will not calm down! She’s my only family!” I pound my chest. “She’s been there for me every time I needed her. Now, she needs me, and I can’t do a damn thing. I need to do something.” I chew on my bottom lip, trying to think of anything I can do.

“I know that look,” Patty says. “What are you planning on doing? You can’t run away. You promised me a year. You’ve always kept your promises.”

Is she for real? She’s broken all her promises. The only person I love just got slapped, and I believe thrown down the stairs, and she’s worried about me staying here for a year?

“No, I promised to give you until I’m eighteen.” I angrily glance away. “I don’t break promises.”

“I’m sorry.” Her sad, blue eyes watch me in her reflection in the window. “I tried, but there’s just nothing we can do.”

I pin her with my gaze. “You’re sorry, but you tried? Sounds like old times when you just gave up and slipped into your drug haze, pretending everything was alright.”

Her face pales. I know I shouldn’t have said that, but I couldn’t stop myself.

“I’m sorry.” Body stiff, she walks out, shutting the door behind her.

I fall back on my bed with a growl. “Lot of good that is.”

I need to do something. I can’t let Cin stay in that house. Patty’s right, legally. There’s nothing we can do. That’s why we ran away in the first place. I turn eighteen before Cin does. We’ll have to wait another three months until she turns eighteen. Fuck. There has to be something I can do. I lie on my bed, coming up with every plan I can think of.

Knock, knock.

“Go away!” I yell.

“Shelby, it’s me,” Nick says from the other side of my door. “I have some food for you. Can I come in?”

My stomach growls at the thought of food. I didn’t eat anything today. How long have I been lying here?

“Yeah, come in.” I look for my clock. Oh, yeah, I threw it against the wall.

I sit up straighter as Nick walks in and closes the door behind him. His hair is still a little wet from his recent shower.

“Your mother thought you might be hungry, so she made you a plate.” He holds out a plate of chicken, stuffing, and carrots. “Do you want it?”

At my nod, he walks over and hands me the plate and silverware. I place a pillow over my legs and put the plate on that. I shovel some stuffing into my mouth.

“Are you all right?” Nick asks. “I heard you yelling at your mom.”

I motion for him to take a seat on the couch.

He sits with his elbows on his knees.

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