Page 83 of Lilly

Dad looks at Garret. "Because your brother invited us to his house this afternoon. We'll be going up there."

I turn to Garret. "You didn't tell me we were going to your house."

"What are you talking about?" he says with a laugh. "I just invited you like two minutes ago."

"Yeah, to stay with you, but you didn't say anything about having us over this afternoon."

"I just didn't mention it. I was thinking you'd come up with Mom and Dad, then they'd go home and you'd stay with us for a few days. That's why I asked."

Abi leans over and hugs me. "Please stay with us. We can have a sleepover."

"Not tonight, okay?" I tell her, then I look at my dad. "Reed is already planning to come here. You and Mom can go to Garret's and I'll stay here."

"No," he says. "We're going as a family and that includes you."

"I shouldn't be forced to go." I set my fork down a little too hard on my plate. It makes a loud noise that startles Ethan and Miles. They briefly look over at me, then focus back on their plates, running their fingers through the syrup.

"You're coming with us," my dad says. "Time with your family is more important than time with Reed."

"I see you guys all the time. And I'm tired of you not letting me see Reed."

"This is not optional," my dad says in his warning tone.

"I already told Reed he could come so it's too late to tell him not to. You'll just have to go to Garret's without me."

"Lilly, I am not—"

"Pearce," Rachel says interrupting him. "Let's not do this at breakfast."

"Do what?" I ask. "What's going on here?"

Nobody answers.

"Mommy, look!" Ethan shows his hands to Jade. His fingers are dripping with syrup.

Jade gets up from her chair and says to Garret, "I'll clean him up." She notices Miles' hands are also covered with syrup. "Abi, can you help me with Miles?"

She hops off her chair, eager to help.

"Hannah, why don't you come too?"

They all head down the hall to the bathroom. It's obvious Jade was clearing out the kids so my dad can yell at me about wanting to spend time with Reed. I don't want to hear it so I get up and say, "I'm not hungry. I'll be in my room."

"Lilly, sit down," my dad says.

Garret and Rachel both pick up their coffees, trying to act like everything's fine even though I know it's not.

Still standing, and wanting to get this over with, I choose to be direct. "Why do you hate Reed so much?" I ask my dad.

"I don't hate him. But I do think your relationship with him is becoming too serious. You're just a teenager. You shouldn't be making lifelong plans when you're this young."

"Garret did," I say, pointing at him.

"This isn't about Garret. This is about you."

"Why are the rules always different for me? It's not fair. You let Garret do whatever he wanted when he was my age but you treat me like a kid."

"I didn't do whatever I wanted," Garret says.

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