Page 87 of Always Us

“It’s been a rough week, but things are starting to settle down. After tonight, we’ll finally get some time together as a family. It’s good to have you two home.”

Katherine walks by and completely ignores us. I tense up seeing her, knowing she wanted me dead. I’m sure she’s disappointed I’m alive. That’s probably why she’s ignoring me. She’s choosing to pretend I’m dead.

I haven’t seen Katherine since last spring. Her hair looks even blonder than I remember. She’s wearing a long-sleeve black dress that has a thin belt around the middle. I think she might’ve had something done to her lips. They look fuller, like maybe she had those injections that plump them up. She used to have really thin lips.

“Why don’t you two go upstairs and get settled?” Pearce says. “People will start arriving in a half hour or so.”

“Can we see Lilly?” I ask him.

“Yes, of course. She’s in her room. My mother is up there with her. She’s staying here at the house for a few days.”

“Come on.” Garret takes my hand and we go up the stairs.

The maid already took our luggage up to his room. I always forget that Garret’s family has all this hired help. People are always doing stuff for you.

Garret stops at Lilly’s room but I pull on him to continue down the hall. “Let’s just see her later.”

“Don’t you want to say hi?”

“Your grandmother’s with her. We should leave them alone.”

He turns me toward him, his hands on my upper arms, his eyes on mine. “Jade. She’s not like him. I swear.”

I notice I’m shaking a little, probably from seeing Katherine and that photo of Holton. I’m feeling anxious and nervous and a little sick to my stomach. And now that I know Eleanor is staying here, I’m even more nervous.

Garret hugs me and says quietly, “She’s not going to hurt you. She had nothing to do with it.”

He lets me go and knocks on Lilly’s door. It opens and I smile when I see Lilly standing there. She’s in a black dress and little black shoes, her long blond hair held back with a headband that matches her dress. The headband reminds me of Harper. It wouldn’t surprise me if that’s why she’s wearing it. Lilly loves Harper and is probably trying to dress like her now.

“Hi, Lilly.” I bend down and give her a hug. I’m still in the hallway but I need to hug her. She’s hurting and could use a hug. And hugging her helps me relax.

“Hi.” Her voice is soft and tiny and sad.

She needs her brother. I stand up and Garret picks her up.

“Hey, Lilly.” He smooths her hair as she lays her head on his shoulder. She hugs him really tight, her arms and legs attached to him like she’ll never let him go.

“I’m sad,” she whispers.

“I know.” He kisses her head.

Whenever I see those two together, it makes me want to cry. Lilly’s doing better now that she goes to school and has some friends, but she still really misses Garret. They have a special bond that Lilly doesn’t have with anyone else. She trusts him and listens to him and loves him, probably more than she loves her own parents.

“Hello, Garret.” Eleanor appears in the doorway to Lilly’s room. She’s wearing a black dress that almost matches Katherine’s dress but without the belt. And she’s wearing a pearl necklace with matching earrings, her short hair framing her face.

“Hello, Grandmother.” Garret walks past her into Lilly’s bedroom.

I remain at the door, frozen in place, my heart thumping fast.

Eleanor gives me a slight smile. “Jade. Thank you for coming.”

“I’m sorry for your loss.” I sound like a greeting card, but I didn’t know what else to say.

She steps aside and I walk into the room and stand next to Garret, who still has Lilly glued to him.

“How was the flight?” Eleanor asks. “I haven’t flown commercial for years. I’ve heard it’s even more unpleasant than it used to be.”

“It’s not that bad,” Garret says.

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