Page 26 of We Are All Sinners

Blessed be my sweet girl.

Love Always,

Your Mama

Tears stream down my face as I look up from the letter, suddenly aware of Brixon’s presence beside me. I hadn’t even noticed he’d returned, sitting patiently as I process everything.

He’s cleaned up the coffee table, neatly arranging the contents around a large tray filled with liquor bottles and mixers. Three shot glasses are lined up on a smaller wooden tray next to my bottle of amaretto, and another tray holds an ice-cold bottle of peppermint schnapps, with three full shot glasses waiting alongside it.

“Pick your poison, Eves.” He looks at me and back to the coffee table.

I set the letter back on top of its envelope and scooch to the edge of the couch, sucking in my snot. Brixon grabs a tissue from the box on the end table and hands it to me.

I blow my nose and laugh thinking how unattractive I look right now. I grab the first shot from the amaretto tray and slam it quickly, feeling the alcohol burn going down. I take the next two back-to-back and look to Brixon who hasn’t touched one yet.

“Go ahead little witch, I drank an entire bottle the night of my pops funeral, when I found out about you, and all of this.”

“Your dad died? What about Dahlia?” I ask, mortified.

“They are both gone now. It’s okay, tonight is about you and me. We will get to all of that later, I promise.” He says sweetly, just as his phone rings.

I let the tears continue to fall at the news of his parents. We really are alone in this now.

He answers, grumbling, “Seriously? Now?” questioning whoever it is.

“Fine, I’m on my way!” He says a bit more harshly than he probably should have.

“Everything okay?” I ask.

“I’m sorry, Emily is coming back home, me and the guys have to go to work.” He says cryptically, refusing to look me in the eyes.

“Mark? Or something you haven’t told me?” I look at him and sigh. I don’t have to touch him to read him. He is an open book when it comes to me. Always was.

He looks me in the eyes and softens. His warm hands cup my face just before he gives me the sweetest kiss, then takes it away just as fast, “I promise I will tell you everything when I get back.” He smiles, letting me know it may not be Mark, but something to do with Mark.

I sit back on the couch watching as Brixon goes out the door just as Emily comes back in.

“Hey bitch, wanna do shots with me and find lost treasure?” I smile as I pick up mama’s letter, handing it to her as she comes into the living room and sits where Brix just was a minute ago.

I pour another shot and down it.

“Other than under Liam, I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. Joke! Kind of. I’m trying to play hard to get, but damn is that man making it difficult.” Em huffs, grabs a shot, and throws the clear liquid into her mouth without spilling a drop, “Fuck! That burns. Who the fuck likes peppermint?” her words come out as a loud strenuous whisper as she picks up another and downs it.

“Brix, he used to just like it as a breath refresher. Better?” I ask, laughing as her hands flap so hard I think she might take off flying.

“Oh yeah.” She nods as she picks up the letter, sits back on the couch, and starts reading.

Her eyes go wide a few times, and she mumbles here and there, until she finishes the letter with tears in her eyes.

“Evie, I don’t even know what to say about all of this, except that we need more alcohol. Let’s see what clues your mom left you.” Em tries her best to smile through the tears that have won and spilled over. She places her hand over mine, giving it a reassuring squeeze while wiping her own tears with her free hand.

“I know right!” I pull my hand from hers and blush at the image I just got of her with Liam’s head between her legs. I reach to grab the bottle and pour myself another shot, deciding fuck the tiny glass, and just drink straight from the bottle.

I tip up the bottle of Disaronno, curling my lips around the large rim. I let the dark amber liquid fill my mouth, hitting every taste bud. I let myself feel the burn before I put the bottle down and swallow.

“Okay, we aren’t there yet, Eves. Come on, let’s make some normal drinks now that we have a good buzz going, so we both don’t pass out early.”

“Yeah, we are gonna need our wits about us if we are going to figure out how to break the curse.” My words slur a little and I realize I’m feeling so much better when I think about what the two most important women in my life could have left for me to help deal with whatever this curse is.

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