Page 105 of Until I Have You

Voices.Muffled.From somewhere nearby.I follow the sound into the kitchen.Everyone is out on the deck.I can see their forms through the windows.Conversation is flying.Angry conversation.

“She’s a grown-up, Dad.She can make decisions for herself,” Nate says.

“Of course, she can.Butheknows better,” my father growls in return.

I go closer to the door.No one notices I’m standing behind the glass.Everyone is crowded around like they’re conspiring to commit some sort of felony.

Dad and Sonia side by side, my brothers standing tall and firm, the rest of them all peppered in a circle, except for Mason who is bent over picking pieces of something up off the ground.

“I shouldn’t have said anything,” Sonia says.

“What?Of course, you had to,” Dad replies, pulling her under his arm.

“But he’s… She’s going to be so upset.”

A sick feeling crawls up my throat.

No.She didn’t.

“How about we all just pretend like nothing came up for now?”Laney says.“So Bridget and Seth can have their day?We can say Theo had to go back for a meeting or–”

“That’s a good idea, Lane,” Camilla encourages.Baby Alanna is strapped to her front in a sling of cloth.

Theo wasn’t arriving.He was leaving.They sent him away.

My chest aches.

Jack sputters.“She’s too smart for that.”

At least my brother knows me.

“She’s going to be so upset,” Bridget says.

Seth leans over and kisses her cheek.

Dad rubs his face with his hand.“I can’t believe I did that.”

Striding to the door, Mason tries to laugh.“I can’t blame you.If it were my daughter and my friend, I think I’d have the same reaction.”

This is ridiculous.They’re all out here talking about me like I’m a child.

I’m not a child.I’m younger than all of them, but I’m a grown fucking woman.I don’t need everyone meddling in my business, regardless of what kind of choices I made.

I open the door, just before Mason can.Mason jumps back.“Abigail!”

“Seems like an interesting conversation.”I scan the group.“Can I join in?”

No one speaks.And there are like ten people out here.No one says a goddamn word.

I let my lips quirk in a disdainful joke.“Were you talking about me or something?”

My father rolls his shoulders back.“Abgail–”

“Scratch that.Don’t answer it.Iknowyou were talking about me.”I zero in on Sonia.“You said you wouldn’t tell.”

Sonia glances at my dad, and he has the gall to put his hand on her shoulder, like he’s assuring her she did the right thing.I am not anyone’s first choice here and that much is obvious.

“Abigail, I’m sorry.I can’t lie to my husband.”

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