Page 53 of Everything I Desire

I lead her into the kitchen where Willow is hiding by the fridge.

Mom rounds the corner and catches sight of Willow’s signature red hair.

She runs to her, pulling her in for a tight hug. Mom has been the most affected by Willow moving to Nashville. She moved right after Dad passed away, leaving Mom an empty nester and a widow all in the same month.

“Can’t breathe.” Willow whispers. She pulls back but still holds on to her arms.

“How in the world?” She looks at both of us.

“I went to the airport last night to pick her up, she wanted to surprise everyone for the party.” I cover for Willow, who mouths athank youover Mom’s shoulder.

Mom pulls us both in for one more hug. Then she begins ordering us around to get everything in her car or my car for the party.

We’re hosting the engagement party at The Bar, and Gunnar is nice enough to let us come in before they open to decorate.

Mom, Willow, and I are met by Scarlett when we get there. She takes one look at us and her jaw drops.

“Oh my God!” She jumps up and down, clapping her hands. “Willow! When did you get here?” She practically screams, and Gunnar comes out from the kitchen to see if everything is okay.

“I just came home to surprise everyone.” Willow tells Scarlett with a fake excitement in her voice to fool everyone. Only I know the truth.

“Well it freaking worked!” Scarlett finally runs over to hug Willow. Maybe enough hugs will get her to see that she can be happier here with us than alone in Nashville fighting some asshole who can afford to win and bleed her dry financially while he’s at it.

Mom and Willow bring the food back for the refrigerator to Gunnar. Scarlett corners me out by my car when I go out to get more decorations to bring in.

“Spill it. I know that she didn’t come home to surprise everyone.” She crosses her arms across her chest and leans her hip on the side of my car. “That was the fakest smile I’ve ever seen on her face.”

“She’s just - having a tough time.” I stop myself from telling her all of Willow’s story.

“Why? Did she tell you? What can we do?” Scarlett automatically goes into her hero mode. She thinks she can do something to save everyone. But sometimes they have to save themselves.

“Listen, it’s not my story to tell. But you know it’s lonely down there, and she’s just going through some stuff.” I roll my eyes and hand Scarlett a box.

“That’s bullshit. We always tell each other everything, now you’re both hiding something from us.” She says defensively.

“I know that, Scarlett. But Willow needs to be the one to share this. Please just trust me this time. She isn’t ready to talk about it with everyone yet. I only know the bare minimum. Just let her think you believe her story. You know Willow. She’ll come to us when she’s ready.” I pass by her to walk back inside with my arms full.

“I do not like this, Adelaide,” she yells after me.

“Neither do I, Scarlett,” I yell back. Sometimes it sucks being in the middle of my sister and the rest of the family. As the two youngest we always banded together and knew each other’s secrets.

I place the box I’m carrying on the bar and hear giggling from the kitchen, followed by a deep voice. I peek around the corner and see Gunnar andWillow talking as they load the refrigerator with food. He’s regaling her with a story of a drunk fight last night between a guy and a cardboard cut out.

I walk back into the event room to start decorating and decide to leave them alone. It’s nice to hear my sister laugh.

We finish decorating and setting out some appetizers with Gunnar. He has moved on to setting up the karaoke machine for everyone since we always do karaoke when we come. He asks me to come test out the system because he was having trouble with it. I push Willow up, she’s obviously the better choice for this.

She holds the mic up and starts a rendition ofBridge Over Troubled Waters, an old song made popular again by many artists. I pull out my phone to record her.

Her voice is breathy but beautiful. When she sings, everyone in the audience becomes entranced by her.

Gunnar looks at me and raises a brow, I shrug in response. It seems he has no idea our baby sister is a singing internet sensation.

When she finishes the song, everyone in the room claps for her. I didn’t even notice that guests arrived during her impromptu performance. I send the clip off to her in a text and tuck my phone away for the afternoon.

I’m ready to just enjoy an afternoon with all my sisters at home. It’s been so longsince the last time all four of us were physically together in the same space without an argument.

Chapter Twenty

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