Page 4 of Puck & Make Up

And why do I feel like that’s a question loaded with so many undertones I can’t even begin to tease them apart?

I lift my chin, glare at him.

He’s a liar. That’s the only thing that matters.

“I needed you,” Annie says, her voice about as strong as a dried blade of glass. “But I—” She slides a step back, as though she’s going to disappear into the trees.

I open my mouth, reach out a hand?—

Fox snags her shoulder instead. “No,” he mutters. “You are so not running from this again.”

“Y-you’re my son. You have to help me.”

My heart squeezes hard enough that I actually feel lightheaded, and I must make a sound because Fox whips his head in my direction. “I’ve only known for a few days,” he says. “I—” He closes his eyes for a moment. “I always knew I was adopted. I just…didn’t know my birth mother was…her.”

I inhale, but I don’t get the chance to reply because there’s a noise from behind me.

We all turn and see Rosie standing at the edge of the clearing, Joel at her side. Their hair is disheveled, and I think that she’s wearing shoes that don’t match, but they’re here…

And in less than ten minutes.

They made good time.

My friend opens her mouth, closes it, at a loss for words for once.

Joel isn’t, though, and he tucks Rosie behind him before growling, “What the fuck, Fox?”

Annie’s shoulders hunch at the tone, already retreating into herself.

But Fox just turns to face us. “I’ll explain. I just…needed to see for myself.”

“See what?” Joel growls. He looks ready to kill, and I don’t blame him.

Except, I can’t deny that my heart squeezes at the look on Fox’s face.

“We shouldn’t do this here,” Fox says quietly.

“I think—” Rosie closes her eyes. “That here is as good as anywhere.”

I move to her, take her hand, feel that she’s trembling.

“Rosie,” Joel begins.

She leans against me, opens her eyes then turns to Fox. “Please…just tell me?”

The expression on Annie Donovan’s face says she’s going to be stubborn—that breakable reed turning to steel.

It doesn’t ever last long.

But, of course, she summons it for this moment.

Thankfully, though, Fox isn’t holding back.

“You know I’m adopted,” he says.

Joel nods tersely but Rosie’s eyes widen slightly in surprise—the same reaction I’d had to him talking about hisbirthmother. All I’ve known about Fox’s family is that he has a good relationship with his parents. I just…didn’t realize they weren’t his bio ones.

“My parents did one of those tests, the DNA ones. They were curious, and I have to admit I was too. So I bought one and sent it in.” He exhales. “And when the results came in, it turned out my biological mother is…” He flicks his gaze down to the woman he’s practically holding up now.

---