Page 206 of Snap Shot

“No, but—”

“Bea, someone is here to see Ms. Davé,” she says into her headset. “Please” —her hand motions to the waiting area— “have a seat.”

Behraz's haphazard shuffle to the front has me springing to my feet. “Landon—Mr. Radek. What are you doing here?”

“Can I talk to Ms. Davé?” I search the office space behind her. “It'll only take a few minutes.”

“I would, but…I'msosorry.” She guides me out, blowing a few stray hairs from her face and revealing flushed cheeks. Her arms hug her chest, shoulders rising and falling uncomfortably. “She's not here. You don't know?”

A million situations swim through my brain. “Know what?”

Bea lowers her voice to a hush. “Indi took a leave of absence.”

My anxious heart rate plummets, draining the blood from my face. I scrub it with both hands.

“I don't know anything else yet.” Bea puffs out a breath. “And if I did, I'm not sure I'd be able to say. I'm sorry, Landon.”

“Me, too.”

If only Indi knew how sorry.

When I get back in the Rover, I hit the screen to make a call. There's no answer. I dial a second number. No answer there either. I leave a voicemail.

“Hey, Mom. I can't remember if you're working tomorrow or not, but I've got a day between games, and I'd like to come home.”

—————

My mother greets me in the foyer with open arms. I find security in her matching Regents sweat suit and messy hair gathered into one of those jumbo clips that look like a claw.

“Aw, Landy.” The embrace is warm and much needed. “How are ya, kiddo?”

“The little fuck-up's done it again.” Delaney ruins the moment by huffing from the doorway behind us.

“Why are you here?” I snap.

“Laney, have some sympathy. Look at him. He's heartbroken.”

My head whips between the two. “Wait, you both know?”

Mom's worried smile goes sheepish. “I mentioned you were coming over. Delaney said you and Indi split up.”

Laney takes her coat off and tosses it onto the banister. “One day, Indi and I are laughing over that picture of you as a five-year-old yanking on your tiny penis and how not much has changed—”

I stomp behind her into the family room. “Hey, my penis isn't tiny! It's the opposite—”

Delaney puts up a hand and keeps going. “And the next day she leaves me onRead. It doesn't a genius to figure it out.” Her legs swing onto the couch as she sits, leaving no room for anyone else. “What've you done?”

“Don't you have anything better to do? Where are the kids?”

“They're with Seth's parents. Now 'fess up so we can fix it.”

“There's no 'fixing' anything.” I draw out a long breath and plop onto the opposite armchair. “She wants to get married.”

My sister groans and presses her head into the cushion. “I told you this would happen.”

Mom shoves Laney's feet away to make space for herself. “You've only been together a short while. What's the rush in getting married?”

Delaney perks an eyebrow and gives me her classic side-eyed stare-down. “You gonna tell her, or should I?”

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