Page 159 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Seven

I glance at Sidney. “It’s okay. Is there something you want to say, Miller?”

He nods and rubs the back of his neck. “I uh…my dad really likes you. Like a lot. And I like you a lot, too. And I know I fu—messed up this weekend. And that Violet is only sixteen and what I did was stupid and dangerous. Especially because I got hammered and then she had to be the one to take care of me instead of the other way around. And that’s not to say she can’t take care of herself. But all my friends were here, and she doesn’t know them and some of them can be real douchebags, but I don’t think they were douchebags to her.” He sucks in a long breath. “Anyway, I wanted to say that I’m sorry. And I promise to do better. I’ve never had the chance to be an older brother, but I think Violet would be a great sister, even if we’re both almost adults and I’m probably going to be on a farm team in a year. So, yeah. I’m sorry and it won’t happen again, and not just because I’m grounded until I move out.”

“It wasn’t your best choice, but you’re a teenage boy, and your kind aren’t known for making the best, rational decisions. I forgive you.”

His head snaps up, his eyes wide with surprise. “You do?”

“It can’t ever happen again.”

“It won’t. I promise.”

“I’ll wax your arms and legs if it does.”

He rubs the fuzz on his forearm. “That’s a fair and just punishment.”

I open my arms. “Want a hug?”

He nods and engulfs me in his enormous arms. He smells like body spray, sweat and dirty socks. “Thanks for being so cool, Skye.”

“It’s easier for me since I’m not the one who has to dole out or enforce the punishment. Remember this moment when you feel like giving your dad a hard time about it?”

“You should go to bed, son. You have a busy day and practice tomorrow after school,” Sidney says.

“Okay. Good night. And tell Vi I’m sorry again. And thanks for making sure I didn’t die like an asshole.”

“Will do.”

Miller disappears back inside and trudges upstairs to his bedroom.

“I think when you’re ready, we can probably tell them?”

Sidney’s eyes light up. “Yeah?”

“Yeah. I think Violet already suspects something, anyway.”

“How about a barbecue later this week?”

“That would be perfect.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

I Called It

Violet

Intuition tells me that something big is about to happen. Well, it’s less about intuition and more about observation. My mother has spent an inordinate amount of time disappearing into her bedroom since she came back from her weekend away with Sidney. She’s never gone for long, just a few minutes, but when she returns, she’s always sporting a dreamy smile.

At first I thought maybe she was taking care of personal business, which isn’t something any sixteen-year-old girl wants to consider too carefully when it comes to her mom. We’re pretty open, but there are some lines that should never be crossed. It was happening so frequently, though, I decided that couldn’t possibly be it.

And then comes the mid-week barbecue at Sidney’s. That isn’t too unusual considering it’s summer and the nice weather only lasts so long in Chicago, so we definitely want to take advantage of it while we can. But add in the incessant text messages, phone calls where she disappears for several minutes because apparently the content requires privacy, and then when she returns, she’s all squirrelly and nervous.

“Do you have your lactose pills?” she asks for the tenth time.

“Yes mom, I have my lactose pills.”

“And your bathing suit?” She rummages around in her purse for the seven hundred and fifty-second time in the past ten minutes.

I hold up the giant beach bag that contains not only my bathing suit, but my favorite towel, a romance book in caselistening to Buck talk about hockey gets boring and I need to tune him out, a change of clothes and a lot of sunblock. “Yup.”

---