Page 71 of Back to Willow

“Preparing everything for tomorrow. First, we make a list, then we go buy and then hide it, so Dylan doesn’t find out.”

He chuckles but stands up to grab a pen and a sheet of paper so we can get down to business. The day goes by in a rush, the three of us busy getting everything we need for the party. By the time we’re done shopping, Jake insists we need to take a break to eat, and what place is better than Shilah’s?

“I’m starving,” he whines, following Shilah to our booth.

“Oh, don’t be such a big baby. I only agreed because it’ll be faster to hide everything before we have to pick Dylan up.”

“Hide what, darling?” Shilah asks, handing us the menus.

“Oh, the set-up for his party. That kid is like a hound. He always finds out whatever I hide. All kinds of surprises.”

“Where are you going to do it? The party, I mean.”

“The only place I can do it, at home, why?” I ask when I see that expression she does every time she’s deep in thought.

“I was just thinking that tomorrow is one of those days where we’ll barely have any movement, and we still have the back room vacant. When we opened, we didn’t have enough time to renovate the other one, and we just kind of left it as a second plan,” she hums a little at the end of the sentence. “You could use the room, hide everything there, set them up there, and surprise the hell out of him.” She beams.

“No, Shilah. I don’t want to abuse your goodwill. You’ve already given me an extra day off to be able to prepare this, now using the diner as well? No.”

“Nonsense, girl! I won’t even accept a no for an answer. Let me just wrap up a few clients, and I’ll bring you the key to the other back door so you can bring everything inside!”

Since Shilah is adamant, I end up giving in. It is, in fact, handy to not bring everything home. As she goes back to get our food, Nana excuses herself, going to the restroom.

“Lo?” Jake calls.

“Hmm?”

“I saw Liam at the supermarket yesterday.”

Automatically, my attention snaps to him.

“Oh no, he met Dylan?”

“I mean, he saw him, but he assumed he was mine. I didn’t correct him because it’s not my place to tell but, sis…he kept looking at him weirdly, and he asked about you. About why you left since you haven’t been honest yet.”

“You told him?” I whisper-yell, panic lurking underneath my skin, heading right towards my heart.

“Lo, who do you think I am?” He glares. “I only told him you need to figure it out and keep me out of it.”

Oh. Oh god. Why am I panicking? I never even told my brother. I told no one.Am I going crazy?

“Sis, what the hell happened back then?” His soft hand covers mine, and all I can do is shut my eyes tight and try to contain a sob.

I feel like I’m suffocating as if my lungs were being filled with stinging water. Everything is just catching up to me, pulling me deeper underwater into this bottomless black void.

Why can’t I just get out of this spiralling black hole?Why?

When his arms wrap around me, holding me tightly, I finally break down. “Why, Jake? Why me?”

He squeezes me closer. “Oh, my sweet girl…I hate that you’re carrying this weight by yourself, Lo. Let us help you.”

I shake my head in his chest, telling him no.I can’t.

With a resigned sigh, he mutters, “You know I am here for you, right?” I can only nod against his chest. “I’ll be here when you find the courage to open up. I will always be here for you.”

“I’m sorry, Jay.” He shushes me before squeezing me tight again. “One day. I promise.”

I barely manage to get myself together before Nana comes back, but if she notices, she doesn’t call us out on it. Instead, she quickly monopolises the conversation, reminding us about Jake’s antics today.

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