Page 92 of Shadow and Skulls

My hand comes up to stifle a laugh. Most everyone on the plane is sleeping. “Gee, thanks.” I wipe my eyes.

“It’s true. You finally felt safe enough to let us finally see you. There is growth in that.” He settles back in his seat. “We have to feel safe to be able to let our true selves out to be seen. Lily did that for me … in part,” he adds thoughtfully.

“So, you’re saying you still aren’t showing us all of you?” I tip my head, studying him.

He leans close to me. “Different people bring out different parts of us.”

I think about what he said. It’s true.

“You weren’t jealous today?” he asks, making an abrupt change in conversation.

“Of Lizzie?”

He nods.

My head falls against the seat. “No.”

He settles back in his. “She saw the two of you out her window.”

“Didshelook jealous?”I knew she was in there.

“No. She looked relieved.”

When my brows furrow, he laughs lightly, running a hand down his face. “It was pretty obvious how you and Tank feel about each other.”

That makes me sad. “I wasn’t even thinking about her. How selfish of me. I hope we didn’t hurt her.”

I lean over, shoving my face in his, needing reassurance from him that I didn’t make Lizzie feel worse. That was not my intention.

He stares at me for a minute as if he’s just seeing me for the first time. “You are kind, just like your mother.”

“Oh, I wouldn’t say that,” I joke, looking over my shoulder at my mom. “I did trick two guys into gluing themselves together.”

He laughs loudly, and I turn back to hush him.

“Okay, so you’re not kind to everyone. But you are to those who deserve it.” He runs his finger down my cheek. “I’ll put a good word in with Jackson, yeah?”

I bite my lip and nod, holding back tears for the second time today.

JD finally saw it. Now I just need to figure out how to make everyone else see it. More importantly, how I can get my dad to see it.

My mind plays over JD’s and my conversation as I straddle the precipice of slumber. I bolt upright, the answer snatching my impending sleep away.

I need to show Dad who I am when I’m with Tank. The parts of me that only he can bring out. But how do I do that when my dad won’t let me near Tank?

When we land, my dad is there to pick us up. He avoids my gaze. I don’t take it personally. The man is sadder than I’ve ever seen him. I mean, sure, he has a smile on his face as he hugs my mom like they haven’t seen each other in years. Maybe he thinks if he looks at me, it will mirror his own pain. That might be too much right now. Even for a big guy like him.

Eventually, he hugs me. Offers me comforting words. The rest remains hidden.

On the ride home, I decide to take the first step with him.

“Dad, can we go get ice cream? Just you and me,” I add quickly.

My mom reaches over and squeezes his knee.

“Sure,” he finally says at her encouragement, but I sense his reluctance.

He drops JD off first and then my mother. I slowly walk up to the porch, my grandfather watching my parents say goodbye to each other from the swing. I stop at the bottom step.

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