Page 27 of Beyond Oblivion

As big as my little brother had gotten while working at IronE, Lachlan barely fit in the passenger side of my truck. I’d always been glad Becca and Cassidy had him watching over them, but it turned out he was keeping an eye on all of us.

“You’re a good dude, Lach,” I said, giving him a nod.

He smiled. “I know that, too. See you tomorrow.”

Chapter Seven

Camille

“Just finished up another test,” I said into my cellphone.

“A pregnancy test?” Raegan asked from the other end of the line.

“Ultrasound on my thyroid. Who knew your thyroid could affect your periods? I don’t even know if they do, actually, but they must if the doc is running tests on mine.”

“Well, let me know the results. Hopefully they’ll finally figure out what’s going on.”

“I will. I have to go, I just got to Travis and Abby’s.”

“Yikes,” she said.

“Stop.” I chuckled, looking up at Travis and Abby’s two-story bungalow home through my rain-speckled windshield. “Let me know when you’re headed this way. I miss you.”

“I miss you, too,” Raegan said, her tone instantly thick with sadness.

I put my phone away, stopping on the porch. Travis had just finished giving it a facelift, painting the wood planksFjord Blue, according to Abby, and the trim and front door white. The pink flowers overflowing from wire baskets hanging under Travis and Abby’s front windows seemed to be weeping, the droplets of rain dripping from their dainty petals. Abby had dreamed about a real home, a real family since she was a girl, and it was Travis’s mission to make it their reality.

I remembered when they’d bought that house, and when the remodeling began. I’d made it a point to praise Travis for working so hard at the gym that they could afford it, and how he’d waved me off, saying how much money they’d saved with him doing the work himself—with Trenton’s help, of course.

After the fresh carpet and new but modest furniture came the babies—tiny bundles that quickly transformed their carefully curated home into a whirlwind of sleepless nights and endless laundry. Then came the need for roomier vehicles; strollers, car seats, and baby bags required ample space, along with all the other essentials of parenthood. Somehow, they always managed, even when Abby decided to take a pay cut to work part-time as a substitute teacher, trading her classroom for lullabies and sticky fingers.

I laughed quietly, my fist poised to knock. Now that I knew their secret, it seemed so obvious. Our little town had five gyms, and even as personable as Travis was, there weren’t enough clients to sustain their growing financial responsibilities—even if it was subtle. There was no other explanation but that Travis had something lucrative going on the side.

“Cami,” Abby said, surprised. She stood in a puffy blue robe covered in white clouds, white slippers on her feet.

I looked down, noting that Toto was absent when he was usually quietly huffing at her feet.

“He’s at the vet. He hasn’t been feeling well, but we’re picking him up in the morning,” she said. “I guess there’s not much they can do for old age.”

“I’m so sorry.”

Her eyes glossed over. “You know it’s coming, but you can never really prepare for it. We’re bringing him home so he’s comfortable.”

“It’s not a good time, then,” I said. “And it’s late, I’ll just come back when—”

“Come in,” she said, opening the door wider and stepping aside. “Is everything okay?”

She shut the door, locked it, and crossed her arms, concern weighing down her face.

“Yes, everything’s fine. I just um…” I hesitated. What if she lied? What if uncovering the truth only made her angry, worsening the tension between us? In my eagerness to figure things out, I hadn’t stopped to consider how the confrontation might unfold.

“The last time I was here, you and Liis were discussing something, and it didn’t seem like you wanted me to know what it was.”

Abby sighed. “It had nothing to do with you, Cami. I’m sorry if we made you feel—”

“That’s not why I’m here. I just… I wanted you to know that I put two and two together. Why you were acting so… guarded. But Travis’s secret is safe with me. I mean, I’ve been keeping Thomas’s for years. I just came by to tell you that you don’t have to hide it anymore. From me, at least. Because I know.”

“What… do you know?” she asked.

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