Page 8 of Beyond Oblivion

Chapter Three

Camille

“I’ve seen that look before, kiddo,” Jim said, crossing the living room before sitting in his recliner. He took a sip of his iced tea. “Have you talked to Trent?”

“What look?” I asked with a forced smile.

He pointed at me. “That one. Liis is visiting Abby for the weekend. They’re both expecting. America’s due any day. You and Trent have been trying for a baby for a long time.”

“What makes you think we’re still trying?”

Jim looked at me over his readers. “Because you didn’t want the cheese puffs I offered you, and you love those things.”

I relaxed back against the couch. “They’resogood.”

“I’m proud of you, sis. You’ve stuck with it. And the way you feel is perfectly understandable. It’d be frustrating for anyone.

“I’d never begrudge you grandbabies, Dad.”

“Of course not. I know you love the kids. You just want one of your own. Nothing wrong with that.”

I wiped away an errant tear from my cheek. Jim always said the right thing at the right time. That’s why I was there.

“And Liis… well that’s for Tommy to work out. But Abby, I think that needs a conversation. She’s a sweet girl. You can help her understand.”

“We have talked. Years ago.”

Jim shot me a look, knowing I was holding back.

“I don’t know how else to show her, and everyone, that there’s nothing there between Thomas and me. I know that not ending things with Thomas right away was wrong, but I really didn’t mean to fall in love with Trent, not that I regret it. He’s the love of my life. But there’s just this… tension. I can understand Liis still having feelings about it… but even though she said she has, I can’t help but feel like Abby’s never really forgiven me. I’m at a loss on how to fix it. I think that Trenton forgiving me so quickly made it worse. She’s mad at meforhim.”

“I see,” Jim said, thinking as he nodded. “Well, maybe that’s not it. Trent said you went over there yesterday, and it was weird between the three of you.”

“Forced. All smiles and small talk.”

“But it’s not always like that.”

“No.”

“So, why yesterday?”

“I don’t know,” I said, thinking. “They were in the middle of something. Papers all over the table. Liis gathered them up when I got there. I wasn’t planning on looking at them or anything. Maybe it’s just me being paranoid, but it did feel like she was protecting whatever it was.”

“So, a secret.”

I thought about that. “Maybe they’re planning something for Thomas or Trav?”

“Maybe.”

“I’m here!” Olive said, letting her backpack fall to the floor. “Where’s the cheese puffs? I’m starving.”

Jim chuckled and pointed to the kitchen. “Where they always are, squirt.”

Olive dumped some into a bowl and then trudged into the living room, plopping down on the floor next to Jim.

Olive was just five when I met her, and now she talked about scholarship essays and senior trips. She still had that long, beautiful platinum hair and enormous green eyes with long, dark lashes—and she was still the light of Trenton’s life.

“Don’t eat too many,” I said. “We’re leaving for Chicken Joe’s as soon as Trent gets here.”

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