Page 158 of Sincerely, Your Enemy

I wouldn’t wish this upon my worst enemy, but I am glad it was an adult and not one of the kids.

“If you ask me, she did it on purpose. She waited for us to go to school. And she knew Vera would be stopping by that day.”

Questions flood my mind, the taste of the salt from my tears reminding me that I am, in fact, still bawling, even through the shock.

“Does that mean you and Kelsea have been on your own since you were fourteen?” I ask.

“No, Vera took care of us. She moved in, became our legal guardian. She thought about selling the house, but it was her childhood home. It had been passed down to my mom after my grandparents died. Not to mention, it was all Kelsea and I had ever known, so she couldn’t bring herself to do it.”

After meeting his mom, I figured the reason he moved back home last semester was to take care of Kelsea, but that doesn’t make much sense if Vera was there to do that.

“Then why did you move back? If Vera lives with you? You used to live on campus. It was much closer to school.”

“She doesn’t. She moved out last year when she got married. She put so much of her life on hold when she agreed to take care of us. She didn’t have kids of her own, for one. So, once I turned twenty, I told her to do something for herself. That I’d be okay to take care of Kelsea.

“It’s one of the reasons why I told Aaron that I’d changed my mind about messing with you in the beginning. As soon as I found out you were taking care of your siblings, which is not so different from what Vera did for us, I couldn’t deny that you were a good person. No matter how badly I wanted to hate you.”

I’ve found out so many things since the revenge scheme was revealed, it’s almost like it happened years ago. And yes, I’m still hurt. Saying otherwise would be a lie. But now, it seems like a small part of a much bigger picture.

“How’s Kelsea handling all this?”

TJ releases a bitter scoff. “She’s not. She’s never even visited. She says there’s no point. That Mom’s not in there anymore.”

“Is she?” I croak.

Only then does he turn to look at me.

His bloodshot, dark brown eyes stab me in the chest. He’s been trying to hold it together with everything he has.

“What did the doctors say? How much is she aware of, exactly?”

“Most probable answer isnot much.But theycan’t know for sure. They’ve run tests that displayed some brain activity when we speak to her, but not enough to confirm that she actually understands any of it. We’ve been told to just keep trying and speak gently. That she could improve over time. But it’s been six years.”

God.

“Can I ask… how? Six years is a long time to be paying for your mother’s care. How did you do it?”

He was just a teenager at the time. And nothing in this life is free. Especially not around-the-clock care.

“Vera sold her house. She made some money off that. She also had some money from her parents’ inheritance. Top it off with insurance and government programs, we’ve been able to make do. But it won’t last forever. That’s why I have to get intothe NBA, so I can move her back home and get her full-time care.”

I can’t imagine how heavy this must be to carry. Does he even like basketball? Or is going pro the only way he’ll be able to support his mother?

You’d think he read my mind, because he adds, “I used to love basketball. And I still do. It’s just… different now. Now, it’s an obligation rather than something I enjoy. Like playing guitar, for example. It’s always been fun to me, but I’d probably feel differently if I had to spend every day of my life with a guitar in my hand.”

I remember a time when TJ didn’t go anywhere without his guitar. Freshman year, he’d bring it to every party and serenade the ladies. It was his signature move. Until he moved out of the party house. Then, I never heard him play again.

And that’s just one of the changes he’s gone through since I met him. TJ used to have dirty blonde hair. His natural color is dark brown, but he dyed it temporarily after losing a bet to Chance last summer.

“You never told me what happened to your guitar. I never see you play anymore.”

He shrugs. “After I moved out of the party house, I started pitching in to help Vera with expenses for the house. Plus, I went from living right on campus to having to drive to school every day. I needed money. So, I sold it.”

Knowing he had to make that sacrifice hurts my already fragile heart.

“I hope one day you’ll play again.”

His lips curve into a sad smile. “I hope so, too.”

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