Page 21 of Edge of Unbroken

My stomach churns, twisting itself into nauseating knots while my pulse quickens, my mouth so dry it feels like I swallowed sand. I can’t believe my dad didn’t feel the need to tell me this sooner. Of all days to drop a bomb like this, he chose Christmas.

“So, what does that mean?” I stammer with wide eyes.

“It means that if Adam contacts you or anything like that, the police won’t stop him unless and until he becomes violent again,” my mom tells me, her voice tight.

“Exactly. Adam’s probation was extended until March, but once that’s done, he’s free to leave the state again without violating his terms, so…” My dad trails off.

My mom shakes her head. “How is that possible? I don’t understand.”

My dad shrugs. “Adam’s lawyer put on a great fucking show, that’s for sure,” he grunts. “He hammered home the fact that Adam has been a model citizen since his little, and I quote, ‘misstep’ in August when he stalked you to New York. He said Adam was working part-time, was taking classes, getting good grades, and has apparently been doing some volunteer work. For all intents and purposes, he has turned over a new leaf.”

It’s quiet for a long moment while this news sinks in. I don’t know how to feel. Scared, I guess. Anxious. Though I’m not sure this changes anything for me because, well, Adam obviously didn’t care about the restraining order in August, and he didn’t care about it when he contacted me again in October. He extorted me until I pretended to have changed my number.

“Wait, but didn’t you say you thought he had a new girlfriend?” my mom suddenly says with an “aha!” face, breaking the tense silence.

I look expectantly at my dad, who nods. “I saw him with a girl when I picked up some dinner at the crab place on Main a couple of weeks ago. They were obviously on a date.”

Hope brightens my face.

“So maybe he really has moved on,” my mom says.

God, I hope that’s true. Maybe that’s why Adam hasn’t reached out again? Maybe we’ve finally reached the point I’ve been waiting for. Maybe Adam is tired of his game and has decided to move on. One can only hope.

My dad releases an angry growl. “I hope for Adam’s sake that that’s the case, because I’mthisclose to—”

“Okay, how about a subject change?” My mom keeps her voice light. “Let’s not ruin Christmas by talking about something this unpleasant, okay?” she says, then smiles. “Kitty just sent in a bunch of college applications.”

My dad’s expression softens as he smiles at me. “I hope you applied to Duke,” he says like there can be no doubt that Duke would be my number-one choice.

“Uh, actually…” I trail off, resulting in a shocked expression from my dad.

“What are you saying, Kitty? You’re not applying to Duke?”

“I don’t know yet, Dad.” I realize I’m doing absolutely nothing to lighten the mood.

“Wait, is this because of your boyfriend again?” he asks, his shoulders tensing once more.

I look at him sheepishly but don’t respond.

“Kitty…” He apparently decides against further discussion and simply gets up off the couch and starts toward the kitchen. He stops, though, and turns back to me. “I will not let you forego applying to your parents’ alma mater just because you like some boy. I’m taking you on a tour of the campus. You need to see this place. You’ll change your mind. I guarantee it. You’re a smart girl.” He disappears into the kitchen.

My mom studies me, her eyes soft. “I think you should at least apply to Duke, Kitty. Can’t hurt,” she says, then follows my dad into the kitchen, probably to provide him with some comfort.

Maybe I’m being too obstinate? Too difficult? Am I turning into one of those kids who are hell-bent on defying their parents? Am I heading down the path my dad always warned me about?

My dad and I have always been close. I was a daddy’s girl growing up. He’d take me fishing or to baseball games almost every weekend. We’d go camping regularly, often with Julie in tow, and my dad taught me the limited automotive skills I possess while he’d tinker on his red Chevy Chevelle when the weather was nice. I’m nowhere near as knowledgeable about cars as Ronan, but I can change a tire and ensure a fair price at an auto shop if necessary.

But then I started to date Adam and, I think, my dad struggled with the fact that there was another guy in my life who I chose to spend time with over him. My dad couldn’t stand Adam from the beginning; every time I went on a date, his face held displeasure.

My dad had always made his expectations for his children—and specifically his daughters—clear. We were never to become like “those” girls who chase boys around, who ruin their and their families’ reputations by getting themselves into “unbecoming situations.” Those discussions only became more frequent when I began showing romantic interest in boys and started seeing Adam.

And when things finally unraveled between Adam and me and I confessed to my parents that Adam had been physically abusive, my mom had to work hard to prevent my dad from giving me an I-told-you-so speech. But I’m pretty sure Adam could’ve been Prince Charming and my dad still wouldn’t have liked him, just like he’s apparently decided to dislike Ronan, even though he’s never exchanged a single word with Ronan, has never met him, and doesn’t have the slightest idea just how freaking perfect Ronan is to me.

I try not to worry about how difficult my dad is—or maybe my mom’s right and my dad’s just being protective, whatever—but what I do worry about is when my dad inevitably meets Ronan. I’d hate for my dad to project his negativity on to Ronan, who has suffered enough injustice in his life. It’s completely unfair that my dad has formed a premature opinion about Ronan without even giving him a chance. And that fact makes me supremely angry at my dad.

Sunday, December 26th

Ronan

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