Page 30 of Edge of Unbroken

“Whatever gets us through.”

“Okay, I’ll think about it.”

“I love you, baby. I’ll call you next Sunday,” he promises.

“I wish it was next Sunday already.”

He sighs. “Me, too.”

“I love you. Bye, sweet boy,” I say, and reluctantly hang up the phone.

“So, how issweet boydoing?” Julie asks, grinning from ear to ear when she wanders back into my bedroom. She obviously spent way longer in the bathroom than necessary, affording me more privacy, and I’m grateful for the uninterrupted time I got to spend talking to Ronan.

“He sounds good. I mean, it’s hard to get a good idea of how he’s doing mentally; I guess I never figured out how to properly read him,” I muse as I get up off my bed.

Julie pops her hip to her side and crosses her arms in front of her. “I don’t think you not knowing what Ronan was going through had anything to do with you not properly reading him.”

I don’t know that I can agree with Julie’s assessment. I’ve spent a lot of time revisiting the moments I spent with Ronan last summer and know that, had I paid more attention, had I questioned more, I would have figured out that things were terribly, horribly wrong between him and his mom.

Friday, December 31st

Cat

“Happy freaking birthday, Vada girl!” I sing-song the moment Vada opens her front door. It’s New Year’s Eve and Vada and Zack’s eighteenth birthday to boot—all perfect reasons for Shane to throw a giant party at his mom’s beach house—the first party, in fact, that Shane has thrown since Ronan left.

Shane has been having a tough time. He misses Ronan probably as much as I do, and although he tries to put on a happy front, I can tell he’s struggling.

This will be the first time we’ve all been together since before Christmas break. I look forward to hanging out with everyone. I missed my friends while I was in North Carolina.

“Thank you, Kitty Cat.” Vada grins and pulls me into the house, shutting the door behind me. It’s still freezing outside, but the light blanket of snow that dusted the streets and sidewalks just days ago has turned into gray slush with the rain that has been falling at a steady pace all throughout the day.

“You and Zack seriously have the best birthday,” I say as Vada slips on her boots and takes her coat from the closet. “You guys are always guaranteed a party.”

Vada grins at me. “It really is a cool birthday,” she agrees giddily just as Zack walks out of his room and toward us. Vada gives her brother a once-over, then busts up laughing. “What the hell are you wearing?”

Zack stops and looks down at himself. “What do you mean?” He’s wearing a nice pair of jeans and a button-down shirt so colorful it almost screams at you.

“Your shirt!” Vada laughs so hard she doubles over. “What in the world is that? The eighties called, they want their crap back.”

“Ha-ha,” Zack says, and flips off his sister. “You’re fucking hilarious.” He puts on his shoes and pulls on his jacket. “Are you guys ready to go or are you too busy making fun of me?”

“We can go,” Vada wheezes, wiping a tear from her cheek. “But does Summer know what you’re wearing?”

“You know what, take your own damn car,” Zack huffs and walks out the front door.

Vada grabs my hand and pulls me out of the house. “I’m sorry,” she says, trying to rein it in. “I promise I’ll be good. You know I love you.”

“Whatever.” Zack gets into the driver’s side. Vada and I hop into the backseat.

“Happy birthday, Zack,” I say when Vada finally calms down, and I wrap my arms around him from behind the driver’s seat.

“Thanks, Cat,” he says with a smile in his voice and pats my arm with his right hand while steering with his left.

We stop to pick up Summer, who slides into the passenger seat, leans over the center console, and kisses Zack so deeply that Vada makes a comment about them getting a room.

Summer giggles at Vada after sitting back in her seat. “You’re one to talk. As if you and Steve don’t constantly have public make out sessions.”

“Point taken,” Vada says with a grin.

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