Page 81 of We Thought We Were Invincible
The rhythm that came with brushing my teeth brought about a welcome feeling of normalcy. Every night I did it. There was nothing different about tonight. Only there was. Hours ago, I'd been with Jamie, only worried about the future. Now it was the past that came unbidden to my mind.
The diner held many memories. Working there provided the stability I'd sorely needed in my life. The connection to my mother when not even the ocean called.
Kat's raised voice drifted through her door. “No. I already told you. We aren't using it for this.”
I inched closer, pushing the feeling of intrusion from my mind. Aunt Kat had kept enough from us.
“You don't understand,” she said, her voice low. There was a long moment of silence when the person on the other end of the call must've been talking. “That money is theirs. It will go toward their future. I will not sink another dime of it into keeping a failing business afloat.”
She let out a curse and then everything went silent. I pushed open her door.
“Who were you talking to?” I demanded.
“Callie.” She sighed. “Leave this alone.”
“No. Colby and I have a right to know things that will affect our lives. Maybe if you'd told us about the problems with the diner sooner, we wouldn't have been blindsided.”
She jerked back as if I'd slapped her.
“When you grow up, Callie, you'll learn quickly that just because you demand something, doesn't mean it's what you'll get. Leave. This. Alone.”
I spun around and stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind me. Stomping into Colby's room, I threw myself onto his bed.
“I'm so sick of these secrets,” I growled.
He looked up from his desk, removing his glasses as he did.
“I don't get it,” he said. “If the diner hasn't been making any money, how has Kat been paying the bills?”
“That's what I mean. She was on the phone talking to someone about us and I got the feeling someone has been sending money.”
“Who, though? Grandma and grandpa didn't leave them anything. There's no more family that we know of.”
I leaned forward conspiratorially. “That we know.”
He picked up on my meaning. “You think?”
“We need to find out.”
“Kat and Noah are going down to Tampa for a couple of days this week.” Colby wasn't usually one for breaking the rules.
“We can go through the stuff in the attic.”
“Monday.” He nodded.
Waiting that long was going to be torture.
32
Callie
I sat next to Jay on the beach wearing a sweatshirt and jeans, but wishing I was in my wetsuit. That'd get me out of this funk, clear my mind.
Colby, Jamie, Morgan, and Parker ran the length of the beach kicking a soccer ball between them. Jamie shouted something at Colby, laughing at the top of his lungs as he dribbled around him before passing to Morgan.
Jay bumped his shoulder into mine. “Can I ask you a question?”
I looked into his worried face and frowned. I couldn't take any more bad news.
