Page 128 of Loving Ladybug: Part One
If it was, they’d get me. Wouldn’t they?
Huh. Maybe I should unblock someone other than Lenny.
“Papa has always had a massive soft spot for you. That’s why Uncle put you as a prize in his takeover plan, when he tried to overthrow the dads after Mom died.” Matty took a drink.
I gave him a look. That was one of the times I didn’t like to think about.
“They’re all in theirseventies, Buttons. Babo has to watch his blood sugar, Dad has to be careful about his cholesterol, Popi is becoming forgetful–and I know Grandpa Gary’s dementia hit youhard,so I want you to know all these things. I’m not saying you need to move home–or even come home for a holiday–but dinner? It’s clear they miss you.” He took another bite.
“Maybe?” Shit. Popi was always there with a kiss for the boo-boos and a way to scare off the bed monsters. He was alsothe only one who didn’t brush off how awful I felt after killing Lucius. Babo was the most supportive of me playing hockey, too.
Still, them not fighting for me when Lucius was after me when I was sixteen, cut deep. Parents should protect you. Even from stalkers with powerful parents.
Matty nodded. “Absolutely. But if you want to come home for the holidays, you can.”
I gave him a skeptical look. “That sounds like a clusterfuck. Remember last time?”
After everything with Lucius and what happened at the lake house, I’d spent the holidays recuperating at the dads’. More than one sibling made it clear I wasn’t welcome.
Another reason to crawl out the window.
I didn’t fit in with my family anymore. If I ever really did.
“The dads have other houses. You have seven siblings, most of whom also have other houses. Pick a location. Pick a holiday. I’ll be there.” He leaned in. “Choose somewhere Maricella hates, so she won’t show up? Please?”
I started laughing. “Maybe.” Then it hit me. “If I go home, I could get pictures of Mom. My ex destroyed pretty much everything I owned. Including my one photo of her.”
“I can send you pictures right now. Will you unblock me? Or give me an email or something?” He picked up his phone.
“Promise not to abuse it?” I frowned at him. He wasn’t the one who overstepped. Still…
Really, I wanted some physical pictures. But I didn’t have any digital ones, either. I’d hidden the hard copy in the lining of my suitcase, when I’d been sent into hiding–the one Austin wrecked. Sure, I could have gone online, but I’d worried about leaving a footprint.
“Pinky swear.” He held out his pinky.
I linked it.
Matty grinned. “Oh, now you’ve done it. Constant stream of pictures of the kids for you.”
I laughed. “I’m okay with pictures of the kids. I just don’t want mean texts. Like Maricella telling me her kids wouldn’t get into a good school, because I’m a murderer.”
“What?” Matty took an angry bite of burger.
“Yeah, her and Dario,” one of her mates, “and Chiara,” one of the twins, “texted me all sorts of super nice things. And not only after everything at the lake house. They did it at the beginning too, when I was sent away to Rockland. Like even thoughI was supposed to be in hiding,I got so many nastygrams my host mom wanted to get the police involved.”
I had to change my number multiple times.
A horrified look crossed Matty’s face. “They were texting you mean things after you went intohiding? They weren’t even supposed to know your number. You had someone at the law firm to contact in case of an emergency. Did you tell them?”
“I did. I was told to grow up, and that Maricella was right–it would have been better if I had died instead of the grandparents. Not what I’d expect for a law office.” I took a long drink of beer. That had hurt my naïve little heart, that still expected adults to help and protect me.
I did tell my contact for the protection program, mostly to keep my host mom from going to the police. I’d changed my number again, and then the texts had stopped.
“I still have that response and all the nastygrams, both from when I was sixteen, and after… after the lake house.” It was hard to talk about my kidnapping.
Some of my siblings blamed it all on me.Sorry if me defending myself made your social life awkward.
“Um, yes, can you forward those to me, please? I’ll send you my email. Send me anything you have from the law office, too,” he told me.
