Page 24 of Bending Under Pressure

I have a sister and an aunt? I don’t remember either of them and for a moment, I feel guilty. It’s hard to picture myself being protective over a sister I didn’t even know I had.

Natalie doesn’t give me time to process everything. “I want to get to know my son. I want you to know me, your sister, and the rest of our family.”

“I already have a family.” I didn’t miss how she now takes care of my sister. Is she hoping she can somehow get me back, too? Can she do that? Is it possible? My stomach knots up with the thought. Do I want to get to know them? I hate this indecision and feeling as if I’m being pulled in two different directions already. “What’s her name? My sister?” I blurt out again.

“Kiera. Think about it, okay, Keelan? I would really love for you to know your real family.” When I open my mouth to object, she quickly adds, “I don’t want to take you away from the Sandersons. Will you think about it?”

I nod, unsure if I’m being honest or not. Natalie takes the last bite of her sandwich, waves Mrs. Elsie over to pay for her meal, and says goodbye. I watch her leave, sitting in the booth feeling as if my world just got way more complicated. I’m not prepared for this at all.

“You okay, dear?”

My gaze moves to Mrs. Elsie. I simply shake my head. She pats my shoulder.

“Well, smile because you have a beautiful girl waiting to see you.”

Ah, yes. Haley.

Two hands appear on the counter on either side of me and I shiver when lips brush my ear as I hear him whisper, “And what do you think you’re doing here?”

I tense. Is he mad? “You said you were nervous, so I thought since you didn’t want your family here, maybe I could come as support. I’m sorry, Keelan. I thought it was a good idea.”

He surprises me with a kiss on the cheek. “Thank you, Hales.” He takes a seat next to me. “Decided to try a milkshake?”

“Yeah, but I should have stuck with a banana spilt.”

“Why?”

“I don’t know why, but I can never finish a milkshake. I get about halfway through and I don’t want anymore, even if I order a small. Want to share?” I push it toward him.

He smiles and grabs the extra straw Mrs. Elsie left with a wink earlier. “Thanks.”

“So, how did it go?”

He loses his smile. I tried not to glance in their direction because I didn’t want to intrude anymore than I already had.

“I don’t want to talk about it yet.”

“Okay.” He looks relieved that I’m not going to push him about it. “How was practice?”

“He was a slacker as usual,” Cameron says from my other side.

“What are you doing here?” Keelan asks.

“You weren’t answering your texts, so I came to check on you. How’d it go?”

Keelan repeats what he told me. “I don’t want to talk about it yet.”

That is apparently not a good response. “Mom has already texted me three times since I left the house.” When Keelan groans, he adds, “That bad?” His eyes widen. “Or that good?”

“Both.”

We’re both wearing confused expressions as we look at Keelan.

“Tell Mom I need time before I go home, so I’m going to hang out with Haley.”

I glance at Cameron. He wants to argue, I think, but he nods instead. He says goodbye before leaving. I swivel on the barstool to face Keelan again. “What do you want to do? Go for a drive or to my house? Mom and my stepdad went out for date night.” I roll my eyes to cover my awkwardness at calling Walter my stepdad.

“Let’s go there then.”

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