Page 16 of Glad You Exist

Aunt Simone, Uncle Nico, Uncle John, and Aunt Jen are hanging out in the foyer talking to each other. The only people missing are Kyle and Kim.

I frown at that; Kyle and I had a chat over burgers Friday night. He said he was coming and even promised that he would talk to Kim. Get her to come with him. I didn’t question it when he said that. Something about the way he spoke gave me the impression that something was happening—or already had—between those two. He would have told me about it if he’d wanted to share that, and I couldn’t push the issue either. I know all too well what it is like to have feelings for your best friend—feelings that are hard to explain.

I pull my phone from my back pocket to shoot him a quick text, and that’s when I remember what Liz asked me in the library earlier.

I walk backto the sitting area and use the other entry way through the sunroom to get to the other staircase. That will bring me up to the family room faster. I have a feeling Liz might feel more comfortable there given the time she’s spent away from this house.

I’m about to shove the door open when I hear what sounds like my mom talking to someone from inside the sunroom.

Her tone stops me in my tracks, “Are you going to tell the kids?”

Another voice cuts in, and this one I recognize as Aunt Cat, Liz’s mom. “You know I can’t do that.”

I hear them sniffing and realize they both sound like they are crying.

I could respect my mother’s privacy and back away. Thanks to the hallway in between the sunroom and the sitting room, I am well hidden from them. They would never know I had been here. Something stops me. Judging from the tone of the conversation and my mother’s use of the word “kids,” I realize that Liz is involved and the urge to find out and protect her pins me to my spot.

“Cat…” My mom’s voice wobbles now, sounding like she is about to break. I have to ball my fist into my mouth to keep myself from calling out to make sure she is okay.

What the hell is going on?

“Rose… I can’t. I want to, but I can’t hurt my children again. You weren’t there when Will and I sat them down to tell them we were getting a divorce. How they reacted?”

She takes a deep, shuddering breath. “What that did to them? I barely recognize either one of them now.”

My mom is sobbing now, and I recognize the sound. It was the same sound she made when my grandpa died.But no one died. Why is she crying like someone died?

Then I hear it. What sounds like a wail comes out of Aunt Cat, and that’s when I know I’ve crossed the line. I back away slowly to not alert them to my eavesdropping and hurry out towards the sitting room.

Once I get there, I go up the main stairs and allow myself a few minutes to contemplate whether I should share this information with Liz. I have nothing concrete besides knowing that Liz’s mom needed to tell her kids something urgent. That it sounds like my mom is the only one who knows about it. Which might explain how weird they got when we met up in the kitchen earlier. But still, I have nothing. I am still trying to mend my friendship with Liz. What if I tell her this and it turns out to be nothing? Or what if I made things worse by telling her something that needs to come from her mom? I need to trust that if Liz really needs to know whatever it is, that Aunt Cat will tell her—herself. This is none of my business.

Just as I reach the landing that leads to the flight of stairs up to the second floor, I hear my name being called out.

“Yo, B!” I turn to see Kyle bounding up the stairs in a navy-blue sweat suit.

“Hey! You made it.” I offer my arm to do a fist bump but stop when I see Kim trudging slowly behind him in a jean jacket and yellow dress, looking like she wants to be anywhere but here.

“Yeah, sorry man. That’s on me. I partied a little too hard last night, woke up hungover. I was late picking up Kim. But we made it. And we’re happy to be here, right Kimmy?”

He reaches over to grab Kim’s hand and pull her up the stairs faster.

Yup, definitely something there.

Kim sighs as they both come to a stop on the landing beside me. “Where’s Liz?”

I chuckle. “Hi to you too, Oscar.”

I toss out the nickname I used for her when we were kids whenever she got in one of her moods just to test the waters. And because I can’t resist teasing her further, I toss a pointed look at her hand, still holding Kyle’s, before raising an eyebrow back at her.

She rolls her eyes at me then pulls her hand back from Kyle to smack me on the arm.

“Okay, I guess someone woke up and chose violence today. Should I be afraid for Liz or are you going to play nice?”

Kyle starts to laugh at the dig then stops when Kim shoots him a glare.Interesting.

“Have you guys eaten?” Maybe I should feed her first. Hangry Kim is not a nice person.

Sensing the direction, I’m going; Kyle lets out a booming laugh.

---