Page 102 of Otto: The Hawthornes

“Did you really think he could keep his mouth shut?” Otto asked. “We were workin’ on borrowed time.”

“Got some news.” Tommy glanced at me. “We’ll discuss it after we figure this bullshit out.”

I followed them numbly back into the living room where Noel was quietly talking to Titus. They were holding hands.

“Hey, I’m Tommy, Titus’s pop,” Tommy said, reaching out to shake Noel’s hand. “Otto’s, too.”

“Noel,” she replied, glancing at me. “Esther’s sister.”

“I can see that.” He glanced between us. “Strong genes.”

“What’s going on here?” Noel asked, raising her chin. I was secretly impressed at her courage.

“Well, now, that’s complicated.”

My baby sister scoffed. Maybe she wasn’t as sheltered as I’d originally thought.

“Your parents stashed your sister out in a cabin about forty-five minutes from here, you knew that?” Tommy said, watching her closely.

“Well, I donow.”

“Right.” If I didn’t know better, I would’ve thought Tommy’s lips twitched in amusement. “Well, we went and got her. Nobody should be livin’ like that, especially not pregnant. She’s livin’ with Otto now. Married.”

“That doesn’t explain why my parents think she’s dead,” Noel replied flatly. “That they’ve thought she was dead for almost two weeks.”

“Can’t help you with that, sweetheart,” Tommy said, shrugging. “As you can see, she’s just fine. Livin’ with her husband and gettin’ ready for the baby.”

It was impressive how neatly he’d dodged and given just enough information for the situation to seem plausible.

“Why didn’t you call them?” Noel asked, looking at me. “You haven’t even told them you’re married.”

“I—” Clearing my throat, I glanced at Otto. “They left me, Noel. I didn’t think they’d care.”

The lie felt like dirt in my mouth, but I didn’t want my little sister caught up in whatever Otto’s club was doing. She didn’t need to know any of the details, not when she was going to have to go right back to my parents.

“Where do they think you are?” I asked, my heart pounding. There was no way they knew she’d gone somewhere with Titus, and if they found out, she would be in so much trouble. The memory of my dad’s fists made my stomach clench.

“The library.” She checked her watch. “For another hour.”

I let out the breath I’d been holding.

“We’d really appreciate—” Tommy began.

“No need,” I murmured, cutting him off as realization hit. “There’s no way she can tell them that I’m fine, because she wasnever here.”

Noel swallowed and crossed her arms over her chest.

“I’m right,” I said flatly.

She nodded. “You have to tell them, Esther,” she said, her jaw clenched. “Mom was—you just have to tell them, okay?”

“I will.”

“When?”

“Soon.”

“We need to get you back to the library,” Titus interrupted. “You don’t want to be late.”

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