Page 114 of Trusting Easton

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the only person I trusted.”

“Someone still would’ve adopted you. If my mom hadn’t interfered.”

Nova looks up at me. “Don’t be mad at her. She was trying to help me. She didn’t know Ted was like that.”

“Then she should’ve done some research before telling him about you.” I get up and walk around, too angry to sit. “If she wasn’t going to take you, she could’ve found someone else. Someone she knows who she could’ve trusted to give you a good home. But instead, she tracks down Ted and you get stuck spending your childhood cooking his meals and cleaning up after him while he collects checks. He won the fucking lottery. And it’s all because of my mom.”

“Easton, it’s not her fault. She didn’t know.”

“Why are you sticking up for her?” I stand in front of the couch, looking at Nova. She looks tired but not the least bit angry. “I don’t understand why you’re acting like this.”

“Like what?”

“Like you don’t care what happened.”

“Of course I care, but what am I gonna do? It’s over. I can’t change it.”

“That doesn’t mean you can’t be angry. My parents ruined your life. They ruined mine. They separated us for their own selfish reasons, not even considering what it would do to us.”

My phone rings. I take it out and send the call to voicemail.

“Your mom again?” Nova asks.

“Yeah.”

My mom’s called at least ten times the past hour, and sent me more than a dozen texts, asking me to come home.

“Maybe you should text her, let her know you’re okay.”

“I’m not okay. I feel like my whole life’s been a lie.” I slump down on the couch. “What else haven’t they told me? Are there more secrets they’re hiding? Like why did they change my name? Why couldn’t I be Sean? Why Easton?”

Nova shrugs. “Because it sounds like a rich person name?”

“Maybe, but that seems like a stupid reason to change someone’s name.”

“They wanted you to fit in, and Easton seems like a better fit with rich kids with names like Jace and Paris.”

“Yeah, again, it’s all about them. I didn’t care about fitting in. I wanted to be myself, keep my name, go to public school with kids who didn’t care if I had money or not.”

Nova turns to face me, hugging her knees to her chest. “Easton, don’t take this the wrong way, but you’re kind of starting to sound like Jenna.”

“And you don’t think I’ll take that wrong way?” I huff. “You just insulted me. I am not like Jenna.”

“I just mean you’re only thinking of the bad stuff. You’re forgetting how great your life’s been since being adopted. I know your parents lied to you and did other stuff they shouldn’t have done, but they also gave you a home and let you be a kid and do kid stuff, like go to camp and play with your friends. And you got to celebrate holidays with family and food and decorations. I didn’t get any of that. So yeah, your parents screwed up, but they also gave you a good life.”

“I don’t want to talk about my parents.”

Nova sneaks under my arm and lays her head on my chest. “Are we staying here all night?”

“I don’t know. I’m not ready to go back if that’s what you’re asking. Are you cold?”

“A little.”

I gently move her off me and get up to get the sleeping bags. I find them in one of the bedroom closets and bring them back to the couch.

“Let’s lay down.” I wait for Nova to lay down, then lay beside her and put the sleeping bags over us, along with the blanket. “Is that better?”

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