I turned away but reared back. She jumped from the movement, but I took two steps. I got in her space. This time I was the one an inch from her face. She kept herself still as I smirked. “You know what else I can’t figure out.” I paused a beat. Her eyes looked alarmed. “Who did you used to screw? Was it Mason? It couldn’t have been Logan.”
The answer clicked in her depths, and I drew back.
I had my answer.
I sighed and glanced at the door. “And for your information, I can take care of myself.” And then I left through the door. It was pitch dark as I walked down the streets. Most of the cars I had walked past on the way in were gone, so the streets felt empty.
When I got to my car, loud laughter rang out behind me. I jumped against my car and grimaced. My shoulder rammed into it, but I rolled my eyes at my own stupidity. My hands still shook as I opened the door and hurried inside. Once there, my shoulder ached with a deep pulsation. My hand rubbed at it and I started my car.
I turned towards home.
My eyes were blind as I drove through the streets. I was on automatic pilot. I didn’t think. I just drove so I shouldn’t have been surprised when I turned the engine off and sat back. The streets were dark, darker than normal. Then I blinked at the white house before me.
I had driven to David’s house. My old home.
A curse slipped out of me as I fell back against my seat, not moving.
I drove home, this home, not my current home.
With a curse on my lips, I pulled out my phone. I wasn’t surprised to see a few missed calls from Mason, two from Logan, and some text messages from both. I didn’t read them. I didn’t listen to the messages, but I sent one back. ‘I’m fine. Drove to my old home by mistake. U okay?’
It wasn’t long before Mason responded. ‘You sure? K said you were mad. What happened?’
‘Beside the crazy guys?’
‘Those were Roussou. Cops wouldn’t let us out. Someone reported they would b there. Had a mtg all day over it.’
And that explained Logan’s absence.
I was about to reply when a car drove past me. The red brake lights lit up and it slowed as it turned into my old driveway. David didn’t park in the garage. He stopped inside the driveway and turned the car off. As he headed my way, I groaned again.
I thumbed a quick text. ‘Talking to my dad. Call u l8r.’
When David bent down and peered inside my car, I slid the phone in my pocket. It vibrated back at me, but I got out of the car. The night was still cool. There was a drizzle in the air, but I never felt it. The old numb feeling had returned. It doubled as I faced my old father over the top of my car.
“Sam?” He frowned. He was wearing the Academy apparel and I figured he had come from their basketball game. The coaches tried to support each other. “What are you doing here?”
“I…” I had no words.
His small grin turned into a small frown. He raked a hand over his head. “You look tired, Samantha. Come inside?”
“Why?”
“Because.” He shrugged. “It’s Friday night. You were parked here when I came home. I don’t know. I’d like to visit with you. I did raise you, you know.”
And I felt sheepish. “I know.”
“Come inside. I’ll make that hot chocolate you liked when you were little.”
“I’m almost eighteen.” But I shut my car door and started to follow him.
He grinned over his shoulder as he led the way. “Let’s pretend you’re still eight. You were more fun then.”
“Dad!”
He chuckled as he opened the door and held it open for me.
When he flipped the lights on, I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t blink. Everything was the same. The same two white couches were still there. Analise had bought them, but they weren’t good enough to take with us when we moved. The piano that was stationed between them, against the far wall, was still in place. Even the same sheet music was there, to the same page that I had left from my last practice six months ago.
Then I turned and everything became blurry. My vision grew unsteady and I saw a small box tucked behind the plastic tree Analise purchased at a retail store. I had thought I’d forgotten it, but now I went to it and slid to my knees. Then, with my heart pounding and a giant basketball in my throat, I turned over the lid and my chest tightened like a lynchpin.
“Yeah.” His voice was rough. But he coughed and he tried to hide the emotion.
The lynchpin moved and everything was sucked out of me at once. I couldn’t move. I couldn’t breathe.
David added, but his voice drifted away. I knew he looked away. “I haven’t done much with the place. I know I should. Malinda keeps telling me it’s not normal, but…”
I knew he saw the box.
I gulped. Silent tears slid down my cheeks.
“Sam?”
I couldn’t look away from the photos. Everything was in that box. There were photos of Analise and David’s wedding, their honeymoon, some of their dates, our holidays, everything. My first day of kindergarten was in there. My last day of kindergarten. My first day of first grade, last day. My first dance recital, the horrible green frilly skirt Analise swore I looked adorable in. The program from the first play I was in, and the program of the community show I was a lead character in. All of it. My first date with Jeff. The times when Jessica and Lydia would come over.
All of my life was chronicled in those pictures and memorabilia.