Total pages in book: 57
Estimated words: 55039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 55039 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 275(@200wpm)___ 220(@250wpm)___ 183(@300wpm)
Well, fuck.
After spinning my wheels, I drive off again trying to compose myself. Once I have everything under control and my mind on a better track, I stop at the local ice cream parlor, where I know August’s friend, Sully, works. Before I get out of the car, I check my face in the mirror and then head inside. I spot him right away.
“Rylee,” he says, raising an eyebrow. I guess he’s shocked to see me.
Luckily he’s not serving a customer, so I march straight to the counter. Sully nods and steps out, so I follow him to the back of the shop, then wait for him to stop before I speak, “Can we talk?”
“What’s going on?” he asks.
I look around to make sure no one is about before I open my mouth.
“It’s clear. It’s just me today.”
“I need you to go to August. He’s…”
“Fallen off the deep end?” he finishes.
I nod. “Yes, very much so.”
“August’s always been a man with no fear. He did most things with a vengeance, but after he got out of jail, he changed and became calmer,” he states.
“He is anything but calm now.”
“I don’t think there’s much I can do.”
I groan at his words. “He’s at Josh’s house, with two others…” I pause. “One was still alive when I left.”
“August can be good, Rylee, but he can also be incredibly bad. How do you think he has survived all that he has?”
“I can’t be the one to help him. My brother…”
He flinches. “It’s fine, I’ll go. I just can’t promise anything.”
I nod. It’s all I can do.
No one can promise me the stars. If I wanted them, I know I would need to get them myself. I turn to walk out when Sully calls my name.
“If it means anything, I’ve never seen him with anyone the way he was with you.”
It’s like a punch to my already bruised gut.
“Thank you,” I say, holding back my tears, I continue to walk out.
I’ve cried enough to last me a lifetime. I don’t want to cry anymore.
When I get back to my apartment, my mother is there, her hands on her hips as she looks around.
“Where is Rhi…”
“Where have you been?” Her hands don’t drop as she stares at me.
“What’s it matter?” I bite back.
Mom nods to my room, and I take a step in that direction. Opening the door quietly, I find Beckham asleep on my bed.
“I gave him something to sleep. He needs the rest.” His face looks so angry, even when he sleeps.
I turn as my mother pulls out a chair at the table.
“Sit, we need to talk.” I do as she says, as if on autopilot. Her hands come to rest on the table after she sits, then she leans in slightly to look me over.
“Mother.”
“You haven’t been eating. You’ve lost weight,” she says.
Appearances are all she cares about, so I keep my lips sealed, not wanting to argue.
“Aside from Paige, Beckham was closest to you, so I thought it was best I bring him here.” I look away from her again to my brother, who’s asleep on my bed. “He’s hurting. Paige was a good girl, and I’m afraid of how this may change him,” Mom says, biting her lip when I look back at her.
“Why do you care?” I ask with venom in my tone. I’m not sure why it left my mouth in that manner, and my mother is as surprised as I am by my outburst.
“He’s my baby. Will always be my baby.” She goes quiet. “As you will always be my girl.”
The door opens, and my sister and Noah walk in.
“Umm, hello, what’s going on?” Rhianna walks over to me, places a hand on my shoulder, and then looks down at our mother.
“No need to come to the defense of your sister, Rhianna. I am her mother.” Our mother’s glaring eyes fall to Rhianna.
“If you say so,” Rhianna replies, not removing her hand from me in some sort of comfort move as she eyes our mother.
My mom stands, walks over and looks into my room, then back to me. “Call me if Beckham needs me. Hopefully, he gets some sleep while I plan the funeral. I told Glenn not to worry, that I’m going to take care of it all.”
“That’s awfully nice of you, Poppy,” Noah says.
Rhianna coughs and gives him a solid glare. Noah doesn’t shy away from her, just offers her a small twitch of his lips before Poppy walks out the door leaving us be.
When the door clicks shut, Rhianna turns to Noah with her hands on her hips, and the look on her face is priceless.
“What?” he asks, now in a full smile.
“Gosh, I’m gonna have to put something in your coffee for sure now,” she says seriously, and Noah laughs.
We hear a groan, and we all turn to Beckham who’s sitting up on the bed. He’s rubbing his head as we walk into my room.