Total pages in book: 100
Estimated words: 96249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96249 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 481(@200wpm)___ 385(@250wpm)___ 321(@300wpm)
As soon as I have the thought, someone clears their throat. I jump away from Lynn and turn to find none other than her daddy glaring at me. I quickly climb from the bed, my gaze jumping from Moses to my daddy.
“Sir. I… I can explain.”
“Vernon.”
“I’ve got him. Cakes, I’m happy to see you’re okay. Trev,” my father calls my name sternly.
Feeling like a chastened little boy, I follow my father out of the room. I take one last glance over my shoulder at Lynn, only to have her father slam the door closed in my face.
“That’s going to end badly, son.”
“How long were you two there?”
“Long enough for me to know I might not have a friend any longer.”
“I’m so sorry, Daddy. I’ll fix it.”
My father sighs. “This is Moses. I don’t think it’s gonna be an easy fix, Trev. He hasn’t been in a good headspace.”
“I love her. I have to fix it.”
He sighs again. “Let’s get you back home. Your cousin could use you and your mama is worried about you.”
“Worried? I’m fine.”
“She’s your mother. I couldn’t tell you what’s going on in her head when it comes to you kids. One day, it’s… I’m concerned about Trev.
“The next day, we get a call that Cakes is in the hospital and you’re with her. The story of my life. She says something’s up with one of you and I just brace myself. One day, you’ll see.”
CHAPTER 34
In Trouble
Lynn
“Girl, have you lost your darn mind? What kind of bull junk you got going on here?”
“Daddy, I—”
“Lynn Darlene Galveston, I wasn’t born yesterday and my birthday isn’t April first. So why are you trying to sit here in my face with these lies you’ve been trying to sell me and your mama?”
“Daddy, I—”
“No, you weren’t there for your sister that night because you were with that boy. Say it ain’t so,” he snaps.
I sit thinking of which lies I need to fess up to. I don’t want to admit to anything that could get Trev in trouble with me. However, in my heart, I want to come clean about it all.
I wish Trev was still here so we could do this together. My heart aches as I lie in this hospital bed, feeling so small and stupid.
“I wasn’t with her because she didn’t want me with her. She was on her way to see her boyfriend. She didn’t want me tagging along,” I say.
It’s not the truth, but it’s not a lie either. It’s what we told him the first time he asked. Trevor blurted the words out before I could stop him.
“How long?” he snarls.
“How long what?”
“How long have you been lying to me?
“I haven’t been lying. I came on this trip for Pook. We tossed some of her coins in a few places. We placed her school lock on the love lock bridge. I went to all the places on her list.
“Trevor and I are new. I truly did come to Europe for my sister and to find my music again. I have a notebook filled with songs to prove it.”
“What about his girlfriend? You said he was in a relationship with someone back at school. So why on earth would you fool around with a boy who’s seeing someone else?”
I clam up. I forgot I told that lie. I knew it was going to come back to bite me.
“Haven’t I taught you better? No daughter of mine is going to play some sidepiece.
“Daddy, wait. Please.”
“Wait for what? No real man fools around with one girl while away on some island while having another girl he’s selling dreams to. No, I’m not having it.”
“It’s not like that,” I murmur.
“So then you’ve been lying to me? If you’d lie about the girlfriend, how do I know I can trust anything you say? How do I know I can trust sending you to New York?”
“What are you saying?” I whisper.
“Maybe you’re not ready for such a big step. If you’d lie to me now, how can I know you’re not lying when something important is going on in your career that I need to know to keep you safe?
“You know I don’t do that lying mess. I’m already questioning a lot of things. It’s the boy or New York. You decide.”
“But Daddy—”
“It’s over, Lynn. It ends now. If you want to go to New York, this whole thing with Trevor ends.”
My lips tremble as tears roll down my cheeks. I don’t know what to say or do. I don’t know if I’ll ever get a chance like this again, but am I willing to give up my love for my career?
Will Trevor understand? Will he wait for me? We were going to wait a year to tell my daddy about us anyway, right?
“Can’t we talk about this after you calm down?” I try.