Chapter 0116


    Half an hourter, I’m pounding up the front steps to my childhood home and throwing open the screen


    door. I twist the doorknob and push on the wooden door behind it, expecting it to fall open with its


    familiar creak, but I bump against it when it fails to open. Tears start to slide down my cheeks again as I


    suddenly realize that it’s locked. Of course it is - we always lock the door in this neighborhood – and I


    don’t have my keys because they’re sitting in my old purse, which is back at Kent’s house.


    I lean against the door with a heavy sigh, closing my eyes and letting myself cry more. It’s all just too


    much –


    Suddenly, I fall inwards as the door opens.


    “Who…” Janeen says, and then gives a little gasp as I stumble into the house. “Fay!” she cries, her


    hands immediately on my arms, steadying me. “Are you all right? What’s –“ But as soon as I turn my


    tear-stained face up to hers, she wraps me in a hug and holds me close. “Oh, baby,” she coddles,


    “baby, don’t cry! It’s okay! What’s wrong?”


    I don’t say anything for a little while, just letting my sister hold me tight while I cry my heart out. She


    obliges me, shushing me softly and makingfortable noises until I’m finished. When my tears start


    to lessen, she gently peels me off her, crouching down to look in my face. “Fay,” she whispers, shaking


    her head at me in wonder. “What’s wrong? Are you okay?”


    I sniff, wiping at my nose and looking around the house. “Is dad home?”


    She shakes her head. “No, he went out with his buddies. He won’t be back for a while.”


    “Good,” I say, nodding. “I don’t want him to know.”


    “Know what?” Janeen begs, her eyes going wider with wonder. I can tell she’s as intrigued as she is


    worried.


    “Come on,” I say, taking her hand and nodding towards the couch. “I’ll tell you everything –“


    “Nooo,” she says, digging in her feet and not letting me pull her into the living room. “With tears like


    that, we’re having this talk over vodka.” She gives me a wide-eyed look like I’m crazy for wanting to do


    this sober and I can’t help the littleugh that bubbles out of me.


    “Okay,” I nod, heading into the living room while she goes to the freezer and pulls out a bottle, starting


    to mix our drinks. Janeen takes her vodka simply, with a twist of lemon, but she adds a little orange


    juice to mine, knowing I need something sweet to cut the bite. As she works I sink into one corner of


    our old couch, taking a deep breath and looking down at the crumpled contract still clutched in my


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    hand.


    Janeen ces our sses on the coffee table next to us before taking her familiar spot on the other


    side of the couch, her back against the arm, our feet mingling in the space between us. “Well?” she


    asks. I don’t say anything, just toss the crumpled paper at her so that itnds in herp. “What’s this?”


    she murmurs, unfolding it and frowning.


    “My engagement to Daniel is over,” I inform her, my voice dead and expressionless. She looks up at


    me in sudden shock. “I made a deal with Kent to…work for him. Turn Ivan against my dad and towards


    him. In exchange, you’re getting this house. And a beach house.”


    “Janeen!” I whine, kicking her a little. “Can you take this seriously! I’m upset!”


    “That’s not the bad part,” I say, covering my eyes with my hand. “I was fine with all of that – I signed


    that contract eagerly.”