Stella, Carter, and I wave to Sierra through the window of the train as it pulls away.

“It’s totally a boy.”

I laugh, perking my brows up at my older sister. “You think?”

She snorts. “Oh, the friend she’s going to see in Boston? The one she spent an hour doing her hair and trying on clothes for?” Still giving me a look as she covers her four-year-old’s ears. “She’s wearing lingerie, Ivy,” she whispers with a scandalized look on her face. “Black.”

I roll my eyes. “Well, good for her.”

Stella tut-tuts as we walk back to the car. “Very out of character for her to be so mysterious, I’m just pointing that out.”

“I’m sure she’s got her reasons.” I give Stella a meaningful look across Carter’s car seat as we both buckle him in. “I mean, this family being so understanding about relationships that don’t fit the plan.”

She smirks. “Touché.” She coughs as we get into the front seats. “Still not going to tell me where you went the other night though, huh?”

“Nope.”

She groans as she puts the car into drive and takes us out onto the road. “You know you’re supposed to share stuff with your sisters. How did you and Si-Si not get that memo?”

I laugh, turning to look out the window as we drive back through town to our parents’ house.

I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t still dwelling on the other night with Silas, and what that all means. But I’ve decided I’m okay with it - with whatever I end up deciding to call it. A final farewell, the closing of a book.

A new chapter?

No.

I watch the town pass us by. What happened happened, and maybe it shouldn’t have, but I can’t dwell on that. After all, he’s the one that taught me years ago that dwelling on things that happened with him is a fruitless venture. And I can’t lament on what’s happening now either - with him, with work, with Blaine.

For now, and for better or for worse, I’m home. I’m surrounded by family, and here at home, I’m safe.

“Who’s car is that?”

Stella stops her car short of our parents’ driveway, and I frown at the black Audi SUV parked behind our dad’s old Jeep.

“I have no idea?”

We park at the curb and get Carter out of his seat before heading up the walkway to the front door.

My mom meets us at the door.

“Oh, honey! Good, you’re back. He’s in the living room talking to you father.”

I frown again. “Who’s in the living room?”

She smiles. “Blaine, sweetheart.

Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me.

“He’s here?” I hiss, panic rising in my chest. “Mom, you know what he did-”

“Oh, no, Ivy,” Mom waves her hand, beaming at me. “It was all a big misunderstanding! He’s already explained the whole silly mix up to us.”

What.

I push past her into the living room in a daze, and there he is.

Blaine.

Blaine with the long flowing blond hair, those twinkling eyes. That face only plastic surgery could produce, even though he’d never admit it.

He looks up a me from the pair of skis he’s showing my dad.

“Hey there, beautiful.”

I freeze, my jaw dropping and my blood boiling in my veins.

“What are you doing here.”

My dad clears his throat, shooting me a look.

“Ivy, Blaine was just-”

“I was just telling your dad about these new alpines I’ve been testing out.” He grins at me, that unnaturally white flashing smile dazzling. Dazzlingly, of course, from the custom crowns he’s had put in.

How did I ever even LIKE this man?

“Yeah, I got him a pair, since I know how much fun we had skiing last winter up at Sugarloaf.”

“Get out.” I spit the words out, feeling the heat flood into my face.

My dad steps forward, shaking his head. “Now, hang on, Ivy, Blaine just explained the whole thing to us.”

“Dad he left me for another woman!”

“Sir? May I?” Blaine beams at my dad, utterly charming him before stepping forward towards me. I take a step back.

“Ivy, I was confused when I called you. I just-” He shakes his head. “You work so darn hard all the time, and I was worried that I was just going to be holding you back.”

They’re not actually buying this shit, are they?

But they are. Even Stella can’t help but smile at the stupidly charming man standing center stage in this ridiculous living room drama production of “Blaine lies through his fucking teeth.”

“You’re joking, right? You posted pictures with her, you ass-”

“Ivy,” my dad’s booming voice cuts through. “Let him explain, honey.”

“Ivy,” Blaine reaches out for my hand, but I yank them back. “It was a shoot, Ivy. It was all a staged shoot to push that new casual city-wear line they’ve been pushing on me.”

My jaw drops as I look around to see my family smiling and nodding, just eating this shit up.

“She’s a model, Ivy,” Blaine laughs, like it’s just hilarious that I’ve misconstrued the situation somehow.

“The management company hired her for the day, that’s all.”

I haven’t misconstrued anything, I know that. Because I can remember that phone call.

“Is there another girl.”

“I don’t know how you want me to answer that.”

And a hundred other times and examples come flowing through my head. The dinners he was an hour late for with bizarre “work” excuses and a wave of his hand. The anniversaries he missed entirely. The unwillingness to commit to anything.

“No.”

I shake my head, taking another step back from him as the color leaves my face. “No.”

“Ivy-”

“No, we’re done here.”

“Honey,” my mom rubs my back. “Maybe you and Blaine should talk just the two of you?”

It suddenly feels like the walls and the ceiling are closing in - the room growing smaller and the air slowly getting thinner.

I have to get out of here.

I whirl and run from the room, and it’s not until I get to the front door that I feel a hand on my arm.

Stella.

“Hey,” she gives me a meaningful look. “You okay?”

“No,” I say quietly. “He’s completely full of shit.”

She chews on her lip, nodding. “Okay, get out of here, I’ll cover.”

“Thank you.”

“What else are sisters for besides helping each other escape horrible and awkward family encounters, right?”