“ZACH, YOU NEED to get home. Emerson, Cam, Chris, and Rebecca are all here. There’s a lot of yelling going on, listen.” Logan pauses and I can hear people shouting in the background.
“We’re on our way.”
“What’s going on?” Jay asks.
“I don’t know. Your mom and Cam are at my house and so are Chelsea’s parents. Logan said everyone is shouting at each other.”
“Let’s go.”
Chelsea is waiting outside on the porch when Jay whips her Range Rover into the driveway, throws it in Park, and shoves open the driver’s side door before I can even unclench my ass cheeks, pry my hand from the “oh, shit” bar, and climb out of the passenger side.
“What are you doing out here?” Jay asks.
“My parents told me to wait out here. It’s bad in there.” She wraps her arms around her waist and looks down at the ground.
The front door flies open and I can hear my mom shouting as Rebecca storms out with Chris right behind her. “Let’s go, Chelsea,” Chris says, calmly heading for the car.
“I don’t know what’s going on with our parents, but I hope it doesn’t affect our friendship,” Chelsea says.
“It already has,” Jay says, “but not because of us. Because of them. I say the three of us start over and build a friendship between us. Leave our parents’ baggage out of it.”
“I agree,” I say.
“Me, too,” Chelsea adds, looking over her shoulder at her parents and sighing. “I better go. I’ll call you later, Zach.” She hugs me, then turns and hugs Jay. “Give me a call sometime.”
“I will,” Jay says as Chelsea turns and heads to the car.
The screaming has stopped and the front door opens again. This time it’s Emerson who storms out and looks like she’s been crying. “Let’s go, Jayla,” she calls over her shoulder as she heads straight for the passenger side of Jay’s car.
Cam comes out and calls after her. “Em, wait!”
“Fuck you, Cam,” she yells over her shoulder. Jay and I watch with raised brows as Cam runs over to the Range Rover. He places his hands on the roof, and leans into the passenger side.
“I’m not sure what to do here,” Jay says, watching her mom and Cam go at it. “I never saw my parents fight. The only time I’ve ever seen my mom this mad was the day Hannah stepped on my hand and when your mom pushed me.”
Em shoves Cam out of the way before reaching for the door and slamming it shut.
Jay turns to me with a sad smile. “You should go inside and check on your parents. I’m gonna take my mom home. Tell Logan to call if he needs me to watch Zoe.” She gives me a kiss goodbye and heads to her Range Rover where Emerson waits in the passenger seat.
Cam stands off to the side with his hands on his hips and his head down. I stand on the porch as Jay backs out of the driveway and drives off. What the hell is going on?
I FIND MY mom stretched out on one of the loungers beside the pool with a big glass of wine in her hand. Her eyes are red and swollen and her face is wet with tears.
“Hey,” I say, dropping down on the edge of the lounger. “You okay?”
“No,” she says with barely a whisper as another tear rolls down her cheek. She doesn’t even bother to wipe it away. She pauses as if she’s pondering something, then bursts out laughing.
She’s losing it.
“What’s so funny?” I ask.
She waves me off. “Nothing and everything.”
Yep. She’s lost her mind.
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“No. But I will be.” She smiles sadly. “I’m so sorry, Zach. I’ve been a shitty mom and an even shittier person. God.” She sighs. “The way I treated Jayla…. I have a lot of mending to do with my family and the Mackenzies.”
“It’s okay. I love you, Mom.” I lean over and hug her.
“I love you, too, my baby boy. Is everything okay with you and Jayla?”
“We’re working on it, but I think we’ll be fine. I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
“Thank you, Zach.”
Walking into the house, past my dad’s office, I catch the tail end of an argument between my dad and Cam.
“You don’t think I tried to tell her?” my dad yells.
“Obviously, you didn’t try hard enough. For twenty years, you let my sister believe that bitch was her best friend.”
“She threatened to divorce me and take my kids if I ever brought it up. I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen. I didn’t want to risk losing my family. What choice did I have? What about you? Have you told your parents about your dirty little secret?”
“She’s not my dirty little secret!” Cam defends. I assume he’s talking about his relationship with Emerson.
I leave my dad and Cam to their argument and continue to up to my room, remembering something Brad said once. “Secrets never stay secrets for long, my friend. Remember that.” True.