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Ireland opened her mouth to speak only to let out a sob as Mack hurried toward us, with the same strained, frightened expression on his face. He looked at me with a bit of disdain and pity, and I’d had about enough of the cloak and daggers.
“If someone doesn’t tell me what happened, I will lose my ever-loving mind on all of you!” It was the least anyone could do to help me out. I wasn’t the bad guy here. I got dumped.
Waverly left me high and dry.
Mack’s gaze snapped to mine, and his gray eyes blazed with worry and rage. The furrow between his brow deepened as he stared at me, and I could only hope he could see how truly lost I was. It’d been one thing if I got accused of doing something bad, so then I could apologize and rectify the situation or the miscommunication, but it was a whole other situation when I got neither an apology nor answers.
“I’m sorry, Jackson.” Mack turned back to Ireland and hugged her tight. “I’ll go first. Are you sure you can drive?”
Ireland nodded. “Yes. I’m scared not daft, grumpy.” Her lip curled as her fighting spunk returned. “We’ll be right behind you. I’ll explain it all to Jackson on the way.”
Or she could start now.
Now would be good.
I scrubbed my face, ready to go nuclear on everyone, when Ireland slid her palm across mine and squeezed my hand. I finally glanced down at her red-rimmed eyes and blotchy cheeks, and I wanted to rip apart whoever scared my sister. She might have been hell on wheels on a good day, but she was so fucking tenderhearted too. She cared about everyone and everything. Seeing her like this messed me up.
Bad.
“Do you need anything before we leave?” Ireland hedged.
I shook my head. Whatever was in my locker could stay there until I came back. “Are you going to tell me anything, sis?”
“I am,” she said. “When we’re in the car. I have some questions for you too. It’s just been a crazy chaotic afternoon.” She tried to paste on one of her fake “I’m-all-right” smiles, and it wasn’t working. I could see the haunted look in her green eyes.
“Why would Waverly’s dad think we were playing games though?” I asked, still confused by the statement than anything else he said during the conversation.
“Yeah, that’s my question too,” Ireland replied, tugging me out of the restaurant. “Like I said, we’re going to be having a frank discussion on the way to the hospital.”
We jogged across the parking lot—well I jogged. Ireland hurried as quick as she could in her heels. Woman was going to end up breaking her neck one day because she had to have pretty shoes. When we got to her purple monster, she unlocked the door for me, and I slid inside. It was weird seeing a car seat in the back and a bunch of baby items strewn about. Reminded me just how far we’d come in a little over a year and how far we still needed to go obviously.
As Ireland backed the custom beast out of her usual spot, she side-eyed me while biting her bottom lip. “This is where I need you to be completely honest with me, Jackson. Have you been seeing Waverly for the last year and a few months without anyone seeing you guys?”
Her question struck me in the middle of my chest. Looking back at the situation, I could see why everyone would assume as much, and to be honest, I hadn’t given them a reason not to believe I was either. “No, Ireland. I haven’t. We hung out for a little while and then she stopped texting and calling me. The end.”
Even as she turned out of the parking lot of Flame, she continued to cut her gaze toward me. “Why didn’t you say anything? We all saw how you gazed at each other. We knew it was a matter of time before you announced a relationship.”
I shrugged. Thinking back, I couldn’t tell her why we kept everything to ourselves. Insulating from the outside world had made everything fun. Like as long as we were together no one could touch us. “Yeah, well, she ghosted me. Beyond that, not sure what to tell you.”
“Well, this is going to be an awkward conversation to have then,” Ireland muttered. “Look, we’re on our way to Vanderbilt because there’s been an incident on the labor and delivery floor. The floor Waverly is currently working on.”
The wind rushed out of me. “What?” Fear mixed with anger as I sat there, the town zipping by us as Ireland raced down the city streets. I knew about Waverly’s hopes and dreams. School was her top priority. Scratch that. Her only priority. As much as she’d upset me walking away like she did, the ache in my chest grew at the thought of someone hurting her.
“I don’t understand all the specifics, but this is what we figured out from the hospital and from the media.” Ireland turned right, following the signs for the interstate. “We don’t have tons of information, but for now, a disgruntled father has taken the floor hostage.”
“What?” Anxiety knotted my chest, making it impossible to breathe. “Waverly is there? Stuck on the floor with him?” I felt as though I was glitching. Like I could hear the words coming out of Ireland’s mouth but none of them made any sense. “Could you say that again? This time slowly.”
My sister exhaled. “You heard what I said, Jackson. This is a lot to take in, but you have to prepare yourself.”
“What are you even saying?” I shifted my position on the seat, confused, and irritated at everyone and everything. “I don’t think I understand why you’re including me. Sure, she’s my sister-in-law by marriage,” I slung the words at Ireland, growing more agitated by the second, “but I haven’t spoke to her in a long time, sis. So cut the shit.”
“You really haven’t talked to Waverly at all?”
The shocked look on her face only raised my hackles higher. “Would you like to see my last text message to her?” I don’t know why I kept all of them. I guess deep down I hoped it was all a huge misunderstanding or school had taken up too much of her time.
“Jesus, Jackson. Again, you could have said something,” she muttered on an exhale. “What happened?”
I laughed. Well, wasn’t that the million-dollar question. If I had an answer, I could give it to her. As this little situation played out, and with as scared as everyone had been, including myself, we might never comprehend Waverly’s reasoning.