Page 111 of All This Time

Bracing myself for the conversation we’re about to have, I reach for the handle to the door and turn, pushing the door open. But nothing could have prepared me for what I see.

Fletcher is leaning against the wall furthest from the door, his hands braced behind him for support, and a girl is kneeling in front of him, her hands on his thighs.

Oh my God. Is she…

It doesn’t take me long to figure out what I just walked in on, and when it does, my heart slices in two.

Before they notice me, I slam the door shut and run down the hallway, as far away from that scene as I can get. But running won’t erase it from my mind. I don’t think anything ever will.

Sobs wrack my body as I push my way through the house to my room, pulling my key from my pocket and unlocking my door, and locking it behind me before falling onto my bed and crying myself to sleep.

Looks like I know where I stand with Fletcher Adams now, and it’s nowhere near where I wanted to be.

***

Pounding wakes me from a deep sleep. I lift my head and notice it’s just after four in the morning. The inside of the house sounds quiet, so I’m guessing the party died down.

Pushing myself out of bed, I glance at my reflection in my mirror. Mascara streaks paint my face from all my crying, my hair looks like a rat tried to make a nest in it, and I still have on the same clothes since I never bothered to change before I passed out.

The pounding continues, and I make my way to my bedroom door. When I open it, I find my brother on the other side, eyes bloodshot and tears streaming down his face.

“Rhonan? What’s wrong?”

He stumbles into my room, pulling me into his chest. “Laney…”

“You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

It takes him a few moments to gather himself before he lifts his head and meets my eyes. “It’s Mom. Dad just called me, and…”

Dread fills my body. “What? What happened?”

“She—she’s gone, Laney. Mom died.”

***

“Thank you for coming,” I say for the hundredth time as another person from our town comes up to me and Rhonan, offering their condolences—like those words are going to take away the pain from living the rest of our lives without our mom.

It’s been one week, and I already feel like the pain in my chest is permanent.

“How long do we have to let these people hang out in the house?” Rhonan mutters beside me, his voice low.

“I don’t know. I’ve never held a wake before.” My eyes scour the room, looking for our dad, but I don’t see him anywhere. I wonder if he’s gone to hide, which is exactly what I feel like doing right now.

Rhonan closes his eyes and shakes his head. “I feel like I’m living in a nightmare.”

“You and me both. But this is as real as it gets. Mom isn’t coming back…” I choke back the emotion threatening to spill over, but Rhonan pulls me into his chest before I fall to the ground.

“I know, Laney. Fuck. I know.” He rests his chin on top of my head.

We hold each other for a few minutes before Elliot walks up to us. “You guys doing okay?” he asks as Rhonan releases me and I wipe under my eyes.

“I don’t even know how to answer that right now,” my brother replies.

“I’m so fucking sorry, you guys. I know I keep saying it, but…”

Rhonan places his hand on Elliot’s shoulder. “I know. Thanks, man.”

“Have you decided what to do about school yet?” Elliot asks my brother.