Page 64 of Hale

“The speaker ended up getting sick, so we decided to come home and surprise you. Imagineoursurprise when Hudson’s already here. I thought you had a game in Alabama.” Aunt Becky’s voice is curt and I can hear the accusations she’s barely holding back.I know you two are fucking.

I peel my eyes from the screen and look at our aunt over my shoulder. She’s thin and pretty, her green eyes that look exactly like Mom’s blazing with anger. It hurts to look at her sometimes. “Coach benched me.”

Her expression softens and her brows furl together. “Why, Huds?”

“I’ve been playing shitty. He’s pissed.”

“It’s understandable,” she says. “You lost your parents. You’ll do better next year.”

“Maybe,” I mutter.

“Your coach is a dick,” Rylie complains. “He doesn’t know what it feels like. What we went through.”

Aunt Becky lets out a heavy sigh. “Enough of this sad talk. We came back early to celebrate your birthday and that’s what we’ll do. We’re all here together. What do you want to do, sweetheart?”

Rylie turns and grins at me. “I want barbeque.”

“Another mud fight?” I tease.

She huffs. “No. There will be no outdoor barbeques, thank you, but there’s a place on Main Street I’ve been wanting to try. They have a mechanical bull,” she says with a laugh.

Aunt Becky flinches at her laugh. Like it caught her off guard. It’s a reminder that Rylie doesn’t normally laugh a lot.

I did this.

I made her well.

We’re doing the right thing.

Nobody has to know.

I wink at Rylie. “I smell a challenge.”

“Your uncle Randy was a competitive bull rider in high school,” Aunt Becky tells us, pride in her tone. “I bet he’ll want to be in on this challenge.”

“Give me twenty minutes to get ready and it’s on,” Rylie says, beaming.

I pull the sleeve of my T-shirt up and flex my muscle. “Uncle Randy doesn’t have these guns. I’m not falling off that bull.”

Aunt Becky laughs. “Oh, please, kid. Randy’s held on to me all these years. Sometimes you need more than muscle. You need determination.”

I glance over at my sister. “I’m determined, all right.”

The four of us are seated at a table and are all laughing. Aunt Becky was right. Uncle Randy’s old ass never fell off that bull. I was a close second because muscles do factor in. Rylie fell right off immediately and Aunt Becky never participated. But hearing Rylie’s constant giggles has been the real prize for the night. And not just for me. Aunt Becky’s bitter face has remained bright and smiling. For a little while, we’re able to behave like a family. It reminds me of hanging out with Mom and Dad.

“I’ve never seen you turn down a margarita,” I say to Aunt Becky, observing she’s drinking water tonight. Usually at dinner, she at least has wine.

Her smile grows broader and she glances over at Uncle Randy. “Well, we wanted to wait to tell you until we had made it out of the first trimester, but we’re pregnant. Finally.” She swipes at some tears that leak from her eyes.

“A cousin,” I say with a grin.

“This is exciting!” Rylie exclaims. She reaches over and squeezes Aunt Becky’s hand. “I’m so happy for you guys.”

“We’re hoping for a boy,” Uncle Randy tells us.

“But we’ll be happy with a girl,” Aunt Becky quickly amends.

“I’m going to get a job soon as school is out just so I can spoil the baby with lots of clothes,” Rylie says.