Page 51 of Wrap Around (Forbidden Goals #7)

"Is everyone okay?" I ask, not wanting to outright ask if this is about her brother.

My own anxiety peaks thinking of what he could have done to set Lily off like this.

Did he rant and rave all night? Did he pack his things and move out, despite not having a condo to go back to.

I feel like she would have advocated for me if something like that happened, though, and wouldn't have left it until now.

"Well, we are, but…" Lily lets out a pained sigh, and her eyes get teary. "Daddy called. And so did Sister Paula from the church office. Mama's in the hospital."

"Oh, no. How bad is it?"

"I've been trying to figure that out all morning. But I think it must be bad, because they've been calling non-stop. It started last night, and then this morning I finally broke and answered it."

"What did they say?"

"That Mama passed out in a grocery store and was admitted to East Regional."

"Shit."

"They called to ask me to come home and help take care of her."

The sentence hangs in the air. My stomach twists.

Lily's gaze is off camera, distant, and full of turmoil.

I can already tell she's going to go. Most likely, it wasn't even a decision that had to be made.

It's a role that she was indoctrinated into from birth—the caretaker.

The one that always sacrifices herself for the needs of others, who never questions or speaks up or thinks for herself.

It's a mold Lily never fit into and was one reason we fought so hard to claw our way out of there. Lily struggled with her identity just as much as I did growing up. It’s why we banded together.

"Lily…" I say gently, hoping my tone conveys the worry I feel and not any bit of judgment.

"I know, it's probably a terrible idea and it'll be awful. But I can't not go, Silas. She's my mother. What kind of daughter—what kind of person—would I be if I didn't go to her?"

I'd be willing to bet those were the exact words that old venomous bitch Paula said to her to get her in this state. Lily doesn't want to go, that much is clear. But she will, out of a sense of duty to her family. I'll be damned if I'm going to let them sink their claws into her.

"How soon do you have to go? After tomorrow, I've only got three more games. I could go with you in a week."

"I've already got us packed and tickets booked to fly out this afternoon."

I sigh heavily and give her a worried look. "I don't like it."

"Me neither. But I can handle it. Hopefully, it'll all be done with before you even have to worry about coming down."

I seriously doubt that, but of course I don't say it out loud.

"Does Gideon know?"

"Yeah, he's kind of pissed at me right now."

"Join the club."

After I get off the video chat with Lily, I pull out my phone and text Gideon again.

ME: I just talked to Lily.

The phone rings before I can send off another text.

"Hey."

"Hey, yourself."

"Lily told you our dad wants her to come home and take care of mom? "

"Yeah, she told me. I don't like it, but I understand why she feels she has to go."

He scoffs. "I'd bet anything he expects her to take care of him just as much as whatever's wrong with Mama."

"So I guess you don't have any more details than she does?"

"Less probably," he says. "It's not like anyone thought to call me about it. Sister Paula won't so much as take my calls."

"Why wouldn't she take your calls?"

"Oh, I don't know, because I abandoned the church and my birthright as a follower of Christ to engage in a spiritually corruptive lifestyle that encourages me to break the Sabbath. Or because I'm a sodomite. Take your pick, although it's likely a little of column A, little of column B."

My heart lurches. "You think she knows…"

"It's possible. I have a strong feeling my father had his suspicions."

I think back to all the expectations Pastor Shepherd had for his children.

The hours they spent in prayer, often on a daily basis.

The fasting. The way Gideon's knees would look gnarled after long periods of reflection.

He never told me what the rice was for, only that he was learning to be more disciplined in his obedience to God.

It always threw me off how he acted like it was normal, or necessary.

At the time, I figured it was better than being hit, but now I'm not so sure.

"I really, really don't like it, but It's Lily's choice if she wants to go back and help."

Gideon grunts.

"She's a big girl who can make her own decisions. And I'll be able to join her in a week."

"Don't bother. I'm going with her. "

"Does she know that?"

"She's about to. I just left Coach's office, and I'm headed home to pack."

"I'm sure Coach wasn't too happy about it, but I'm glad he gave you the time.

" Add being contractually obligated to fulfil the remaining schedule for Calgary to the list of things I've felt guilty about since signing.

He doesn't reply, and the line gets quiet.

"Gideon," I say his name softly, apologetically even, hoping he'll talk to me.

"I know," he says. "Me too. But we have bigger issues right now."

I think we could spare a few minutes to get some basic apologies out of the way, but I don't push. Those two are under enough stress without me challenging them at every turn. "When I get there–"

"I told you, I've got this. I'll go with her, hopefully hurry things along or at least make sure it's actually even necessary for her to be there. Otherwise, we're getting the fuck out the first chance we can."

"It's her choice, Gid–"

"While I'm there I'm going to do a little investigating, too."

"Investigating?"

"I'm going to try to find out who Addy's father is."

"Me. I'm Addy's father," I say sharply.

Gideon sighs sharply. "Yes, I know that. You know what I mean. Her birth father, or whatever."

"She doesn't want us to know, Gideon. She's made that clear."

"Do you not care that whoever knocked her up took advantage of her? You realize that someone had to have sex with her to make that baby happen, right?"

"Obviously, Gideon. But she said it wasn't like that, and we need to respect her right to privacy. It's none of our business."

"She's my sister, and your wife."

"And? She's a strong, smart person capable of making her own decisions."

"But was she always?"

"What does that even mean?" My voice raises enough that it echoes off the walls of my hotel room.

"Lily fully admitted that she didn't know anything back then, right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, how do we know that this guy didn't? It could have been anyone, Silas."

"When she's ready to tell us, she will."

"What if it was someone older, like an elder or a teacher?"

Breath leaves my chest in a painful heave. I hadn't thought about that possibility. Lily was very young when she got pregnant, and she's fully admitted that she was woefully without any knowledge or education on sex. It could be possible.

"I still think we should talk to her first. If anything, we can get some more clues from her."

"We?"

"Yes, we. If any of us has to go back there, we should all go together. I wish we could delay the trip, but I'm glad you'll be there with her. I'm contractually obligated to be here until next Thursday, but I'm coming straight after. "

"I don't think that's a good idea, Silas."

"Are you really so pissed at me you can't be around me at all?" I can't decide if I'm heartbroken, sick, or angry that our relationship has come to this. "After everything we've been through, Gideon?"

The defeated tone of his voice hurts more than anything else. "Look, I'll keep you updated, okay? And we’ll talk, after all this is through, but please don't come there."

The call disconnects with a finality I feel in the pit of my stomach.