Chapter 9
Thursday
Matt
Brooklyn seemed okay the night after everything happened at prom. But each day that followed, she closed herself off a little more.
I poured us each a cup of coffee as I watched her sitting with her tomato plants on the floor. She was picking a few ripe tomatoes off the vines. But mostly she was just staring at them, lost in thought. I knew what the plants meant to her. I knew they tied her to her past.
I took a deep breath and handed her a steaming mug of coffee.
She shook her head. “Thanks, but I’m not thirsty.”
Every time I tried to do something for her, she pushed me away a little more. I set the extra mug down on the counter. “Felix and Kennedy invited us out to dinner again tonight. Are you feeling up to it?” Felix had been texting me about going on a double date the past few days. They’d left prom early and had to find out second hand what had happened. I knew they were worried about Brooklyn. Just like I was.
“No, I want to make something with these tomatoes tonight. Before they go bad. Kennedy and Felix will understand.”
They didn’t understand. Neither did I. And I was starting to worry that Brooklyn was never going to leave the house again. “Have you thought anymore about costumes for the Halloween party next weekend?”
She shrugged. “I’m sure whatever you choose will be fine.”
I didn’t want to choose. I wanted us to look together. For a long time, there was no annual Halloween party. No one had been up to it after she’d died. But my parents restarted it a few years ago. And this was the first Halloween Brooklyn was back. I wanted to go all out. But she didn’t seem interested at all.
“How about we go for a run?” I said and sat down next to her on the floor.
“That’s okay.”
“But you love to run.”
She didn’t look at me.
“I think the fresh air might do you some good.”
“I’m not comfortable leaving Jacob here alone.”
“He won’t be alone. We can get Mrs. Alcaraz to watch him. Or Tanner. Or Nigel. Or whoever you feel most comfortable with.”
“That’s okay,” she said again and picked off more tomatoes.
“Brooklyn,” I grabbed her hand.
At least she didn’t pull away from my touch.
“Maybe we should have your father over? You can ask him any other questions you have. To put your mind at ease.”
“I don’t want to see him.”
“I’ll skip work and stay here so you’re not alone with him.”
“You can’t skip work again,” she said. “You haven’t been to work a day this week. And you told me you had meetings today.” It almost seemed like she was excited to get rid of me.
“I’ll figure it out.”
She shook her head. “Really, you should go. And I don’t want any visitors. If there’s one thing I learned in the past few weeks it’s that I should trust my instincts. And my instincts are screaming at me to stay here. Where it’s safe. With you and Jacob. No one else.”
I loved that she trusted me. But she was slowly breaking my heart. Life had given her an unfair hand. And she was starting to turn her back on it. I didn’t want her to stop living because she was scared. “I just don’t want you to waste any days,” I said. I knew how important that was to her.
“Don’t.” She pulled her hand out of mine. “Don’t use my mother’s words against me.”
“I wasn’t, Brooklyn. I’m just worried about you.”
“I need to be here. I don’t know how to explain it. I need to be here where it’s safe.”
“What if we go to my parents’ house for the day instead? We can jump in leaves again and…”
“You’re not listening to me.”
“I’m trying, but you’re scaring me. Baby.” I cradled her face in my hands. “You haven’t even stepped outside in days.”
“I’m protecting my family.”
I was trying to understand. I really was. But…I didn’t. “We’re safe now.”
“I know. Because we’re here. And I’m not leaving.” She stood up, making my hands fall from her face. “I don’t know what else you want me to say.”
“Baby, I just want you to talk to me…”
“Hiya, Coach!” Jacob said as he slid across the floor in his socks.
I laughed as he fell into my arms. The panic in my chest always subsided when Jacob was in the room. “Good morning, kiddo.”
“Can we come to practice today? Pleeeeease?”
He’d been asking me every day. And every day, I looked at Brooklyn. Waiting for her to change her mind. Waiting for her to start moving forward again.
She shook her head.
I cleared my throat. “Not today, Jacob. Maybe next week.”
“Noooooo. I want to come today. Mommy, please?” He turned to her.
“You heard, Matt,” she said.
I pressed my lips together. I didn’t love the way she was making it seem like I was saying no. I wanted nothing more than for Jacob and her to come to practice with me. But what could I say?
I ruffled Jacob’s hair. “We can play outside when I get home, okay?”
“When will that be? And can Scarlett come?”
I looked up at Brooklyn.
She shook her head.
“I’ll be home before dinner. We’re going to have a quiet night in just the three of us. Your mom is making homemade tomato sauce. Doesn’t that sound good?”
“Yessie. Sí. Oui.”
I smiled. I looked up at Brooklyn to see if she was smiling too, but she wasn’t paying attention.
I stood up, lifting Jacob upside down by his ankles.
He laughed as he tried to wiggle free. “Put me down!” he said through his laughter.
“What? I can’t hear you!”
Jacob laughed harder. “I said put me down, Coach!”
“What?” I lifted him higher in the air.
“Coach!”
I plopped him down on the kitchen counter and stole another glance at Brooklyn. No smile. No laughter. I swallowed hard. I just wanted to help. I desperately wanted to help her smile again. But everything I did just seemed to make it worse. “I’ll see the two of you later, okay?”
“Mhm,” Brooklyn said, but she didn’t look up or say goodbye.
“Call me if you need me, yeah?”
“Okay, Coach,” Jacob said.
But still Brooklyn didn’t say anything.
I gave Jacob one last smile and headed to the door. I needed to do something to fix this. But I didn’t know how.
***
There was only one person that knew Brooklyn as well as I did. Kennedy. But Brooklyn refused to see her. I didn’t understand why. Maybe Brooklyn was right. Maybe I wasn’t listening. But I was trying my best. I just wanted to see her smile again.
I eyed my cell phone.
There was one other person that knew Brooklyn pretty damn well. James. But I didn’t want to call him about this.
I kept staring at my phone. What if he was the only one that could help? He was the only person I knew that had dealt closely with the Pruitts. He knew them. He…he could definitely help.
I sighed. Fuck it. I hit James’ number and pulled my phone to my ear.
He answered after a few rings. “Hey, Matt. How is Brooklyn doing?”
Penny had called trying to set up a play date for Scarlett and Jacob earlier this week. I’d let her know that Brooklyn wasn’t up to it. I’d figured she’d told James too.
“Not great actually,” I said. “I need your help. Do you think maybe you could talk to her?”
“Me?”
“She’s scared to leave the house. She just…I don’t know. She’s closed herself off. I don’t know what to do. And you know what it’s like to be part of that world. Isabella tried to kill you.”
James didn’t say anything.
“And you made up with your dad. I know it’s not the same as Brooklyn and her dad. But you were able to put the past in the past and move forward. I think maybe talking to you could help her. I don’t know what else to do, James. I’m really worried about her.”
“My next class doesn’t start for another hour. I could swing by now.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, man.”
“Of course, Matt. I’ll let you know how it goes.”
Hopefully Brooklyn would let him in the house. I knew she didn’t want any visitors. I was trying my best to listen. But…it was James. She’d talk to James. Please let this help.