Chapter 31
Nate
Present…
Fucking traffic jams.
The bane of my existence and the reason why we’re now holed up at the services is that Archie couldn’t hold his bladder and needed to pee. The rest of us decided to grab a bite to eat and a coffee, and I tried again for the fiftieth time to ring Hayleigh, but her phone was still off.
Someone nudges my shoulder, and when I look to the side, Ethan nods to the phone. “I know it’s easier said than done, but there’s probably a perfectly good explanation for why her phone's off. It’s most likely going to be her battery.”
I nod, but his words don’t make me feel any better. “Yeah, probably.”
He smiles, rolling his eyes. “She’s not been herself since everything went down, but lately, you can see the difference in her, Nate. You’re good for each other.”
He gets up and walks towards where the rest of our family sits, and I try again to ring her. I look up in time to see Emmy walking towards me. She sits down beside me and links her arm through mine, resting her head on my shoulder.
“I’m worried too, Nate. I even tried calling Thea again, but her phone is still off. I know Hayleigh’s capable of handling herself, but her parents get into her head. They’re so awful.” Her voice wobbles.
Patting her hand with mine, I say. “It’s going to be okay. I think she’s ready to finally tell them once and for all to go fuck themselves.” Emmy lets out a sharp laugh, and before I realise, I’m laughing along with her.
Archie rounds the corner with a bag full of items clutched closely to his chest. His eyes dart around us all, his foot tapping the floor. “What are you all doing sitting around? Come on, we have to get a move on.”
Rafe balls up his burger wrapper and throws it at him, speaking around a mouthful of food, he garbles. “Stop rushing us.”
Archie dodges the wrapper and digs into the bag at his chest, pulls out walkie-talkies, and then hands them out. First to Cas. “Here you go, your code name is Eagle.” Then he hands one to Mum. “Here, our code name is Hawk.” Finally, he walks up to Rafe. “Here, your code name is Toucan.”
Rafe's face screws up. “Toucan? Why don’t we get a cool bird name like everyone else?”
Archie shakes his head. “Toucan, you know, because you’re twins. Two can, get it?”
Ethan grabs a handful of fries and chucks them at Archie while Rafe mumbles. “I was eating those.”
I cock my brow. “Where the hell did you find walkie-talkies in here? What else do you have in that bag?”
He clutches the bag closer to his chest and lifts his chin. “Important stuff. Now come on, we’re on channel two people, let’s roll.” He spins on his heel and marches off towards the exit.
I look at Emmy as she tries hard to hold her giggle in, and I shake my head. “He is so extra.” We all get up, Ethan grumbling about Archie being bossy and Rafe grumbling because he didn’t get to finish his fries.
Archie’s already in my car, so I open the door on his side, and he lets out a loud yelp and crushes the bag to his chest. “How the hell did you get inside the car already when I have the key?”
He shrugs. “I always take the spare with me.”
My mouth drops open. “I thought I’d lost it. You’re telling me you had it this whole time?” This guy is unbelievable. “What else is in that bag?”
He turns away from me. “Nothing. We don’t have time for this. Get in the car.”
“Give me the bag, Archie.” I try to grab at it, but he holds it tighter to his chest while trying to bite my arm to stop me.
I dive into the backseat with him, my legs hanging out the door of the car as I try to wrestle the bag from him, but he isn’t letting go.
He screams when I tickle his side, but it works as his grip loosens. “Nate, we don’t have time for this.”
“Really, boys. You’re grown men for crying out loud.” We both freeze as our mum’s stern voice shouts through the car.
I scramble out of the car and stand up, brushing myself off I point at Archie. “He started it. He wouldn’t show me what’s inside his bag.” No sooner than the words leave my lips, I realise how childish they sound, but there’s no way I’m backing down.
Archie’s mouth drops open. “My fault? You accosted me.”
My mum folds her arms and raises a brow.
We both shut up, and I climb in the car while our dad chuckles away. Luckily, the traffic has cleared, so now we can make some headway.
The static of the walkie-talkie sounds through the car, then a beep. “This is Hawk, come in Eagle and Toucan. Over.”
Radio silence.
Archie repeats himself.
There's static and a beep before Emmy’s voice floats through the tiny radio. “Yes, Archie. We’re here. Directly behind you, in fact.”
Arch huffs. “This is Hawk. Can you confirm your code name? Don’t forget to say over when you’re done. Over.” To us, he says. “Honestly, can’t get the staff.”
The walkie-talkie comes to life again, and Emmy giggles. “Sorry, Hawk. Eagle here, over.”
Archie clicks the button again. “This Hawk. Toucan, are you in range? Over.”
Static and a beep before Ethan’s voice booms. “You’re a dumb shit. Over.”
Mum gasps. “Give me that walkie-talkie, Archie.” He passes it to her, and she clicks the button on the side. “Ethan Frances Peterson, you apologise to your brother right now and stop swearing. Over.”
The walkie-talkie beeps once more. “Sorry, mum. Sorry Archie. Over.” Ethan grumbles in response.
**********
We’re twenty minutes away from Hayleigh's parents' house. Archie rustles the bag in the back seat, but because he’s sitting directly behind me, I can’t see what it is he’s doing.
I look into the rearview mirror. “Arch, what are you doing?” Suspicion seeps into my voice.
“Huh?” He ducks down.
‘Bluetooth connected’ The car’s voice fills the air.
I chance a quick look at the radio, wondering if it’s somehow picked up my phone.
‘Playing ACDC, Thunderstruck.’
The familiar notes of the guitar blast through the car.
“What the hell?” I look in the rearview mirror right as the drums start banging and the crowd sings ‘thunder’.
Archie sits up, smudging black lines on his cheeks and forehead as he bops along to the beat.
I turn the volume down slightly. “Uhm, Arch, what are you doing?”
Our mum turns in her seat and bursts out laughing before sobering up. “Archie, is that my eyeliner?”
His head nods through the mirror. “Yeah, grabbed it out of your bag. We have to be prepared. Here.” He passes the eyeliner to my mum.
I have to hold back my laugh because he seems wholly serious. “Archie, why on earth do you need face paint? We aren’t going to war.”
He looks me dead in the eyes through the mirror. “Nate, we don’t know what we’ll find.” He turns to my mum. “Please pass me the walkie-talkie.”
She hands it to him. “You’re a good friend, Archie, if not a little bit...over the top.”
Archie clicks the button. “Hawk here. Toucan and Eagle, be ready to rock and roll. As soon as we touch down in enemy territory, Ethan and Rafe, you go round the back. Mum and Dad will stay with the getaway car. Emmy and Cas go through the front, and Nate and I will find a window to climb in. Over.”
My shoulders shake as I hold in my laugh. There’s static and then a beep before Emmy’s voice floats through. “Eagle here. Don’t you think that’s a bit much, Hawk? Over.”
Archie lets out a humourless laugh. “Oh, she has no idea.” He clicks the button. “Hawk, here. Eagle, this is unknown territory; we have to be ready for every eventuality. Over.”
There’s another beep before we hear Ethan’s sarcastic drawl. “Toucan here. Have you got rope, Hawk? Over.”
“Hawk, here. Actually, yes. Over.”
My eyes pop open. “What do you mean you have rope? How?” I look at him through the rearview mirror.
He looks back at me and waggles the rope in his hand. “Every eventuality, Nate.”
Fuck me. He’s utterly insane.
**********
We pull up towards the entrance to Hayleigh’s parents' home and drive down the long driveway. Hayleigh’s car is parked up, and I breathe a sigh of relief knowing that she’s here and not somewhere else.
We all park up and get out, Archie with the rope through his arm and hanging onto his shoulder, face paint on and looking utterly ridiculous but somehow scary at the same time, probably due to his size.
I open my mouth to speak, but Archie beats me to it.
He walks in front of us, turning to face us.
“Okay, this is the moment we’ve been waiting for.
In there–” He throws a thumb behind him at the house.
“Are our targets, Hayleigh and Thea. Ethan and Rafe, you’re both around the back.
Mum and Dad, stay near the car. Emmy–” He doesn’t get to finish what he says because Emmy shouts out.
“Hayleigh!”
We all look over to see Hayleigh walking out the front door with a large cardboard box in front of her, a bewildered look on her face, when she sees us all rush towards her.
She laughs. “What are you all doing here?” Her eyes snag on Archie. “Archie, is that smudged eyeliner? Why do you have a rope?”
He shifts the rope on his shoulder. “We’re here to rescue you, and I brought this to make a citizens' arrest.”
Hayleigh’s brow furrows, and then she’s laughing. “Citizens' arrest? What do you mean you’re here to save me? Why?”
I step forward, grab the box from her before passing it to Archie, and turn back to Hayleigh. I slide my hands along either side of her face, kissing her softly while my brothers hoot and whistle behind me.
We break apart, and I rest my forehead on hers. “I missed you, and we were worried that something had happened because your phone cut off and didn’t come back on. Also, Archie…” I trail off because that doesn’t even need an explanation.
The door opens behind Hayleigh, and Thea steps out, holding another cardboard box. Cas steps forward and grabs it from her.
I nod towards the house. “Is Thea coming home?”
Hayleigh smiles and nods. “Yeah, she’s going to stay with me for a bit until she’s gotten herself sorted. She’s…a bit sad.”
I rub Hayleigh’s arms. “Give her time.”
“Oh, look at this spectacle. Get off my property.” Morgana Wallcroft staggers out of the front door. Gone is the smartly dressed, sharp woman; she’s been replaced with a dishevelled, gaunt woman.
Thea walks towards our group, and my mum places her arm around her. Hayleigh turns around to face her mother.
Morgana’s eyes narrow towards me. “You. I knew you would be behind this. Turning my daughters against me.” She reaches out to steady herself on the wall of her home.
Hayleigh steps forward. “You’re wrong, Nate isn’t the one who’s turned us against you. You’ve done a pretty good job of that yourself, you and so did dad.”
Morgana scoffs as she waves her arm out. “We gave you everything. We need her to marry Rupert, or we’re done. We have nothing left.” Her voice wobbles at the first show of emotion.
“That’s not our fault. All our lives, you’ve controlled absolutely everything about us.
You even told Pete’s mother where my new home was so he could send me letters.
After everything he did, why would you do that?
” Hayleigh’s voice cracks, and I go to move towards her, but Archie’s arm flies out as he holds me back, a subtle shake of his head.
She needs to do this alone. The words unspoken between us.
Morgana straightens up. “Oh, please. You blew that whole situation way out of proportion, and a good man, an honest man, was put away because you couldn’t handle being less.
” Morgana looks down her nose at all of us before settling back on Hayleigh.
“You’ve always been less, Hayleigh, and that will never change.
You’re nothing to your father and me, nothing. ”
Hayleigh seems to stand taller. “I feel sorry for you, Morgana. You’re the one who has nothing left, not me; I have my family behind me, and so does Thea. You can’t hurt us anymore, and you’ll never see us again. Goodbye.” She turns and walks through us to her car, clearly dismissing her mother.
I grab my car key out of my pocket, handing it to Archie. “I’m gonna drive back with Hayleigh and Thea.”
Thea interrupts us, her voice sad. “Actually, if it’s okay, I’ll drive back with them. Hayleigh needs you right now.” I nod in response.
Hayleigh waits for me at her car, her head down as she takes deep breaths.
I place my finger under her chin and encourage her to look up as I ask.
“Do you want me to drive?” She nods, so I open the passenger door for her, helping her in, then leaning inside and buckling her seat belt.
A soft smile reaches her lips when I do.
I get into the driver's seat and adjust the seat all the way back before starting the car. I put it in gear, but don’t set off yet. I turn my head to her. “You’re sure?”
She nods. “I’m sure. I’m ready to go home.” Then she places her hand on my thigh and smiles at me.
Home. She’s home.