Chapter 19 #2
“That’s one thousand percent true. All the money in Jeff Bezos’s bank account wouldn’t be enough to convince me to switch lives with you,” I said. “But I’m not talking about your career. I’m talking about your relationship with Dad.”
Her responding snort was chock-full of bitterness. “Trust me, that’s not something to be jealous of. What you and Mom have, your bond with music? That’s special. Dad and I just work together.”
“No, you have Dad wrapped around your finger. Half of the time, I don’t think he even knows I exist. I called him out after our fight, and he’s been making an effort since, but for the past few years? Not at all.”
“Dad’s always been that way though. When we were kids, he practically lived at the office.
The man thrives on work. It’s probably his one true love,” she said with a laugh, but there was no joy in the sound, just disappointment.
“The only reason it seems like Dad and I have a special bond is because I’m his work now.
If I could go back and change things, I never would have agreed to let him be my manager.
It wasn’t a healthy decision for our family. ”
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Probably not.”
“I’m sorry, Indie. If you want, I can fire him and find someone new so the two of you can spend more time together.”
My immediate thought was to tell her yes, but then I realized this wasn’t her problem to solve.
“No, don’t do that on my account. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this whole messed-up situation, it’s that I need to take responsibility for my own actions.
Same goes for Dad. He’s the one who made the choice to prioritize work over family.
If he wants to fix things with me, he needs to make the effort himself. ”
“You sure?”
“I am,” I said, nodding decisively. “Also, you don’t need to withdraw from your Lady Phoenix audition. I never should have asked you not to try out. That was unbelievably selfish of me, and I think you’ll make a great Kelina.”
Violet’s eyes lit up. “Really?”
I grinned. “Yup, but once you get the part, you have to promise to invite me to set. I want to fangirl over all your costars and embarrass the hell out of you.”
“Okay,” she said, matching my grin with one of her own. “I think that can be arranged.”
At the sound of approaching footsteps, we both turned toward the garden path. A couple passed by us on their way out of the party, but either they were too wrapped up in their own conversation to notice us or they couldn’t see our bench in the shadow of the hedges.
Once they were gone, Violet cleared her throat. “So…I take it you and Xander made up?”
This time, I beamed at her. “Yep. I went to the studio with the intention of apologizing to you, but I ran into him, and we hashed things out.”
“I’m glad. The two of you are good together. I mean, the guy wrote a song about you. What’s not to love?” she said, bumping her shoulder against mine in a playful way. “And I adore the version you guys played tonight. It finally sounds complete.”
“Yeah?” I asked, perking up in my seat. Ever since recording my part for Xander’s song, I’d been nervous Violet would hate it. Hearing her say the opposite was a much needed weight off my shoulders.
“Definitely.”
We lapsed into pensive silence. It didn’t feel uncomfortable, but after everything that had been said between us, we both needed a moment to let the debris of our conversation settle.
“Our tree house is gone,” I said after a minute.
“Huh?”
“The tree house in San Bernardino?” I clarified. “After our fight at New Edge, I drove back to see our old house because…well, to be honest, I don’t even know why I did, but it’s gone. Whoever moved in cut the tree down.”
“Oh no! That’s so sad,” Violet exclaimed. “We had so many good memories up there. Remember when I decorated it like an Italian restaurant and pretended to be a waiter?”
I laughed. “Yeah, you made me be the customer, but the only thing I was allowed to order was spaghetti because that was all you could cook.”
“Or what about the time we convinced Mom and Dad to let us have a sleepover out there, but in the middle of the night—”
“—that raccoon scared us half to death?”
“I think we woke up half the neighborhood with our screaming.”
“We? Pretty sure it was your screaming that woke everyone,” I corrected. “Not mine.”
“Whatever,” she said, rolling her eyes, but it was obvious from the twitch of her lips that she was biting back a grin. “You still take the cake for the most dramatic tree house memory.”
“Do I now?”
“Remember what you did the day we moved from San Bernardino to Newport?”
A bark of laughter escaped me. “Yeah, I chained myself to the trunk in protest.”
“And then Dad had to call a locksmith because you chucked the key into the woods and none of us could find it,” she added, shaking her head in amusement.
God, when was the last time a conversation had flowed so easily between us? I couldn’t remember, but sitting here and trading memories was the most like family we’d felt in a long time.
“Well, the tree might be gone, but we still have each other, right?” I peeked over at Violet, afraid of her answer.
“Always,” she answered. “You’re my sister, Indie.”
It was only a few simple words, but suddenly a golf ball–size lump took up residence in the back of my throat.
Turning away, I swallowed a couple of times in an attempt to clear it.
Until she said it, I didn’t realize how badly I needed to hear Violet call me that—her sister.
Because before her career took off, being Violet’s sister meant so much more to me than someone I shared parents with.
It meant I always had a best friend. Someone whose shoulder I could cry on when I had a bad day.
Someone who was in my corner no matter what.
Someone who always knew how to make me laugh.
And I missed all of that so, so much.
“Indie, are you okay?”
I nodded even as a tear trickled down my cheek.
It was time to tell her about Juilliard.
I’d bottled up my grief for the past three days, and I needed to get this off my chest. Now that things finally felt okay between us, I knew she’d help me through this grief.
After her earlier confession, she’d probably be crushed by my news, but at least we could be heartbroken together.
“Hey, Vi?” I said quietly.
There must have been something off about my voice, because hesitation flickered through her eyes. “Yeah?”
“Please don’t freak out, but…I missed the deadline for Juilliard.”
“What?” she gasped.
“It was due the day we fought,” I explained in a rush. “I know that’s not an excuse, and I shouldn’t have waited until the last minute, but after everything went down, I just sort of lost it and didn’t realize what time it was until it was too late.”
“Oh my God, Indie,” Violet said, clutching the edge of the bench. “You should have told me straightaway.”
“Why? It’s not like there’s anything you can do about it.”
“Actually, there is.”
Now it was my turn to be shocked. “What are you talking about?”
Violet smirked and brushed a long curl over her shoulder. “So you know how you wanted to take a tour of campus when we were in New York but all the time slots were full?”
“Yeah…”
“Well, I mentioned it in passing to Jewel Peck that weekend. Apparently her cousin is on the admissions board, and she said she could get us a private tour, but then you disappeared with Xander, so I never brought it up. I can’t promise you anything, but she might be able to pull a few strings.”
“Are you for real?” I asked as an inkling of hope rekindled inside me.
“Believe it or not, knowing me has some perks.” Violet winked and pulled out her phone. “Let’s see about getting you an audition.”