20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Grady Marlow
M y niece is never going to let me sit her down.
I’m just fortunate that my brother allows me around after I taught her that giving people the middle finger means, ‘hello’. It was juvenile, and he’s been trying to undo that whole thing since. It was funny though.
Her hands embedded in my hair; she squeals in sheer delight over Skip’s clown costume.
“More, more!” she says, clapping her hands against my head, as Skip does a jig in a circle playing a harmonica he fished out of his desk.
My brother and his family stayed in Lake Hollow after Lala’s funeral, knowing that our parents would leave during the town's summer celebrations. Dad’s alienated all of us from them, not that it bothers him. When our band’s new single hit the top ten, not a word from him.
Lifting Olivia from my shoulders, Grant mentions, “Saw an old friend of yours before the parade.”
Remi winks at me from the mini putt course, where she hands my niece a club. “Oh, yeah. Who?”
“Wilder.” My brother never believed the favored opinion that he did anything wrong. Taking the opportunity through the years, to remind me of how close we were.
“Our friendship dissolved years ago.” I stop a wayward golf ball rolling by me with my foot. Olivia clapping as she runs to grab it. When Remi calls to her, she turns to say hi the way I taught her. Remi’s face is priceless.
“Don’t fucking do that.” His face twists in irritation as he says to me, “I’m not going to judge you. The two of you were more than friends.”
The secrets, and the lies are eating me alive.
I wrecked the trust Wilder had in me, now the only person I can tell is Remi, but we never get time alone. Cal and Charlie monopolize her time.
Remi’s uncle closed his business for the day, only friends and family allowed. It was a relief to have a break. Not be bombarded while visiting with them. I wouldn’t give away the success of the band, but I’ve never been an extrovert, preferring song writing to performing.
A whoop of joy is heard from the office as Remi holds the door open, she turns the dial of the piped in stereo up. The music wafting out of the speaker is Romantic Ruin’s new song ‘Drowned’ ‘ Ground yourself in reality, Sweet whispered okays…’
I overhear my brother tell Skip that I don’t even realize how big the band is getting. But plot twist… I know and I’m just struggling to feel something. Other than desperation and guilt.
The aftermath of tragedy is the trauma born by covering things up.
That night I had with Remi; I gave myself permission to feel. Now it lives rent free in my brain. Every night I want to seek her out. Bury myself inside of her. Tell her every ugly thing I did, and all the secrets I’ve kept. Get it out.
Remi was hyper excited for today, laying out the way she wanted things to go. I’d like to get my hands on her ‘bucket list’. My initial hurt over being an item she crossed out has faded slightly. Knowing her better now, her filter slips making her sound crude but, she’s shown more consideration and compassion to people… and animals than I’ve ever seen.
Mini golf, bumper boats… not my thing. I never spent any time at Gibson’s Family Funpark, and Flicks n’ Fun won’t be much different, but I’m still feeling a semblance of joy surrounded by family and friends.
Half an hour before Skip is going to lock up, Wilder wanders in. Cocky asshole smirks as he bypasses me completely on his way to Remi.
Grant stops him, loudly proclaiming it’s good to see him again so soon. Giving him a big hug, he says, “It’s like a high school reunion with all the people I’ve run into this weekend. I’ve seen more of ‘em than at my tenth-class reunion.”
Picking Olivia up, Wilder says, “I get excited when I can’t remember someone from high school-another step closer to being fully cleansed.”
Finding him amusing, Grant slaps his back laughing. “Yeah, I get that.”
Remi stomps passed me towards Wilder, a determined look on her stunning face. “You. Come here.” She crooks her finger at him.
With Olivia back on her two little legs, he turns with a half-smile. “There you are. Guess you’re still cranky, huh?”
Charlie, Cal, and Natalie move in from the bumper boats. Prepared in case reinforcements are needed. Wilder might need someone to peel Remi from him. It’ll be satisfying to watch though.
Before she can keep going, he pulls a velvet pouch from his pocket holding it out to her. “Peace offering.”
She won’t grab it, so he steps closer with it.
“This is better than the other necklace. Open it.”
Under his breath Cal says, “Good move.”
Holding up the new piece of jewelry, she takes a closer look at the locket, an ivory bird on it. Then she holds it to her chest. “Did this come from Hidden Treasures? I recognize it. I’d wanted to buy it but… wait a minute… this was expensive.”
“Ceily had dynamite deals today.”
Fuck, I hate that he still has the ability to surprise me. Grant gives me a knowing look.
“Can you forgive me now?” He gives her his look of smoldering intensity. It lands on me.