Chapter 10 - Cayden
I stared at my phone, reading April's text message once more. I scowled at it, even more confused.
"God damn it, April." I hit the call button and listened to it ring a few times before she answered.
April answered the phone, sounding annoyed. "Why are you calling me?"
"What do you mean you aren't coming back yet?" I asked.
"I thought you understood English really well, but now I'm starting to question if you do or not."
I scowled. "I understood the sentence, April. I don't understand what you mean. I thought you said you had a few things to handle at home and that you'd be back. You've been gone more than a few days, and now you’re stuck there for a few more?"
She went quiet for a moment before she sighed. "This is taking longer than I thought it would. It's not that big of a deal. I'll be back in a few days."
I didn't know what was going on with her, but whatever it was, I was worried.
"April, would you tell me what's going on? Why aren't you down here on your so-called vacation with Riley."
"You do not get to ask questions and expect answers."
I growled. "Seeing as I'm the one looking after Riley now, I have a right to know what's going on!"
"Oh please, you think you being in her life for a total of a week makes you some big shot that gets to know everything? It doesn't! You weren't there. I've been the one with her."
I took a deep breath, knowing this was April being overprotective. The girls had always been like two peas in a pod. They had been close growing up, and it hadn't changed as they grew older. They were still close.
"You're right. You know her better than I do. Which is why I'm asking why you aren't here."
"Butt out of my business. You haven't been around for years, so you don't deserve to know."
I ground my teeth together. I understand that April had to work through her emotions and that only time would help her heal, but I was tired of being told I was terrible for leaving. I did it for them.
"You wanna be a pain in my ass, fine, go ahead, but Riley doesn't deserve this. You came down here, and you left her here. You abandoned her here, April. How about you think about that for a moment and realize that? You left with around people she doesn't know and someone she hasn't seen in years."
She went quiet for a moment, and I sighed, rubbing at my face. Yelling wasn't going to get us anywhere, and I knew that.
"I'm sorry. I don't want to fight, April. I just want to understand. You have always protected Riley, and for you to just leave her tells me you have a lot going on, and I want to help."
"You can't help, Cayden. And it's not that I wouldn’t accept help, because I would, but you can't. This is my mess, and I have to clean it up." She sighed. "And I left her there because I knew you would watch after her. At least the old one you would have."
It hurt to hear. "Of course I am, April. You know that."
"Do I? Because we haven't exactly seen each other in eight years, much less spoken to each other in that time frame."
I understood her point and frowned. "I know. Let me try here, April. I want to understand."
"I'll be back eventually. Just watch after her."
I turned, looking outside the window, and swallowed. "She needs you. I'm glad you trusted me to watch after her, but she needs you. You both are clearly going through a lot, and I'm trying to respect that, but I can't help either of you when I don't know what's going on. And if you aren't going to tell me, you should be down here helping her through it."
April fell silent for a moment before she spoke. "I know. And I will be back just later than I thought."
I rubbed my eyes, feeling we were going in circles. "Tell me you're at least safe."
"I'm safe, Cayden. It's nothing like that."
It gave me a little relief. I kept picturing April being pushed around and hurt. I didn't know how our parents would react to someone physically hurting April.
"When do you think you'll be back?"
"After the new year. I was hoping to get down before, but I don't know if that's going to happen. I was hoping by Christmas, but that's up in the air."
I nodded, taking her words in. "Okay, you'll keep me posted?"
"Yes, I'll keep you posted."
"Good." I turned, rubbing my jaw. "And if you need anything, let me go. I mean it. If I need to come down and handle something, I will."
"Says the man that hasn't set foot down here in eight years."
"And I would for you if I had to," I said. "I know you're mad that I haven't, but my being there would just anger people, and when you were graduating and getting married, I didn't want it ruined. I wanted you happy, and my being away would let that happen. I'm not saying it excuses me missing out, but...I wanted you to have what you deserved, and I didn't want those special days ruined."
"I know. It isn't like mom and dad weren't vocal about their thoughts about you."
I scowled. I didn't want to imagine what they were saying about me—their shunned son.
"I'm sorry. I really am. I wished I was around more, but they wouldn't allow me to go back in. It would have been a shit show."
"You may have made the decision thinking it was good, but you left me with them. You left me defenseless."
"April, I…" I didn't know what to say. What could I say? I wasn't there, and I didn't know what happened. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on? If things were bad, you should have told me."
"Because you left."
"That doesn't mean I stopped caring. April, you're my little sister, and I love you. I only want what's best for you."
"That's not what they said."
I suddenly got angry. What the hell had our parents told her? What had they said about me? "What did they tell you?"
"They said you decided you were better than everyone else and left. That you didn't care what happened to me, the house or the pack. So suddenly, everything was about me and making sure I was perfect. I had to have the perfect relationship and the perfect job. And god forbid I don't hassle things along and have those perfect babies."
She sighed. "I get why you left."
She had yet to say those, and I honestly didn't know if I'd ever heard them. I was shocked.
"I'm still not happy, but I get it."
"How can I help?"
"You can help by watching after my best friend. Do that for me."