Chapter 37 Kai #2
“You mean, from the day she slapped you?”
“Yeah. I don’t want to have anything the same as her.”
I lean into the car and kiss her tear-stained cheek. “It’s not the same. You haven’t gone into a rampage and taken a swing at me.”
She sniffs and her voice is so small when she asks, “Do you really think I’m not like her?”
“I know so. You’re sweet and kind.”
“I can still be mean.”
I brush back her curls as I lean out of the car. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
She hugs herself, nodding, as I close the car door on her.
When I get into the car, I’m about to check Jamie’s text message, but my dashboard entertainment screen lights up with: "Mom Calling." As I pull the car onto the road, I groan and hit answer.
“Yeah?”
“Where are you?” Mom’s voice asks through the car speakers. “Your grandparents will be here soon.”
I didn’t hear: Malakai, so I have time to spare. “Just driving Tabitha home.”
“Oh,” Mom hesitates. “Hello, Tabitha.”
Tabitha shifts uncomfortably, holding herself tight. “Hi, Mrs. Nelson.”
I give her a reassuring smile and pat her thigh.
“Well, you need to hurry up,” Mom’s tone gets snappy again. “We’re about to head out.”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll be there,” I reply dismissively. “Just go and I’ll meet you at the bus station.”
“Malakai, since when do I take orders from you?”
I grit my teeth. Dang it. She full-named me. “Look, I’ll just…”
Tabby places a hand on my forearm and leans forward, staring at the display screen. “Umm, Mrs. Nelson?”
“Yes, Tabitha?”
“Umm, if my, umm… If my dad calls you, can you please ignore it?”
My eyes go circular and my chin drops. What the heck? Why did she just say that?
Mom’s groan vibrates through the speakers. “What did my son do now?”
“Nothing,” Tabitha rushes, her breath unsteady. “That’s the point.”
Mom doesn’t buy it. “Mm-hmm.”
I lift a finger over the end call button and blurt, “Okay, I’ll see you soon, Mom,” and hit the button. “Tabby. What the…”
“I’m getting in front of it,” she says, panting. “My dad blindsided me by calling your mom.” She lifts her hands, one curled around the ring finger of the other. “I can’t exactly hide this from my dad.”
“You can bandage it.”
“I can. I also have nosy brothers who aren’t afraid to throw me under the bus to save their own skins.”
“Speaking of buses,” I say, rubbing the kink behind my neck. “You heard my mom. I gotta get going as soon as I drop you off.”
“Yeah, no biggy. Are you excited to see your grandparents?”
I grin. “Totally.”
She giggles. “That’s adorable.”
I shrug it off. “A guy can have one flaw.”
“Oh, yeah,” she says sarcastically, “and that’s it.”
I reach across and slap her knee. “Hey, watch it.”
She bats my hand away. “You watch it. Watch the road.”
“I got this. I’m a good driver.”
“Prove it,” she taunts. “Get me home in one piece.”
I send her a wink. “Your wish is my command.”
She mumbles a laugh. “So corny.”
I apologize to Tabby five more times before I let her leave my car. My heart is in my stomach as I watch her go inside her house.
Dr. Jones is going to fry me up for breakfast.
I shake it off, putting my foot on the gas, and making it to the bus station in under five minutes. I park next to Mom’s SUV and watch her and Dad exit the car.
Hang on. Wait a minute…
I bust out of my car and gain on them. “Where’s Milo?”
Mom fixes the strap of her handbag against her shoulder. “He’s tutoring Jamie.”
“Again? Man, she spent lunch with the guy, too. What’s up with that?”
“She’s failing classes,” Mom says matter-of-factly. “She’s lucky to have Milo getting her back up to speed.”
“But what about Milo? He’s spent every day this week with Jamie, but has his own schoolwork to do.”
“Milo’s ahead in all his classes. He could do nothing for two weeks and not miss a beat.”
“Ugh, whatever. Besides, I had to rush over here. How come he didn’t?”
“He’ll be home soon. Would you relax?”
“Yeah,” Dad chimes in. “Aren’t you glad your grandparents are here?”
I relent with a sigh. It’s hard not to admit how good it is to have them here again. As we leave the parking lot, we find my grandparents’ coach has already arrived, and the driver is pulling luggage from the underside compartment.
Dad moves ahead, waving and hollering to his parents.
Dad hugs both Grandma and Grandpa, and Mom and I move in behind him.
“Hey, sport,” Grandpa says, tussling my hair.
“Hi, Grandpa.”
Mom moves in and kisses Grandpa’s cheek. “Arthur, hi. How was the trip?”
“Not too bad,” Grandpa replies. “Good driver this time.”
Grandma exhales loudly. “Not like last time. I hope the driver had his license revoked.” She then lights up at the sight of me. “And here’s our new driver. Come here and give me a hug, sweetheart.”
I hug her and Grandpa asks, “Are you driving us home, Kai?”
“Yeah, of course,” I cheer.
“No,” Dad says firmly. “It’s late and Grandma and Grandpa have had a long trip.”
I scoff. “So?”
“So, they don’t need their hearts jumpstarted by your driving skills.”
I throw my arms up at him. “I’m a good driver.”
Mom closes her fingers against her thumb, miming a closing mouth. “Hush.”
I only do because we’re in front of Grandma and Grandpa.
Grandma wraps her arms around me. “I’m sure at some point during our trip we’ll check out your driving skills.” She pulls out of the hug and scans our immediate area. “Where’s my little genius?”
“He’s tutoring Jamie,” Mom replies. “He’ll be home soon.”
I scoff. “What am I, chopped liver?”
Grandma cups her soft hand below my chin. “Oh, Kai, sweetie. No one can ignore your presence.”
Grandpa pats me on the back. “And how’s the soccer season going, champ?”
My grin is effortless. “Haven’t lost a match.”
“Well, the first game ended in a draw,” Dad interjects.
I glare at him. Did we have to bring that up?
Dad notices my irritability and smirks. “And he’s facing that team this weekend.”
Grandpa chuckles. “So there’ll be bloodshed this Saturday.”
Grandma whacks him. “Arthur, please. That’s grotesque.”
Grandpa shrugs it off. “Figure of speech.”
Dad and I carry the luggage to the car, and as he plays Jenga with them in the trunk, I remember there’s a text from Jamie I never checked.
I open the app and my jaw drops.
There are no actual words, just a photo.
It’s a selfie, but Jamie’s not alone. She’s with Milo, which is unsettling enough, but next to them is Thomas Ashworth and his new girlfriend.
Thomas “Ash” Ashworth.
The billionaire’s son.
With my best friend and my twin brother.
And not me.
My fingers furiously type a reply. "What! You’re hanging out with Ash? Without me!! How did this happen?"
As if she’s punishing me because I took two hours to reply, Jamie doesn’t send an answer. I can’t stop thinking about it the entire journey home. Okay, maybe it’s a good idea I didn’t drive my grandparents.
We get home just as Milo enters the front door.
My chest puffs out, needing to confront him about this injustice, but I’m sidelined by grandparents. They attack Milo with hugs and too many questions. It’s okay, I’ll get my chance later.
Once we move the luggage into the guest room, we all take a seat in the downstairs living area. Well, all of us except Grandma. She stands near where Milo and I sit, gaining everyone’s attention.
“Okay, boys,” Grandma says, holding two white envelopes. “We know we usually get you big gifts, but you’re sixteen now, so we opted for something small instead.”
Good thing I’m not still waiting on a new drone.
Grandma hands Milo and me an envelope each, while Grandpa comments he hopes we like it.
Milo and I exchange a look, and then we rip into the folded paper. Inside is a birthday card, and before I can look at the front cover, the card springs open with a wad of fifty-dollar bills spilling out.
“Holy cow.” Milo gasps, having the same rain of money happen to him. “This is a lot.”
“You’ll buy yourselves something nice with it,” Grandma says nonchalantly.
“Mom,” Dad says to Grandma. “This is too much. What were you two thinking?”
“Shhh,“ I hush him, quickly flicking through the bills and realizing I have five-hundred dollars in my hand. “Let the grandparents give.”
“Kai, be grateful,” Mom grizzles.
I bounce off my chair and fling my arms around Grandma. “I am grateful. Thank you so much.”
Grandma pats my back. “That’s quite all right, dear. You spoil yourself with something you really want.”
Milo hugs Grandpa, who says, “Yes. We don’t know what you kids are into anymore. And you’re both so different.”
Milo and I swap grandparents to hug, while Dad still complains that they were being overgenerous.
“We have the money to give away,” Grandma says, swatting a hand. “Why can’t we see our grandkids enjoying it?”
“It’s very sweet,” Mom says. “We’ll make sure they don’t blow it.”
“Let them blow it,” Grandpa says with a chuckle. He pats me on the back, adding, “I hear you’ve got yourself a little girlfriend now.”
Oh, Lord. Could this be any more cringe?
“He’s not spending his birthday money on a girl,” Grandma cuts in.
“He could if he wants her to be even sweeter on him,” Grandpa replies.
Gross. Stop talking about this.
Grandma turns to my brother. “And what about you, Milo? You got a girl you’re keen on, too?”
Milo goes bright red, stumbling backwards as he mumbles something incoherent.
“Okay, I’m out,” I blurt. I give Grandma a quick peck on the cheek and thank her and Grandpa once again, then make my getaway upstairs.
Once I’m in the upstairs living room, I shudder off the mortification. “Eww.”
I look down at the wad of cash in my palm. Hmm. Maybe part of it could go towards Tabby. Maybe a necklace, or a new bracelet?
There are some thuds on the staircase, and then Milo appears on the landing. “Thanks for ditching me back there.”
“Every man for himself, bro.”
Milo mumbles something and walks toward his bedroom.
“Wait,” I say, and he stops short of his bedroom door. “What was with the picture Jamie sent to me?”
“What picture?”