Chapter Ten #2
The knock on the door startled her. Gads, they were fast.
She’d yell down, but she had no voice left. She texted and told them to come in.
She heard Jake climb the stairs two at a time. Daniel plodded behind. He was always slower.
Jake came to the doorway as she collapsed back on the bed. “You don’t look like you’re going anywhere.”
“I have to,” she rasped. “Mrs. Heigl was right.”
Jake came to the bed and stood over her. Daniel appeared in the doorway. “I told you if one of us confesses, they’re going to figure out it was all three of us pretty dang quick.”
“I won’t tell.”
Jake sighed. “Doesn’t matter. Mia’s right. Besides, she can’t get to the police station by herself.”
“Don’t have to. I can call and ask Sergeant Applegate to come over and he will. I broke trust. Looking him in the eye and telling the truth is the least of what I should do.”
“Great,” Dan muttered. “What about us?”
“If you want nothing to do with it, leave. Maybe you can dodge it all.”
“Doubtful.” He sighed, pushing back his black jacket and propping his hands on his hips. “My dad’s out of town, but telling my grandpa will be worse than telling the cops.”
Jake glared at him. “My mom is one of this town’s best lawyers.
Even so, it’s not going to be easy for me either.
I have to look my brother in the face, too.
He’ll find out before my mom does, and I don’t want to see the disappointment in his eyes.
I guess we all should have thought the consequences through.
But I still don’t think what we did was wrong.
Yes, we stole. But we brought this town back in line with the Christmas values they’ve supposedly had for years.
Although, I only moved here last year. What do I know? ”
Mia lay inert on her bed, miserable and sad. “I was sure this would make me feel better, but it didn’t. My mom is used to me being in trouble, so I figured it was no big deal. But it was, and I got you both in trouble, too. I’m sorry.” A tear slipped down her cheek.
Jake sat on the bed next to her and rubbed her arm. “Don’t. We’re all old enough to make decisions, and this one made sense. I’m not going to claim I get all the nuances of this town, but the decorating war was ridiculous.”
Dan sat on the bed on Mia’s other side. “So we go in and say sorry, not sorry? Wow, that’s a fast way to jail.”
“No, we say we’re sorry for violating their trust. We were right in shaking things up to make it stop, but we didn’t mean to hurt anybody.”
“Most of all ourselves,” Dan groused.
Jake snorted. “We could hire my mom.”
Mia struggled to sit. Jake helped her. “Let’s go confess and see what happens. I don’t feel so hot, and if we don’t go now, I won’t be able to.”
“You should stay in bed and let Dan and I confess.” Jake put an arm around her, and she sagged against him.
“No, we all go or none of us do.” Dan stood again, antsy to get moving. “Let’s get it over with. If I’m going to get grounded, I have a book I want to read, and I want to do it comfortable in my room, not in a jail cell.”
“You’ll have to help me.” She glanced from one to the other.
Jake tightened his hold. “I have you. Let’s go. Where’s your coat?”
“In the closet by the front door.”
“I’ll get it.” Dan skipped down the stairs, and Jake balanced her at his side and took measured steps to the stairs.
Her lungs hurts, her energy was gone, and she was without her signature pink. The boys hadn’t even noticed. Maybe this would be the beginning point of a more thoughtful, discreet, and smart Mia. Mrs. Heigl might be the one to emulate.
Halfway to the bottom and the only thing keeping her upright was being close to Jake. Dan waited at the bottom, holding her coat.
She should have considered the fallout for them both.
She should have cared more and been more mindful of her friends.
They were the only two she had. Considering she’d lived here all her life, she should have more, but her accelerated coursework always screwed her in the long run.
No one wanted to be friends with the girl with a demanding brain.
Her phone in her pocket buzzed, but she ignored it.
Friendships mattered. Hopefully, after confessing, they still had each other. Because some friendships should last a lifetime.
&&&&&&&&&&
Summer worked her way through the festive crowd. Several groups were plotting gifts for the nursing home, food deliveries in the canyon, and a rotating babysitting schedule to help families with gaps in their childcare while school was out. This was what community should be about.
While Christmas accented the food, the music, and the decorations, the season was about giving. She watched a group of teenagers dance to the current song, then made her way to Mrs. Heigl and her mother-in-law.
Helen slipped her arm around Summer’s shoulder. “There you are. Tom said you were still here. Gathering ideas?”
She leaned into the offered affection. “Enjoying the moment, too.”
“We’re about to give Lucille a ride home. Would you like one?”
She looked around. “We who?”
Helen laughed. “Bill took one turn around the park and said nope. He was ready for quiet at home. He went for the truck.”
“Then, yes. I’d love a ride home.” She looped arms with both Helen and Mrs. Heigl, guiding them out of the park to the curb.
Bill pulled his new four-door black truck to a stop in front of them and rolled down the window. “Just my luck. Three lovely ladies.”
Helen opened the back door. “Summer get in the front with Bill. I’ll sit in back with Lucille.”
Summer climbed in. “Hi, Dad.” So Bill was Dad now? She eyed his face for a reaction.
Bill didn’t even blink. “Hi, sweetheart. Enjoy the party?”
“True Echo Falls. Reminded me of your anniversary celebration. Getting painting ideas, so it was work, too.” Bill had embraced her from the very beginning, so it was no surprise he went with the change. Having his love and support was irreplaceable.
Helen cleared her throat. “Summer, I have three strong contenders for mural areas, but I want you to look at them. One of them, the wall texture might interfere. When would you like to go?”
“Oh, lovely. I’d like to go, too.” Lucille’s face flushed with pleasure.
“I wouldn’t mind watching the entire process either.” Bill turned away from traffic to get to the street he needed.
She suddenly had a committee to help make the decision. “Sounds like fun. I’m about to begin a remodel on my art studio, so it’ll be nice to have the mural location finalized. I’ll have a place to keep painting.”
“And when was a remodel on the table?” Bill turned again, taking another side street. The man was a master at avoiding Echo Falls choke points.
“Tom’s idea originally. Penny Gutherie was over today, and we refined what we want, so I imagine it’ll quickly go into construction.”
Lucille gave a small clap. “Why that’s marvelous, dear. Your grandparents would be thrilled you could use their space. They were so happy when you came to live with them and were safe in their space. Even after your grandmother died, Walter talked many times about protecting you.”
Summer tucked the small memory away to think about later. She paused. She always did that. Waited. Not anymore. “Could we meet at Clem’s in the morning and talk about my grandparents? Shoot, wait. I moved my morning breakfast with Gage Caldwell to tomorrow.”
“Oh, dear, two of my favorite people. I’d love to join you.” Lucille’s excitement infused her own.
“Sounds like a date. Ten?”
Helen slipped a hand through the seat and patted her shoulder. “Me, too?”
“Me, three?” Bill chimed in.
Summer three up her hands. “Sure. Why not.”
Helen loosened her coat. “We could squeeze in viewing the three sites after breakfast. Like eleven? It’ll give you time to consider which one you want before Penny tears apart your studio.”
“I’d like that. I’ll think about the project anyway. Might as well do it with dimensions and space options.”
“Our garage will always be available for you to store things in if you need to,” Bill added. He made the final turn and stopped in front of Mrs. Heigl’s house. Getting out, he opened her door.
Mrs. Heigl exited, then leaned back in the car. “I’ll see you at ten, Summer. Thank you for including me.”
She waved at the woman. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
Bill shut the door and walked the teacher to her front door. Helen leaned back in her seat and grinned. “Oh what a day!”
Summer smiled. “Yes, it was. Merry Christmas, Mom.”
Her mother-in-law grinned. “Merry Christmas to you, too, honey.”