43. Chapter Forty-Three
Chapter Forty-Three
Carson
I’m so fucking glad I called Rage and told him what happened to Luna. He came as soon as he could. They had just been here, but he was willing to come again.
I watch them hug, and when Rage becomes emotional, my dad and I step out to give them some privacy.
Luna made a big discovery tonight.
I’m glad. Even if some of that was hard for her to face. I hope she can build a relationship with Rage, because she needs her brother as much as I need mine.
The rest of us go ahead and get started with the movie. And much to my dad’s chagrin, the girls choose Frozen.
“I’ll admit that it was a good movie the first time I saw it, but it doesn’t have the same appeal a hundred times later.”
My mom playfully bats him in the stomach. “Stop.”
About fifteen minutes into the movie, Rage and Luna join us. She lowers herself beside me on the couch, and I pull her in close, wrapping my arms around her. “I’ve missed you,” I whisper into her ear.
“I’ve missed you too,” she whispers back.
“Um, hello, we’re watching a movie here. No talking.” My brother is lying on his stomach between the girls with his knees bent and feet up, just like them.
I toss the pillow behind me at his head.
It knocks the popcorn bowl over and a whole series of calamities takes place.
It ends with Cole and me getting scolded by Dad, the girls getting a fresh bowl of popcorn plus an extra bag of M I stay.”
“Mom’s loving it, having you all home. It’s just what she needed.”
“And Luna too.”
“And Luna too. You boys did good.” He turns and looks at me in the dark. “When she goes home, and she will, you’ll continue the habits I’ve started with her. Make sure she has something to drink beside the bed, check the locks, and never, never go to bed without kissing her good night.”
“Do you do this for Mom too?”
“It’s a small thing to do for the woman you love.”
“Okay, Dad, I’ll do it.”
He guffaws. “For once, you listen.” He stands and pats me on the back.
“Well, I figure you’ve kept Mom all these years.”
“How do you know I’m not just lucky?” he asks before walking into the house. His rich chuckle follows him inside.
I sit back and look toward the path. Even though I knew it would haunt me, I watched the footage of that night from the home security cameras.
Luna running toward my dad. The way he pulled his gun and pushed her toward the house. The scared way she looked back at him before disappearing inside.
The calm way my dad shot Tim in the leg, barely avoiding a bullet himself.
Then Dirk and Raffe flying into the driveway, the way they ran inside the house. And then Jesse. Doc.
My dad’s friends kicking and shoving Tim into Raffe’s truck.
It was a series of events I’ll relive over and over in my mind even though I wasn’t there to witness it myself.
I’ve been beating myself up for leaving her alone, but I didn’t. I left her with my family.
My family by blood, and the one by choice.