Chapter 15 - Vanna
FIFTEEN
VANNA
I wake the next morning to find Stone’s side of the bed empty. A little relieved, I stretch and then make my way to the bathroom in peace.
As I’m stripping out of my clothes to shower, a glint catches in the corner of my eye, and I find the ring still on my finger. It glitters under the ceiling lights and though it’s gorgeous, it’s also a symbol of the biggest lie I’ve ever told.
Jace and Daphne are still sleeping by the time I finish getting ready, but the scent of coffee lures me into the kitchen despite the eerie silence that hangs heavy in the house.
As I pour myself a cup, I peer into the living room to see if I can spot Stone.
It isn’t until I pass by the sliding glass doors to the backyard that I find him.
He’s sitting on the edge of the patio next to his mother, cradling her into his side.
Tucked between two of his fingers that he dangles over her shoulder, is a blunt and in the other hand is his coffee.
At the sound of the door opening, they both turn to look at me.
“Good morning, honey.” Mrs. Belmont smiles through the tears escaping her eyes.
“Morning.” I breathe, unsure if it truly is a good one yet. “Are you okay?”
Hesitantly, I saunter over in my socks and take her other side. Slowly, I wrap my arms around her, allowing her to find comfort I rarely offer to anyone else.
She sniffles into my shoulder and nods. “This day will always be hard for me.”
“I’m so sorry.” I whisper.
With a deep breath, she straightens herself in my hold and brushes the tears from her eyes.
“The time for mourning is over. Now, there’s much to do before we celebrate. Don’t be too long because we’re going to leave in an hour or so, you know how traffic can be.”
Stone nods, taking a drag on his joint as his mother shuffles back into the house.
“Where are we going?” I finally ask him.
“To Ella’s favorite spot in the whole world.”
I raise a brow in question.
“Capitol State Park. She loved the forest, loved hiking and being grounded.”
“Will you tell me about her?”
Stone looks off into the distance as he contemplates my request. It’s a long moment before he says anything again.
He flicks the growing ash from his joint and brings his gaze back to mine. He looks distraught. Perhaps he didn’t sleep well. His blond hair is a mess, like the ocean waves captured at their highest peak, and the blue in his eyes are glossy from the weed, or maybe a shed tear or two.
“Ella and I were close. Being seven years apart, I practically raised her. She was my baby sister. Always wanting to tag along everywhere I went, and I let her. I figured if I could distract her from my parents' divorce, it wouldn’t affect her the way it was affecting me. It worked... for a while, but as I got older and started hanging out with a crowd I wouldn’t want her caught dead in, I left her home.
She was still so young, barely in high school while I was blacking out and getting high.
It wasn’t the right environment for her.
“By this time, my mom had moved Ella and herself to a small apartment. That’s when I started getting calls from my mom about Ella’s behavior.
She was acting differently. One week she would be fine.
Hanging out with friends, laughing, joking around.
Then, the next she would hole up in her room.
Wouldn’t come out for days. She would refuse to eat, shower, live.
“That’s when I decided I needed to be more present. I thought that she was depressed from having her father walk out on her and then her brother, just one after the other. So, every weekend, I would pick her up and we would go camping together. Just me, her, and nature.
“It seemed to work. She loved being outdoors and spending time together again. Slowly, her mood lightened, and she looked like she was enjoying life again. We grew even closer after that. All the late-night talks under the stars, sharing secrets hidden beneath the sound of thunder.
“What’s funny is, I thought I was helping her, but I didn’t realize until much later that she was helping me too.”
Pinching my lips, I nod. Mental illness is never easy to navigate, and I know that firsthand.
He takes another drag of the joint before continuing, “Then College came and she started seeing this kid, Jacob. I figured it was a good thing for her to hang out with people her own age that weren’t her brother. One missed weekend turned into six, but she was in love - so she always said.
“One day, her boyfriend was on his way to see her and at the corner of our neighborhood, he was T-Boned turning in. He didn’t make it. The entire neighborhood heard the collision and of course had to check it out, including her.
“She wasn’t the same after that, and no amount of weekend camping trips would change that this time.
“She tried. After that, she tried so hard to keep pushing on, but maybe a month later she went missing. My mom called me in a panic, said she hadn’t been home for two days. I had a feeling I knew where she might have gone to escape to.”
My fingers inch towards Stone’s thigh, quelling the incessant bouncing as he recounts the last days with his sister.
He swallows thickly, his Adam’s Apple bobbing in his throat.
There’s a look of agony wearing his face and I almost tell him to stop, but I can see that he needs to say these next words out loud.
“I pulled up to the forest parking lot and saw her car. I searched for hours before I found her. There she was; wrists bloody, body pale, slumped against a tree. I don’t know how long she had been there, but I know I was too late. Everything after was a blur.”
“Fuck, Stone.”
I didn’t know what else to say. Instead, I just crawl into his lap and wrap my arms around him. He doesn’t hesitate as he nuzzles his face into my neck and allows me to console him. We’re quiet for a few minutes as we sit like this.
“You remind me of her a little. Ella.”
“How so?”
He pulls back to look at me. “You’re eyes. When I look into them, they remind me of the forest. Of her favorite place in the world.”
There’s an intensity in the way he studies my gaze like he’s looking for something hidden deep inside of them. The act feels too intimate for us, so I climb off his lap and pull him to his feet.
“We better get going.” I sigh.
He follows me into the house and waiting for us are Jace and Daphne. They toss each other a look then continue making breakfast.
“What?” I ask.
“Nothing.” Daphne shakes her head.
She sets six plates out and starts buttering some toast.
“For being fake engaged, you two act like it’s real.” Jace grumbles to himself.
“Isn’t that the point?” Stone challenges.
We take a seat at the kitchen island, watching them work together. It’s sweet in a way that you would watch a newly couple during a date night. He fixes the eggs while she works around him to gather everything else.
“Sure, but what were you trying to prove just now outside?” Daphne shrugs.
“She’s got a point.” Stone elbows me.
I roll my eyes at them. “I hate when you all gang up on me. Look, I was giving him a hug, and I think of all days, it’s warranted. Is it not?”
“That was... quite the hug.” Jace wriggles his brows at us.
I give up on trying to argue against this. Slumping onto the counter, I bury my head in my arms.
“Not feeling well, hon?” Mrs. Belmont’s voice calls out from the kitchen entryway.
Snapping up, I shake my head. “No, I’m fine.”
She eyes me wearily, then Daphne as if trying to piece something together. Suddenly, I feel nervous. I don’t know how long she was standing there and if she heard anything we were just saying, then we would be so screwed.
I expect her to call us out, but instead she just rubs her hand along my back.
“If you’re not up to the hike today, there’s no pressure.”
“Seriously, I’m good. I’m not going to miss this hike. Looking forward to it, actually.” I smile at her reassuringly.
There’s still a look of skepticism on her face.
“You’re not nauseous, are you? Dizzy?” Then whispers, “Late period?”
My face pales. “No, no, no. Period is perfectly on time.”
There’s a maniacal chuckle that escapes me when all eyes find their way to mine. My skin feels like it’s been set on fire, a flush surely working its way along my face and neck.
“Mom!” Stone laughs, his blue eyes wide. “Leave Vanna alone.”
“What?” She feigns innocence. “Can’t blame me for a little wishful thinking. I figured maybe you saved the best news for the worst day?”
She says it like a question that still needs answering. Though, I’ve made it very clear that I am not pregnant.
Jace hands her a full plate and then her husband joins us. He places a hand on her shoulder, kisses her cheek, and shakes his head.
“Suzy, my dear. You are a little too imaginative. These kids just got engaged.” He winks at Stone, and we all sit down at the table with our food.
“Darrin’s right, mom. One step at a time.”
This entire conversation makes me want to crawl into a hole and disappear forever. I’m mortified with embarrassment. My best friend can’t look at me and now her boyfriend, whom I tolerate, is judging me.
“But not too much longer, right?” She asks.
That’s when the toast in my mouth decides to get stuck in my throat. I cough, the dry crumbs scraping their way down into my windpipe. I grab my coffee and take a few gulps while Stone rubs my back, soothingly.
“Not if I can help it.” He tells her and that about ends me.
Mrs. Belmont squeals in both delight and disgust. Expressing every thought now flipping through her head.
“Well, won’t that be something? Our kids can grow up together after all.” Jace nudges Stone mockingly.
Daphne just shakes her head and focuses on her breakfast. Except, now I’ve lost my appetite.
“Excuse me.” I breathe, pushing my chair from the table, and stumbling my way to the bathroom.
I’m spiraling. This lie is getting so out of hand and Stone has done nothing but make it worse.
How are we going to go from engaged and family planning to absolutely nothing in a matter of one more day?
We leave tomorrow and there’s not a chance in hell I’m going to entertain this any longer than I have to.
To top it all off, my phone buzzes. Pulling it out, I see Hunter’s name across the screen.
Hunter:
I need to see you, Vanna. Don’t say no.
With everything happening now and my head in a tizzy, I shove my phone back in my pocket without a response.