Chapter 16
SERANA
“I’m glad you’re back, Serana. And Moe, it’s good to see that you survived your time at my cousin’s house,” Garvey said as he poured himself a mug of coffee at the bar we’d installed at the back of the meeting room.
“Neither of you looks any worse for wear, considering that you scared the shit out of us and we thought you were going to die.”
“Hallelujah! That was nightmare-inducing,” Fiona groaned. “I know it only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like a lifetime when it was happening.”
“Yeah, everything felt like it was in slow motion to me. Why do our brains do that?”
“Obviously to extend the trauma. That was the most disturbing five seconds I’ve ever experienced, and I’ve been through some shit,” Moe admitted.
“Spending a weekend at Bird and Summer’s probably ranks right up there,” Garvey said with a grin as he sat down in his usual chair.
“I understand that Serana had an adventure at Uncle Kale’s too.
I was sure that one or both of you might need an extra meeting just to talk yourself down after those adventures, so I brought some extra snacks for us to eat while you talk us through how you’re feeling now. ”
“You act like they were in the trenches, fighting for their lives,” Taylor chided.
“At any given moment, there were no less than thirty people in that house,” Moe complained. “I woke up to pee before dawn one morning and heard people talking downstairs. They never sleep, they’re always in large groups, and they are . . . I miss them!”
Garvey burst out laughing. “That’s not what I expected at all!”
“I figured she’d be twitching in a corner by now since she’s had to deal with people for more than three hours in one week,” Shivon teased. “You know how Moe gets when polite conversation is involved.”
“They had a family day this past Sunday. Everyone showed up at the crack of dawn, hung out all day, napped wherever they dropped, ate more than anyone should, laughed more than I thought anyone could, got into squabbles and skirmishes with their siblings, told jokes about poop, and insulted each other’s mom right in front of her. It was fantastic.”
“Mine wasn’t quite that crazy, but I did eat way too much and then watched a little boy shoot his grandfather with a slingshot before I helped Roscoe remove the rock from the man’s butt cheek, clean the wound, and then give him four stitches while he laid on the dining room table under the watchful eye of his terrifying wife. ”
“Holy shit,” Taylor whispered in shock.
“I’m not sure what part is more upsetting: that the man got shot or that they thought it was perfectly fine to just take care of it in the dining room instead of seeking actual medical attention,” Fiona said in confusion. “Who does that?”
“My family,” Garvey said before he took a sip of his coffee. “None of that seems abnormal to me at all.”
“I think I love them and want to be adopted,” Taylor said cheerfully. “Can you find me a good home? Tell them I’m potty-trained and have no problem doing basic household chores on command.”
“I’ll put the word out,” Garvey said with a grin.
“I did have a sort of revelation that I’d like to talk about,” I announced. When everyone looked at me expectantly, I said, “I want to figure out how to get in touch with my parents - or at least my mom.”
“Oh, thank God!” Taylor said dramatically as she threw her hands up. “Holding onto this information and not saying anything to you has been eating my soul!”
“That’s a good way to get rid of something - starve it to death,” Moe muttered.
“Shut it!” Taylor ordered as she stared daggers at her. “What do you want to know? I’ve got all the deets.”
“All of them?”
“I’ve been stalking your entire family for weeks now. It’s become my obsession. Ask me anything.”
“Does my mom still like to bake?”
Taylor nodded eagerly before she informed me, “She got a red KitchenAid stand mixer for Christmas last year.”
“How are my brothers and sisters?”
Taylor’s excitement waned, and her smile vanished.
“Your sister is still locked up and will be for a while. Manny got out and then went right back in.” Taylor smiled again when she said, “However, Berto got an early release and has been on the same track as you for two years now. He seems to be doing great.”
“Really?” I asked, my voice choked with emotion.
“Next year, he’s getting married to a woman he met at church.”
“I bet my mom is so happy!” I said as tears coursed down my cheeks.
“She’d be happier if she knew how you were doing,” Taylor said as she reached across the table and took my hands in hers. “I’m really glad you’re going to do this, Serana.”
“So am I,” Fiona admitted.
“Farrah was our relationship test subject, and I think you’re going to become our family reconnection one,” Shivon explained. “Maybe when we’re ready, we can all start to rebuild relationships that our addiction derailed.”
“Maybe we can,” Taylor whispered before she sniffed and blinked back tears.
“Speaking of derailment, let’s get this meeting started. I think we could all use some structure right now while emotions are high.”
“You cut off all contact with your family, too, right?” I asked.
When Garvey nodded, I pressed further. “What was it like to see them again?”
He looked at the table and was quiet for a beat before he answered. “It was like finally being able to breathe again after holding my breath for years.”
“I want to take a breath.”
“Then let’s get you ready to do that.”
◆◆◆
“Garvey told me that you had a revelation after your weekend with the Forresters.”
I smiled at Emerald before I said, “Apparently, a near-death experience will do that for a person.”
“You think?”
“I’m not completely ready yet,” I admitted. “I’ve made up my mind that I’m going to get in touch with my mom, but I’m not quite sure how or when.”
“Do it on your own time, Serana. You’re the only one who knows what’s on your mind and in your heart. Don’t let outside pressures influence you into doing something you can’t handle yet.”
“I won’t.” I glanced out the window and saw Taylor, Moe, and Shivon laughing about something before I asked, “How is Harley doing?”
Emerald didn’t answer my question. Instead, she said, “I was very proud of you that day when I overheard what you were saying to him. It made me realize just how far you’ve come.”
“I’ve grown. But that could have something to do with the irony I found in getting hit by a car driven by someone who was as fucked up as I was when I got behind the wheel and almost killed someone.”
“Have you given any more thought to driving again?”
“I’ve decided that I want to try.”
“You’ve driven twice since your release, right?”
“Just here on the property, but yes.”
“And how did that make you feel?”
“Nervous and terrified.”
“How can we work through that to help you get comfortable again? Is that something you feel like you’re ready for?”
“I am.”
“Let’s discuss it and figure out a way to get you behind the wheel with the least amount of stress.”
“Are you willing to ride with me?”
Dr. Hamilton broke into a fit of laughter before she declared, “There’s not a chance in hell, Serana. Not a single one.”
◆◆◆
ROSCOE
I smiled when I realized Serana had gone back to the garage. When I peeked around the corner, she was sitting in Papa’s car with the door open and both hands on the wheel.
“She’s out there again?” Papa asked as I walked back into the kitchen.
“She is.” I sat down across from Papa and said, “Thank you for volunteering to help her.”
“It’s the least I can do. She’s not only turned you into a smiling and happy man, but she’s working toward preventing your dad from burning our house down.
Besides, I taught all of you how to drive, and I know how stressful that can be in a relationship.
It’s like taking your life into your hands every time you get on the road with a rookie, and sometimes the screaming makes things difficult. ”
“I never screamed,” I scoffed.
“No, I did.”
I giggled recalling my own driving lesson memory. “Yeah. Remember that time on the highway when I learned about the blind spot?”
“And the lesson was in the form of a semi going at least 70 mph? Yes, I remember.” Dad shuddered and pointed at his temple. “I came home and found three more gray hairs that day.”
“You did teach all of us, but I think you should have taken more time with Tati. That girl is a menace on the road.”
“She gets it from your dad. Even after all these years, his driving skills are still a work-in-progress.”
I burst out laughing and glanced over at Dad, who had his earbuds in as he wiped off the counter where he and Serana had just finished step God-only-knows in their quest to make the perfect croissant.
After a long weekend helping Serana recover, we parted ways on Monday evening when I settled her back at home. Following an appointment on Tuesday, where Jewel told her she could ditch the crutches if she felt ready, I took her for a celebratory lunch.
Because babies come on their own timeline, I missed seeing Serana on Wednesday and Thursday. However, I picked her up yesterday for a grocery store run with my dad to get everything he needed for his croissant lesson, which they had been working on for most of the day today.
It had been fun watching Serana with my dad in the kitchen. The two of them played off each other like a comedy team, teasing me and Papa about a myriad of things - including how they didn’t plan to share their baked goods since we weren’t lifting a finger to help.
I was surprised when Serana brought up the subject of driving, and even more so when she asked Papa to help her get back behind the wheel.
He eagerly volunteered, which didn’t shock me - even though teaching my siblings and me had caused him significant stress and occasional bouts of terror-filled trauma.
Serana fit so seamlessly into our family that it was hard to remember a time when she wasn’t part of our get-togethers, from impromptu dinners at Holly and Damien’s to a quick bite at a restaurant with Noble while he was on shift.
She had even sat with Cruz and let him interview her for his psychology class before volunteering to help Tati with a project she was working on at her house.
My entire family loved Serana, but not nearly as much as I did.
It didn’t matter that we’d never been intimate; if anything, that made what we had even sweeter.
I was dying to strip her clothes off and spend days in bed exploring her body, but the fact that I didn’t have that option made me focus on the things that were truly important.
I felt like I knew Serana in a way I never would have if we’d already started sleeping together.
Now, instead of ripping each other's clothes off the second we were alone, we had conversations. Instead of simply falling asleep with her beside me, I woke up eager to talk to her again and ask her how she’d slept.
Rather than kissing her senseless the second we were reunited, we focused on what we’d experienced that day or what had happened since we’d last been together.
It was refreshing in a way that surprised me. I made a vow that even after we progressed from friendship to dating, we would keep these habits of communication.
I wondered if that would change once she got her driver’s license and bought the car she’d been saving for. I realized I would find that out sooner rather than later when she appeared in the doorway with a determined expression on her face.
“I’m ready!” Serana announced.
Papa smiled at her. “Good! I’m free on Tuesday evening, if you . . .”
Serana interrupted Papa with a shake of her head. “I’m afraid that if I don’t do it now, I never will.”
Papa stood up and smiled at her before he said, “Then let’s go!”
◆◆◆
When I pulled up in front of Serana’s, I got out and walked around the truck. She’d probably heard me drive up, so I knew it wouldn’t take long for her to appear.
This neighborhood wasn’t open to the public, but as the gynecologist on staff, I had been given the code to the private gate behind the office building.
Since the accident a few weeks ago, I had been using it to drop Serana off right at her front door.
Before she’d gotten injured, she used to meet me in the office parking lot, just a short walk from her house, but now I preferred the convenience of her narrow street.
I was opening the passenger door when Serana appeared on the porch and called out a greeting. By the time she reached the sidewalk, I had already climbed into the passenger seat.
“What are you doing?”
“Giving you some more practice before you take your test this week.”
“What?”
“Dad said you should practice until you’re comfortable, and that starts today.”
“I don’t have a license, Roscoe!”
“And you can’t get one until you’re ready - and you won’t be ready until you’re comfortable behind the wheel. You can’t do that unless you start driving.”
“What if I get pulled over?”
“Were you worried about that when you were driving Papa around yesterday?”
“Well, yeah,” she admitted, “but he’s an attorney. I figured if I did get pulled over, he’d take care of things.”
“What am I? Chopped liver?”
“If I get pulled over, what are you going to do? Offer to deliver their firstborn?”
“No, I’ll go to traffic court with you and explain that I’m a doctor who needed someone to drive me to an emergency.”
“You’d be willing to lie to a judge?”
“It’s not a lie. If we don’t get to my parents’ house, Dad will start this croissant process by himself, and we know how well that’s worked out in the past.”
“Roscoe!”
I mimicked her tone of voice when I said, “Serana!”
“You’re being ridiculous! I just don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“Good! Then get in the truck and start driving. Otherwise, Papa will have my head!”
“You’re a stubborn, stubborn man, Roscoe Hamilton!” Serana called out as she hurried around the truck to the driver’s side. When she opened the door, she said, “This is your last chance to change your mind.”
“Why would I?”
“This thing is a tank! I’m not sure the old me would have been comfortable driving this, and I know the new me isn’t prepared for it!”
“It’s not even a big truck. What kind of car did you have?” I asked as she put on her seatbelt. Serana rattled off the make and model, and I pointed out, “This truck has the same wheelbase as that SUV, sweetheart, so this won’t be your first time driving something this size.”
“But the last time I got behind the wheel of something close to this size, I drove it into a house,” Serana said nervously.
“Then it’s a good thing that the drive to my parents is mostly empty country roads, isn’t it?” I asked.
“Well, that and the fact that I’m sober.”
“Also a huge point in your favor.”