Chapter 7
seven
It was a long-standing Novak sibling tradition to go to the local diner, Fifty-Fifty, after any sports event. We didn’t always end up with all four of us here, but we tried to all match up schedules at least once a month for these dinners, and tonight, we were successful.
The neon sign outside buzzed faintly as we pushed through the door into the classic-themed diner.
Even though it was a Monday night, the place was packed.
Less people than after a soccer or football game, when all the jocks and cheerleaders came here to hang out, but still enough that I wasn’t sure if we’d have to wait a bit for a booth.
Luckily, I was proven wrong as we were seated within minutes.
“I’m just saying, volleyball is way more fun to watch than soccer,” Ainsley continued on.
Sebastian balled up a napkin and tossed it at Ainsley. It bounced gently off her cheek, landing on the table in front of her. “That’s absolutely not true. Ask Nora. I bet she’ll agree with me.”
“My friend agree with you over me? I highly doubt it.”
“My girlfriend agreeing with you? I highly doubt it.”
“I have to agree with Ainsley,” I added, dunking a fry in ketchup.
“Of course you do. You’re twins. It’s like an unspoken law,” Sebastian said.
Ainsley and I looked at each other, shrugged simultaneously, and burst into laughter. Lavender just smiled as she took a sip of her milkshake.
It felt good, being here like this. All four of us together, just goofing off, talking trash, laughing. After everything that had happened over the past few months, it felt like maybe we were finally starting to bounce back.
I stole a glance at Sebastian, who was juggling a fry between his fingers like a pro.
Then at Lavender, mid-laugh, hair falling into her face.
And at Ainsley, smirking with that smug little grin she always got when she won an argument.
I wished, just for a second, that things could be exactly like they were before, with Mum and Dad still here together. That the house could be whole again.
The pain in my chest only burned for a second before I drew in a breath, forcing it away. This is why I was secretly visiting dad—to bring us all back together again. The house could be whole again, I knew it. I just needed to remind dad of that too.
As if on cue, my phone buzzed and lit up, flashing with a call on the screen.
I immediately snatched it off the table, my heart pounding as if the number across the screen would be incriminating if my siblings saw it.
Although I immediately recognized the number as Dad’s, none of them would.
Mum had kicked him off the family plan weeks ago, forcing him to get a new number that none of them knew.
It was unusual for him to call me, since he normally preferred to text, so my heart immediately went into overdrive, assuming the worst. What if he’d gotten into a car accident? Or somehow Mum found out I’d been visiting him and he was calling to warn me?
I needed to answer, but to do that, I also had to think fast. It wasn’t like I could tell them who it really was.
“Uh… guys, hold on a sec,” I said. “My friend from student council is calling me. Might be important. I’ll be right back.”
Before anyone could ask questions, I was out of the booth, weaving between tables, trying to look casual as I almost jogged toward the door. I slipped outside, trying to look casual while the cold November air hit my face.
I swiped the button to answer and held the phone up to my ear. “Hello?”
“Hi, Imogen!” The voice was sugary and annoyingly cheerful, like a cartoon character who had swallowed a bag of sugar. Immediately, my stomach sank. “It’s Hilary! I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time!”
I froze for a second, fumbling with my words. If Hilary was calling me, then something could be really wrong. Like my-dad-is-dead wrong. “Uh… no, I—”
“Oh good!” she chirped. “I just wanted to pass on a message from your dad!”
I frowned, a little heat rising in my chest. “Pass on a… why couldn’t he just text me?”
She laughed, high-pitched and airy, like bells tinkling. “Oh, your dad is so busy, honey. And his mind is all over the place—he’d forget his head if it wasn’t screwed on!”
“So… what’s the message?” I asked, trying to sound patient.
“Oh, Imogen! You are so lucky!” she gushed, the syrupy sweetness practically pouring through the line. “Your dad has a little surprise for you tomorrow! Isn’t that just wonderful?”
I rubbed a hand over my eyes, already frustrated by this call. “Uh… okay.”
“I’ll text you the details of where to meet him after school tomorrow, okay?
It’ll be near where he usually picks you up.
He’s got a lot of meetings going on, so you’re lucky he can manage this.
” She laughed, but I didn’t laugh with her.
“But you know how important you are to him. He is just such a good father.”
I bit the inside of my cheek, glaring at the sidewalk as if it were somehow in on her ridiculous energy.
Sweet. Sugar-coated. Smothering. Annoying as hell.
I could practically picture her fluttering around, pinching her nose at his work shirts, reminding him to comb his hair, counting his coffee cups…
all while mooching off him and acting like she’s the reason he’s alive.
“Yeah,” I said, my voice flat. “I’ll be there.”
“Wonderful!” she trilled. “I can’t wait for you to see him! Oh, you’re going to be so surprised!”
Click. She hung up without a goodbye. I shoved the phone into my pocket, my stomach twisting.
I leaned against the brick wall, taking a few deep breaths to calm down, like I had to do every time I talked to Hilary.
Just a few more weeks, I reminded myself.
A few more weeks then I was sure that I could convince my dad to dump her and go back to Mum.
I gave myself another minute to calm down, then forced myself to walk back into the diner, sit with my siblings, and pretend like I wasn’t just chatting on the phone with our father’s mistress.