Chapter 25
25
JOBE
What a fucking Christmas Eve.
My sister is walking around like a ghost after having her heart trampled by Brandon. Their relationship came as a surprise to all of us. We all loved the Aussie. He was part of our family. Now he’s fucked off to Chicago, and Franklin signed the contract for the transfer. Business is business. I know it better than most. But when it comes to family, I presumed Franklin would have prevented the deal from going through.
Franklin has barely said a word about it. Maybe he knows more than he’s willing to reveal. We’re on tenterhooks, but it’s nothing compared to how Zara is feeling.
Brandon is alive and scored a great NBA deal. Piper will not get another Christmas with her family, and when I think about that reality, it fills me with gratitude for what I have.
Mom hands out the ghastly sweaters we all pretend to like. I slip it on over my shirt and watch Mom and Charlotte decorate the tree. Byron is on crutches, his injury healing, but he’s lost as much as Charlotte since Brandon was his best friend.
Why the fuck did Brandon want out?
Franklin and Dad have their glasses full of whiskey, and I overhear them discussing business. That’s the last thing on my mind, so I take Summer from Penny’s arms and give my niece a big kiss on the cheek. She squirms, and I place her on the floor, watching as she crawls over to my father, and he sets her on his knee.
“Have you spoken to her?” Penny asks, taking the seat beside me.
I shake my head. “Not since I told her about Piper.” I stare at Penny. “Have you spoken to her?”
“No. We talked after she heard the news, then everything was in text. She’s stopped replying now she’s in Mexico.”
“I’m worried about her.”
“So am I.” Penny gives me an understanding look, and it confirms my concern.
“The day after she gets back, I’m driving down to see her. It won’t be until the afternoon. Then Summer and I will stay the night at Mom and Dad’s, and we’ll drive back to LA the following morning.”
“I think it’s a good idea to check in on her,” I say quietly. Penny and I agreed not to share what happened with the family as there is enough sadness in the room already.
My gut is tight with concern, and I don’t want to wait until Penny can drive to San Diego. I’ll drive down the morning after she returns and speak to Zara first. No one else has to know.
Christmas passes in a blur of decadent food, extravagant gifts, and bad cracker jokes that make some of us pretend to laugh. With the somber mood, it’s all a bit of a waste.
Three days later, I wake up thinking about Zara.
She and her family flew back home last night. I have tried to call every day while she was away. It went straight to her voicemail. I open my cell.
Morning, Zara. I hope you enjoyed the sunshine and spent some valuable time with your family. I’m driving down to San Diego this morning, hoping we can chat. I miss you
Not expecting a reply, I head to my parents’ home. This time of year, breakfast at theirs is a casual walk-in affair as we all try to spend more time together as a family. I find Dad and Franklin at the breakfast table discussing the game that was played on Christmas Day.
“Is that all he said?” Dad asks Franklin.
“Morning,” I greet and take a seat, helping myself to the almond croissants on the table. “What are we discussing?”
“BJ. He told Lottie at the game that it was fate that he was transferred to Chicago, and they’re not meant to be. He changed his cell and his number so she couldn’t contact him. She called him a coward, and then Byron said something about seeing him on the court next year.”
“This all happened at the game on Christmas Day?”
Franklin nods.
“It wasn’t fate, though, was it, since you signed him off.”
Franklin glares at me. “He demanded it. Said he had to go and wouldn’t give a reason. He said our family was holding him back from being his best.”
“The fuck? We’ve given him everything. ”
Franklin agrees. “And now there’s whispers he’ll make the Australian Olympic team. Something Byron will not achieve with setbacks from his injury.”
“It is what it is. There are worse things that can happen.” I eye Franklin to see if Penny has mentioned anything to him. Dad frowns at me as though nothing is worse than his star basketball son with a near career-ending injury.
Franklin gives a subtle nod. “I need to get home and be with Summer and Pen before they drive down to San Diego for the night.”
“You’re not going with them?” Dad asks.
“No, I’m flying to Florida for a couple of nights. Lottie is staying over with Penny.”
“It will help take her mind off a broken heart.”
I also stand. “I’m heading into the office for the day. I’ll see Mom and you later tonight.”
I head out the door, get on the road, and take the freeway heading south of Los Angeles, not in the direction of my office.
For the next two hours, I listen to a podcast on the real estate market to distract my anxious mind. Maps direct me to a small house with vinyl siding and French windows. It has a white picket fence, and a cat is on the porch, curled up, enjoying the morning sun.
I jog up the steps, knocking on the door.
Silence.
Knock. Knock.
Is that footsteps?
The wooden door swings open, and a small woman appears with salt and pepper hair. She has the same brown eyes as Zara. “May I help you? If you’re here to talk about the bible, then we’re not interested. We are Christians and have our own church.”
Stunned, I glance down at my white shirt, black pants, and suit jacket. “No, ma’am, I’m here to see Zara. I hope you all had a lovely Christmas in Mexico.”
She nods slowly, eyeing me from head to toe. “We did, thank you.”
I hold out my hand. “Jobe Hendricks.”
“Oh, you’re the kind young man who offered his apartment for her to stay in.” She takes my hand and leads me inside. “We appreciate what you’ve done for our Zara. Please take a seat. I’m Ruby, and this is my husband, Leroy,” she introduces as a tall man enters through the backdoor with a bag in his hand. He stops moving when he lays eyes on me.
“Leroy, come and meet Jobe Hendricks,” Ruby calls out.
Leroy wipes his hands on his trousers first before shaking my hand. “Good to meet you, son.” They thank me again for helping Zara out, though something tells me they are unaware that I sometimes stay there as well.
“Is Zara here?”
“I’m so sorry,” Ruby begins. “She left an hour ago and didn’t say where she was headed. Have you tried her cell?”
“It goes straight to voicemail.”
“I expect she won’t be long, so you’re welcome to stay.”
“I wanted to check in on her after hearing about her friend, Piper. The two of them were close.”
“It hit her hard for the first few days. She seems more herself now. Going about her day quietly. She really enjoyed her days at the beach. A bit of sunshine cures everything.”
Her mother should remove her rose-colored glasses.
I stay and listen to their stories about the trip to Mexico and an hour later, I decide to leave. If Zara read my message, then she knew I was coming. I have a sinking suspicion she isn’t home because I’m here.
“Thank you for the water. Please tell Zara I came by to see her. ”
The moment I’m in my car, I call Penny.
“Jobe. I’m almost at my parents’ house.”
“I decided to come and see Zara first.” I veer the car into the street and set the map toward the freeway.
“Oh. How is she?”
“She’s not here. I sent her a text to let her know I was coming to see her.” Silence. “She didn’t tell her parents where she was going.”
“Right,” she says softly.
“I’m worried about her, Pen.”
“I think I know where she might be. I’ll leave Summer with Mom and see if I can find her.”
My stomach twists, knowing she is in pain. “Please call me as soon as you do. I need to know she is okay.”