Uproar of cheering and yeses and we file in with Soph taking my hand and pulling me upstairs. “This way!”
“Is it…”
“Shhh, just wait!”
The Ciphers stop on the stairs to watch us, jam-packed, as she paces me in front of all the doors, twice, just to mess with my head. “Alright, enough!” I laugh.
She bites her lip with this mischievous smile, lets go of my hand and runs to the small parlor where she told me about kicking that dickhead Thatcher’s ass when she was fourteen.
Grabbing the antique doorknob she whisper-yells, “Come on! I want us to see it together.”
Under my breath, surprised, I ask, “In here? No way, really?”
She nods, swings the door open to a complete rearrangement of the parlor. And a brand new, walnut canopy bed is pushed against one wall, with white drapes tied at the corners.
Soph stares at it, as stunned as I am. There’s been no new furniture in this house for three decades at least. Her hands float to her mouth and she freezes like that, eyes darting around to the old dresser that used to be in her parents’ room, the table and chairs that were here before, gathered in a circle by the window, the antique art as it’s always been. The closet door open, hangers full with our clothing, mine on the left and her stuff on the right.
Behind us, we’ve got an audience who pours into the room as we walk to the closet, and then to the dresser, opening it to find everything here of ours, too.
Soph is trying not to choke up—nobody ever sees her like that. I have, but I’m different. Turning away, she wipes her eyes before she faces the group, juts her chin up, telling the moms, “Thank you.”
I throw my arm around her and say, “You guys just made us very happy.”
Luna sniffs and clears her throat, hiding her emotions just like Soph is. Jett is another thing altogether. He struts to the center of the room, crosses his arms and says, “It will take me some time to get used to this bullshit.”
Sofia Sol covers a laugh, walking to him and throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
He hugs her and closes his eyes, rocking her from side to side. “I love you, daughter. Love you to the sun and back. That’s why I named you after it. Always here for you, baby.” He kisses her hair before he releases her, heading out, turning his head to repeat, “Always.”
CHAPTER 36
L UKE
A fter dinner Atlas asks, “Can I talk to you, Luke?”
“Sure,” I toss my napkin on my plate as Soph and I exchange a look. She picks up my plate and brings it to the sink, and I can’t help but watch her go.
Resigned, I follow my brother onto the back porch. We’re aware of the curiosity pointed at us by the group as they stay put. But I bet they wish they were flies on the busted mesh walls.
“What’s up?” I ask, hooking my thumbs in my pockets.
He snorts, “What’s up? You know!”
“Nope, I don’t know you as well as I thought I did.”
Darting a quick look to the house he motions for us to walk further out. The grass is shorter than when I was here last, and I take note because it’s never mowed. “You do this?”
“Nah, it was Soph before Ty took her to you.”
“Did you know that’s what he was doing?”
“Nope. Had no clue until Mom told us you were engaged.” We stop and he pulls a weed from the ground, twisting it as he locks eyes with me. “You gonna forgive me for what I did?”
“You gonna apologize?”
His eyes flicker and he tosses the weed, same motion as when he skips rocks on the marsh. “I’m sorry I—”
“Betrayed me?”
Chewing on his cheek he nods. “Yeah. Haven’t been able to live with myself. Got an ulcer, you know that?”
“Nope.”
“Mom didn’t tell you?”
“Guess she didn’t think I’d want to hear about it.” After a beat I say, “I don’t know where we go from here, Atlas, but it all worked out better than I could have hoped for, so…let’s just live with it. Let time take its course.”
Taking a deep breath, he crosses his arms. “Sage won’t let it go.”
“Trust is earned. Give her time. Give me time.”
“Takes one second to lose trust, but years to earn it, that’s what I’m learning and it’s a fucked-up lesson.”
“It was a fucked-up lie.”
“Turned out it was true.”
Getting in his face I snarl, “I told Soph I hate that it was you first, so if you ever say that shit to me again, when we both know the real truth, you will lose a brother forever, apology or no. You threw me out of my home to save your ass!”
“I didn’t throw you!”
“One word from you, one true fuckin’ word, and they would have taken it back, sent you instead!”
The screen door clatters and we glance back, see Celia looking at us. I don’t know if he’s aware of her feelings for him, but I’m not going to confess what Soph told me in confidence.
“You guys want some pie?” she calls out, anxiety barely masked.
“We’re not gonna fight, Ceels,” Atlas tells her.
She relaxes and lies, “I didn’t think you were. Just checking how many we need to cut.”
Silhouetted in the doorframe comes Sean. He walks out like he’s making sure she’s okay. Atlas heads to the house, throwing one last look to me, eyes saying it all. He knows we’re far from over this.
“I’ll have some pie, Ceels,” he mutters and opens the door for her.
I call over, “Sean, come out here. I want to hear how things are going.”
His long legs amble down the steps onto the grass, “Didn’t know she wasn’t already your girlfriend when you came to my house.”
“Yeah,” I smile, “We didn’t tell you otherwise. Also didn’t tell you about how pretty her best friend is.”
Blue eyes light up at being called
