Let Me Live

Chapter Twenty-Four

Her eyes bounce to me, settling comfortably on my face. "He was on a business trip and is only coming back in six hours—why is your lipstick smudged?" Her attention diverts again.

"Not important."

She raises an eyebrow, followed by the faintest smile. "Did you kiss Levi?"

I groan, running a hand over my face. "Wren."

Nova whirls to me, a gasp leaving her lips. "Did you?" Her voice is an octave higher.

With Levi unable to see my eyes, I widen them at Nova, trying to convey that I'll explain everything later. "Let's not stray from the current situation of my little sister running away from home, cool?" I ask, feeling like I've aged into motherhood with the current behaviors surrounding me. "Why didn't you call me? I would have called mom."

She shrugs, looking up at the sky. "I can't fucking stand her," she whispers before standing up. "It took me four hours to get here. I waited at school and then decided to just walk home but I got hungry so I went to the Corner Diner on Maple Street." Her chin lifts, a victorious lilt in her smile at the defiance. "Then I went to the bus stations, the bitch doesn't deserve me getting home on my own."

"Do you want her to worry?" I ask, unable to fight the need to encourage my little sister that our mother isn't the worst human being in our lives.

Wren gives me a blank look. "She won't even notice I'm gone."

I cross my arms over my chest, cocking out a hip. Levi and Nova stay dutifully quiet. They're both only children, they may not understand siblings interacting in the wild. Especially Wren and me. "How do you know she hasn't already?"

Her head angles to the side. "Has she called you?"

Crap. Good point. Fucking Paige! Is it so hard to just be present for once in her goddamn life?

"Why didn't you call dad if you were planning on running away?"

"Dad?" She looks at me like I'm an idiot. "Dad can barely look after three-day-old mac 'n cheese and you want me to call him for help? Do you hear yourself?" Her tone is flat, the words hitting harder than I know she intends them.

"Fair enough," I say, letting my shoulder droop. "Okay, I'm done now. I miss you, come give me a hug." I open my arms and she walks directly into them, letting me wrap her up, squeezing tight. "I'm sorry," I whisper into her hair.

She shrugs. "Don't be, not your fault."

Feet shuffle toward us. "Hey, Wren, how about we get you a snack? I think the chef left some hashbrowns in the fridge," Nova says, smiling down at my sister.

Wren steps out of my arms and nods her head, moving to pick up her pink backpack laying on the porch. "I like hashbrowns." Nova grins and leads her to the door, shooting me a wide-eyed look on her way past.

I suppress a smile.

"Bye Levi," Nova quips casually, waving a hand over her head.

Levi perks up. "Bye Nova, I'll see you soon." He stuffs his hands into his pockets. He tentatively adds, "Bye Wren, it was nice meeting you."

Wren looks back, caught off guard. "Likewise." Without another word, she follows Nova into the house and quietly shuts the door behind her.

Dropping my head forward, I smack both palms over my eye sockets. "Oh God, I am so screwed."

Arms wrap around my shoulders from behind, pulling me against his chest. His hand runs up and down my arm, comforting. "Hey, siblings can be a handful."