The Least Favorite Cameron

Chapter 27

When I get home, the house is quiet and feels empty. The place I once called home just felt like a house now. It was only about 8 oclock and the sun was just starting to set. Fall was approaching and you could feel it in the crisp air as I opened my window. My mind felt heavy with the thought of Rafe's letter in my desk drawer. I got the drugs and tequila to try and lighten it but I know nothing will work. I open the drawer and pull out the envelope, when I open mine I'm not surprised the first words on the page read "I'm sorry".

Gracie,

I'm sorry for doing this. You don't deserve it, none of you do. But I have to do this for dad. I'm sorry for all of it. Things will be better now. Love ya, see ya soon.

- Rafe

The note was short, as I imagined they all were. Rafe wasn't a man of many words, especially not emotional ones. The note hit me as strange, he already told me this on the phone, what was the point? What was the point of all of this? John B's dad died and we still can't get my dad to be charged. We didn't get the gold, Rafe is dead, everything is so messed up. The only thing going for us at the moment was the possibility of finding this cross. We needed a win. My head, feeling fuzzy and heavier with Rafe's words whirling through my mind, urges me to open the bottle. I take a few gulps and feel it burn all throughout my body. I grab the bag of white powder and walk over to Rafe's door and open it. Everything is as it was, like he just evaporated from it. His clothes on the floor and his bed unmade. I went into his bathroom and did something I longed for him to do and dumped the powder down the drain and washed it away. I wanted to search his room for more to get rid of it, but the memories and emotions were suffocating me.

As I get back into my room I hear the front door open and Rose's voice echoes through the whole house making me cringe. But then I hear his voice and my whole body feels like it was dunked in ice water. He was out on bail. They actually let a man out on bail whose suspected of murder. I suddenly realize why the house was so quiet, Sarah probably left to go to Topper's and Wheezie answers my own question when I hear her footsteps run past my door to go greet dad. I grab my bag and throw several days worth of clothes into it as well as the note from Rafe and the weed and tequila. I throw on a pair of old jeans and a sweatshirt and brace myself before walking downstairs.

"Gracie, hi hunny," He says with a big smile on his face as he moves toward me to embrace me.

"Don't even come near me. I'm leaving," I say and make a wide path around the three of them to get to the door.

"Grace Cameron don't leave," He says and his voice quickly shifts from happy to demanding.

"You can't stop me and if you try to I'll call the police. I'm sorry Wheezie," I say and slam the door shut before anyone can respond. I texted Sarah and warned her that he was back and she called me. I gave her a recap of the brief interaction I had and we plan to meet at the station tomorrow at 8 am sharp. I get back on my bike and regrettably go over to John B's. I couldn't go to Kie's, her parents are still a little iffy about everything that's happened and I wasn't interested in staying at Topper's with Sarah. Plus as much as I didn't want to see him and deal with the conflict between us, I longed for John B's comfort that he provided.

I get to the Chateau and I do something I hadn't done in years and knock on the door before heading in. He looks surprised and confused when he comes around the corner but his face brightens when he sees me.

"Hey there," He says with a small smirk as he opens the door for me.

"I thought you-"

"I know I said I wanted space. I don't want any more space, I want to be at home. And home is with you," I say and hold onto the piece of his bandana around my neck. He scoops me up and kisses me softly and all the problems that I walked through the door with are still there but they dim a little as we stand here together.