Sister Mother

Chapter 22

Addie's secret Leo notebook entry

Lee,

You'll be happy to know that my family, a judge, a lawyer and three Hell Bringers know that I'm in love with you.

Yes I, Future Doctor Addison Nicole McKenna wrote the words "in love." You'll mock me endlessly if you ever see this, which is why you won't.

The court case is taking up so much time. I've had to cancel so many shifts to appear in court that my Starbucks manager threatened to dock my pay. Thank God Gabe is working. Without him and my uncle helping us slowly pay off the mortgage, we'd be homeless.

As busy as I've been, I've thought about you so much lately. It's funny. My family teases that you must be on drugs if you're in love with me, but I feel like you're my drug. I'm addicted to you. We haven't seen each other for months and I get high every time I think of you.

That's me trying to be romantic.

I think about you. You're never reading this notebook, but I want you to know that.

-Adds

⫷👁⫸

Leo

The McKenna's had been in court for a month. Beatrice said that after she gave her testimony, Addie told her that she wasn't allowed to miss more school. She also said that all they were doing in court was talking about "legal crap and money stuff, so it's not worth listening to anyway."

I didn't believe it when she told me that she'd brought one of my letters to court as evidence. Addie must have hated that.

As for me, I'd been busy. I'd reached the points in both my savings, and relationship with Brennan and Vance where I had to have a steady source of income or I wouldn't have a place to live. After switching jobs, I became a customer services representative for an online shopping company. I spent my days cooped up in a cubicle, chatting with impatient people yelling at me for the company's high prices, as if I could change them.

I drummed my fingers on the desk that barely fit inside my cubicle and tried to focus on the complaint I was supposed to be addressing. A woman ordered a pair of shoes that didn't fit and was pissed that we wouldn't issue a refund, since the returned shoes had scuff marks on both heels.

I leaned back in my chair. Don't quit, Leo. You're a grown ass adult who needs money. Keep this job for a whole two months.

Beatrice said Addie would be working at Starbucks all day. I joked earlier to Brennan and Vance that a part of me wanted to drive out to Worcester, walk into Starbucks, order a hot chocolate like that's a normal thing to do in sixty degree weather and be all "hey Addie, I was just in the neighborhood. No, I did not drive an hour just to see you. Want to hang?"

That would be wrong. Selfish. I'd be thinking about myself and not her. Still, a guy could dream.

Even though I knew she was going through stuff, there were times when I couldn't stop myself from worrying she'd never call me. I knew she was going through a terrible time, but I wanted to be the one to help her through it. There had to be something more than occasionally sending her food that I could do.

I straightened my back, told the Karen to take it up with a manager if she felt that strongly about it. I even gave her my supervisor's email before slipping my phone out of my jeans.

Leo: Hey. Updates?

Beatrice: I got my cast off yesterday! I start PT tomorrow.

Which means Addie has to pay for PT soon. Yikes.