Everywhere, Everything. ★ STURNIOLO TRIPLETS

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Harborough was lively for a Monday morning. Men and women littered the sidewalks holding hot cups of coffee, walking a step too fast for leisure, chatting on their phones, most likely heading to an office where they'll spend the first half their day in staff meetings. A series of school buses ambled down the main drag in front of us, stopping periodically to pick up kids who waited on street corners in their dusty gray pleated skirts, tailored slacks and matching crimson blazers.

I recognized the shade of red immediately and stared absentmindedly at the teenagers who had zero regard for anything happening outside of the conversations they were having. Like the whole world was far less interesting than talking about what happened over the weekend.

The corners of my lips twitched slightly at the thought of being sixteen again and growing up in this town.

"Do you know what you're going to say?" Nick asked from the backseat. The boys had been trying to ease my nerves the last half hour by talking about anything except the fact that we were on our way to my father's. This was the first time since they woke up that one of them mentioned it.

Matt glanced over at me from behind the wheel and my skin prickled. Neither one of us had yet to acknowledge what happened last night and I was telling myself that it was because he knew I had enough on my mind, not because he was regretting any of it.

I adjusted in the passenger seat. "I was thinking, 'Hey, it's me - the daughter you abandoned. Surprise!'"

That got a chuckle out of Chris and a resigned sigh from Nick. Matt tossed me a look that resembled one Jenny would have given me. For a moment I let myself consider what she'd be doing right now. I imagined her sitting in the center of the bookstore, tea in hand, reading The Daily. This afternoon she'd carve out time between shelving the new shipment and reorganizing the back room to finish prepping her booth for the festival this weekend.

I made a mental note to call her later.

"Honestly, I was planning on winging it," I admitted, keeping my gaze trained on a woman walking her dog.

"Maybe the excitement of seeing you after all these years will be all he cares about that he won't ask any of the uncomfortable questions," Chris said.

We turned down Milton Avenue and my stomach sunk to my feet. Matt pulled up to the curb halfway between Mark's and the house before his. We faced each other.

"Do you need a minute?" He asked.

In the driveway a sleek black Jeep Grand Wagoneer and a smaller, sportier car whose make I didn't know but was certain was expensive, were parked perfectly parallel to one another. Unless Mark had multiple cars to himself, someone else was also home. I drew in a breath.

Nick and Chris hunched forward in the backseat. Their faces were a combination of hopeful and worried, but neither of them spoke.

Now or never.

"I think I need to do this alone," I said, looking between the three of them. "But can you wait outside the car for me?"

"Absolutely," Matt said without hesitation. "We're right here if you need us."

Nick squeezed my shoulder and I let out the breath I was holding.

Okay. I can do this. Just get out of the car and walk up there.

I paused outside of the car; the boys flanked me. Having them beside me was more reassuring than I'd expected it to be. For a brief second I felt invincible, like anything could happen and I'd be able to withstand the fallout. It was at that moment I made my way along the manicured lawn and up the front steps.