Best Kept Secret (Best Kept #1)

Chapter 17: Don't Come Back

I was showered and had clean clothes on five minutes before my mom got to Mia's. I was sitting on Mia's bed while Mia was next to me. The doorbell rang and my heart lurched. "What if she knows?" I asked.

"There's no way in hell she can know, Lucy. Caleb and me are the only ones who know where you were last night. You know I'd never rat you out."

I nodded. "I know, I just can't think of a reason for her coming back all this way, Mia."

My mom's cheerful voice echoed upstairs and I felt a slight relief. She doesn't sound angry, thank God. Mia gestured for me to follow her and I rose. We walked down the stairs where my mom was standing at the landing with Mia's mom. She turned to me and smiled.

The tension in my body was gone. "Hey," I said smoothly. "What's up?"

Mia took her mom by the arm and led her away. She gave me a reassuring smile before she turned to guide her mom.

"I'm picking you up. I called you this morning to let you know, honey," She replied.

"What for? I'm fine here. It's pointless for me to be there—"

"Zoe wants to see you," She interrupted and my heart plummeted.

"What?" I breathed. "Zoe wants to see me? Why?"

She stepped closer and brought an arm around my shoulders. "Just go get your stuff and meet me outside. We'll talk in the car."

All I could manage was a nod.

My mom squeezed me gently and walked outside. I took a deep breath and exhaled before walking back upstairs. A minute later, Mia came up to her room too. A state of perplexed was beyond me. "She said Zoe wants to see me," I told her while gathering my stuff.

"That's good, right?" Mia held a hint of hope in her voice.

I shrugged. "I have no idea. I mean—I've wanted to talk to my sister since she left, but I didn't think she'd actually want to see me. What happened all of a sudden?" I turned to Mia.

"She misses you, Lucy. You're her sister."

I sighed and zipped up my bag, then grabbed the phone from Mia's charger. "I thought I was ready to see her." I shook my head. "I don't think I can—she doesn't..."

Mia smiled a little. "It's going to be fine. I know how much you missed her so this will be good for you, Luce. She's ready to talk, so it's your turn to hear her out."

"You're right," I murmured and then threw my arms around her. "I'll call you later and let you know how it goes."

She hugged me back just as tight. "I'll be waiting by the phone."

I pulled back and grabbed my stuff. Mia walked with me down the stairs and told me bye before I walked out to my mom's car. I put my bags in the back and sat up front. She pulled out of the driveway and headed for the main road.

It was quiet until she pulled onto the highway.

"Are you going to tell me?" I asked. "Why all of a sudden she wants to see me?"

My mom glanced at me and back at the road. "She says she's ready. She put you on the list. It's like a family therapy thing."

My heart stuttered. "Wait—so she doesn't really want to see me? She just wants me there for a family thing?"