Change of Plans

Chapter 25

“You could have talked to me,” Carter said as we pulled out of the driveway.

I sighed and slinked lower into the seat, pulling the hood of my coat tighter around my face. I knew that I couldn’t avoid the conversation forever but I’d at least hoped that it was avoidable for more than the ten minutes that I’d been allotted. “There was nothing to talk about,” I said lamely.

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel and blew out a breath. I knew that he knew my answer was bullshit but it was all that I was going to say.

“You have a family that loves you and wants to be there for you, Camille. If only you’d let us.”

I threw the hood back and unzipped my coat. “What can I say? I’m the suffer in silence type.” Also, I really didn’t want to get into the whole Tori mess with anyone. It was bad enough as it was.

“Give me something to work with here,” Carter pleaded. “I feel like I’m clutching at straws trying to talk to you.”

“What do you want me to say? That I’ve been through hell and back these last few weeks?” I asked, turning away from him. I stared out the window and sighed. “That I’ve felt emotions I didn’t know existed and I’m still reeling from the shock of it all?”

“Something thereabout.”

I laughed miserably. “Well there, I’ve said it. Happy now?”

“You are so small and full of anger.” He sighed, “Why?”

“I have a lot to be angry about.”

“Like moving here?”

“Among other things.”

He grunted and the car was plunged into silence, prompting me to reach out and turn the radio on. I hummed quietly to the Jhene Aiko song that filtered in, trying my best not to think.

“It’s driving me crazy not knowing how to fix whatever’s wrong with you,” Carter murmured. “Help me, help you.”

“I’m not broken,” I reminded him.

“I’m sorry. I’m just worried about you, that’s all.”

“Don’t be,” I said with a sigh. “You ought to worry about yourself.”

He reached for my hand and clasped it. “There’s never going to be a time where I won’t worry about you.”

I stared at our clasped hands and something akin to hope resonated within me— Hope that I’d somehow survive this grief and come out unscathed, but I knew the feeling wouldn’t last.

“Ohana means Family,” Carter said softly. “And family means that no one gets left behind.”

I smiled through the tears that suddenly appeared, blurring my vision. “Nicely done, Lilo.” I wiped my eyes and laughed to ease the tension, “Where are we going, anyway?”

“Funny you should ask that. We’re on our way to get Logan.”

“When did we decide this? What happened to the tour?”

He chuckled. “It’s all on the way.”

***

“Logan lives here?” I asked Carter as he pulled into the parking garage of a huge apartment building in Manhattan.

He nodded. “You’ll get used to it.”

“I don’t think I will ever get used to the fact that someone I know actually lives in such a beautiful building,” I laughed. “Look at the size of this place!”