KNOCKOUT

Chapter 14

"Oh, I see him waving. Go to your right, T." Holden points past me, pulling our suitcases behind him. I look in the general direction, stifling my laughter as Sterling flails his arm in the air to grasp our attention. We walk down the sidewalk to his car, piling our luggage in his trunk before climbing in.

"So," Sterling trails off momentarily, thinking about how to shatter the brief silence. "How was your trip?"

"Seriously, Sterling?" I smack my hands on the back of his seat, quietly giggling at the glare on Holden's face.

"Seriously, T." He laughs, not even noticing Holden's wide eyes. "You guys were being awkward."

"We just got in the car!"

"What did you just call her?" Holden's voice is quiet, but I watch as his hands curl up into fists. Nobody has ever tried to call me nicknames other than Holden and my father, and it seems Holden isn't welcoming to the idea of somebody else joining the small list.

Sterling barely glances at Holden, keeping his main focus on the road. "You can't claim all the nicknames, Samuels."

"I came up with them," Holden mutters.

I almost laugh at how stupid this conversation is, but manage to keep the sound locked inside. I can't tell if Holden is genuinely upset or if he's only being possessive, but it's surely not enough for him and Sterling to fight over.

"You didn't come up with the letter T, big shot."

Although I know Holden wants to say more, he only pouts and crosses his arms.

"Anyway, Abrahms," I sigh, trying to push Holden's sad aura as far away as possible. "The trip was something nobody could have anticipated. I'll definitely have to go back with Holden. On different terms, of course."

Holden perks up a bit at my words and I can't help but roll my eyes.

"Are you going to the funeral tomorrow?" Sterling glances at me through the rearview window, trying to assess my mental state over Rachel's death. To be completely honest, I wasn't close to the woman. I had only met her a couple of times, but she made an impact.

I can't help but wish I had been closer to Maggie's mom.

Holden twists in the front seat, his brows scrunched together in confusion, "What funeral?"

"You didn't tell him?"

"What didn't she tell me?"

"Both of you, stop," I demand. "Sterling, focus on the road. I didn't tell him yet because it didn't really happen at a good time."

"What happened?" Holden locks eyes with me, willing me to spit the words out.

So I do. "Rachel passed away."

"Margaret's mom?" I remember he's never actually met the woman; the closest he's been to her is in the same courtroom, so it doesn't have the same impact on him as it did me.

I nod, "I knew she didn't have much time left, but it still shocked me."

"When did she die?"

"The day of your final trial," I mutter, breaking eye contact. "Sterling told me right before I came back downstairs."

Holden turns around at the same time Sterling decides to speak up again, "So are you going?"

I lean back against the seat, allowing myself a second to relax and gather my thoughts before answering him. As much as I would love to go to Rachel's funeral, I think I would be out of place there. Nobody from her family is even aware I exist, as far as I know.