When Stars Fall [EBOOK and PAPERBACK PUBLISHED]

51. Wyatt - Present Day

The crew brought us a round table and put it in Ellie's trailer. It's a tight squeeze. Ellie or her manager should have insisted on a bigger trailer in her contract. God knows they would have given it to her. Floor space is at a premium.

My gaze strays to the spot where Haven's tiny body laid, half dead. Over and over the scene flashes in my memory. Facing Anna in here isn't going to be fun but being here is a good reminder about what's at stake.

No kids are allowed in Ellie's trailer because the powdered fentanyl Anna's been peddling could be anywhere. Camila had a cleaning crew scrub everything from top to bottom while we were at the hospital but I'm not taking any chances.

The table set up won't satisfy Camila. It's cramped. Too tight. When the arrangement spells conflict, conflict comes. Wouldn't matter how spacious we made Ellie's trailer, conflict is coming. Why disguise the inevitable?

Next door, Jamal, Stacy, Anna, and Camila are finishing dinner. Anna and Camila are flying out of here at eleven tonight. Jamal's not going with them. Anna doesn't know that yet.

The asshole in me wants to finish this conversation quickly. I'll say whatever the hell I want to say—no more holding back. Her addiction almost killed my daughter. But the brother in me worries this might be the last conversation I have with my sister. Anna came out of the womb a fiery, directionless mess. Even still, I love her. We've had each other's backs one way or another for a long time now. 

I text Camila to say that everything is set up and then I take a seat at the back of the round table. From here, I can see the door perfectly, but when Camila and Anna get here it'll make storming out in a rage impossible. That may be for the best depending on what Anna says. Seeing this conversation through is the only way I get the future I want and the one Jamal needs.

Camila knocks and then enters without waiting for a reply. Anna follows. They take off their winter gear before joining me at the table. My hands are clasped in front of me. They're at war over whether to strangle Anna or hug her.

She quakes as though she can't control her own body, and she pulls the sleeves of Camila's shirt down over her fingertips. Anna perches on a chair, ready to dart away at any moment. "I'm so sorry," Anna whispers. "I—I want to talk to Ellie, too. I need to tell her how sorry I am."

I grit my teeth and stare at my clasped hands. A sorry isn't going to cut it this time. There aren't enough words in the world to balance out what happened to Haven.

"Wyatt, do you need a minute?" Camila asks.

"I'm not playing around anymore, Anna." I squeeze my hands together and releasing them.

"I didn't think you were playing before." She sneaks a sideways glance at me.

"Really?" Our gazes meet. "Come on. For three years now we've been doing this dance. You screw up, and I clean up the mess."

"I don't do it on purpose," Anna says.

I bob my head in agreement. Spoken like an addict. I know the language well. "I think part of you didn't believe you needed to get clean once you came to live with me. I got clean enough for both of us."

Anna breaks our eye contact and tugs on the sleeves of her shirt again.

"Anna," Camila prompts.

"I knew Jamal was safe with you." Her gaze darts around the trailer.

"Was he safe with you?" I duck my head, trying to catch her eyes before they fall to her lap.

"What do you want me to say, Wyatt? Do you want me to tell you I'm a shitty Mom? Is that what you want to hear?"