The River Speaks

Chapter Twenty Eight: Meddling

Chapter Twenty Eight: Meddling

I took a bus home from the airport and it dropped me off in town, so I walked to my parents house with my luggage.

By the time I reach their porch, my suitcases are dripping in melted snow.

I thought I would feel better being here, but I don't.

I feel like my heart was thrown into a shredder.

I feel worse than I did when I left Elliot.

Because now I lost Aiden.

My siblings are all here from their houses. I can tell by the cars. My parents are here.

I cried the whole bus ride and it's freezing outside so my face is red from that on top of my glossy eyes.

Plus I haven't slept, so I know I look like I just got dragged through hell by my left big toe.

I had a flight booked to fly out here for Christmas for next Friday.

Well I'm here a week early. Surprise.

I open the front door and ditch my bags. I shut the door with my hand and drag myself towards the voices in the living room.

"Lily?" Mama asks.

"I'm moving in." I say quietly.

"Where's Aiden?" April asks.

"He's not here!" I yell at her.

"What did he do to you?" Noah asks.

Nothing. He did absolutely nothing to me.

He tried to love me. That's pretty much it.

"Nothing. Never ask me about him. Never talk about him. Leave me alone."

"Don't talk to your brother like that." Daddy warns.

"You too. Everyone just leave me alone."

I go storming upstairs into my old bedroom and lock the door.

April

I glance at my family with raised eyebrows.

"Do you think we should call him?" Mama whispers.

"No." Noah says.

"Yes." May says. "Call him now."

"Girls, don't meddle." Daddy warns.

"We're going to meddle." Mama says.

I grab the house phone and flip through the phone book.

I pause on the name Aiden Hunt and punch in his number.

It rings once and then stops.

"Hello?" He asks.

He sounds frustrated...upset, tired, stressed...

"Hey Aiden, it's April, Lily's sister?"

There's a short pause.

"Is she in Kentucky?"

"Yes."

"Well she's okay, right? She's not hurt or anything?"

"She's not injured." I reply. "So...you wanna tell me why she's here saying she's moving in?"

He cusses quietly.

"She said she's moving in?"

"Yes."