Chapter 9: The Door Opened Before We Were Ready
I barely slept.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard Dad's voice from the study.
If Lily tells her what really happened that night, she'll never look at me the same way again.
I kept wondering what he'd done.
Had he said something cruel?
Had he broken another promise?
Or was there something much worse hidden beneath the story everyone had told me?
By sunrise, I'd made one decision.
I wasn't going to wait for Friday.
Lily deserved to know that the room she'd been promised might not be available.
She deserved to know that Dad was frightened of what she might say.
And she deserved the chance to decide whether she still wanted to come.
I went downstairs with my phone in my hand.
Calvin was already in the kitchen.
He looked up when I entered.
“You look terrible.””
“I feel terrible.””
He pushed a mug toward me.
“Coffee?””
“Please.””
I sat across from him.
For a few minutes, neither of us spoke.
Then I showed him Lily's message.
“She says she'll arrive this afternoon.””
Calvin read it twice.
“Does your father know?””
“No.””
“Monica?””
“I haven't told either of them.””
He rubbed his face.
“Then we need to tell them now.””
I nodded.
But before we could leave the kitchen, Monica appeared in the doorway.
May you like
She was dressed and ready to go out, carrying her purse and a folder.
Her gaze went
