Kaylie stretched across the couch and nudged Brady with her foot. He ignored her, engrossed in his game. She did it again.
“Stop.” Brady didn’t look away from the screen.
“No.”
He paused the game, turned, and glared at her. “What’s your problem?”
“I want to ask Dad what happened with Uncle Rusty.”
Brady flinched. “What do you mean?”
Kaylie rolled her eyes. “You’re so dense sometimes.”
“I have to focus when I play this one.”
“Yeah, well, they had a fight and Uncle Rusty left without saying anything to us.”
“A fight? Like, they were hitting each other?”
Kaylie shook her head. “I don’t know why I try sometimes. They were arguing, okay? I think about Mom.”
“Dad’s always mad about something. I’m sure they’re fine.” Brady turned back to the game.
“You’re coming with me.” She sat up and grabbed his arm.
“Hey.” He yanked it away. “You’re annoying.”
“And you’re selfish. Come on.”
Brady scowled, but he set the controller down. “What are you going to say?”
“Just going to ask him what’s going on with Uncle Rusty.”
“And you need me why?” he asked.
“Ugh. Just come on. One day you’ll understand.”
“Stop trying to sound like Mom.”
She glared at him. “I’m not. Stop being a baby.” Kaylie got up and went out onto the deck before her brother could complain anymore.
Dad glanced over at her, a guilty expression covering his face. He stepped in front of three or four empty beer bottles by his feet. If he was trying to hide them, he was doing a crappy job. “What’s going on, guys?”
“Where’s Uncle Rusty?” Kaylie asked.
He shrugged. “Out.”
“Where?” Kaylie stepped closer.
“He’s a grown man. He doesn’t have to check in with me.”
“Why were you guys fighting?”
Dad leaned against the railing. “We were just discussing Mom.”
“Sounded like you were fighting to me.”
He tipped his chin. “Don’t worry about it, kiddo. It’s adult stuff.”
“Give me a break. You didn’t kick him out, did you?”
His eyes narrowed. “What? Of course not.”
“Good.” Kaylie held his gaze. “I like having him here.”
“Don’t get too attached. Can’t guarantee how long he’ll stay. He doesn’t have a great track record.”
“What does that mean?” Kaylie stepped forward.
“Exactly what I said. Where’s he been all your lives? Where was he when Mom needed him?”
“Where were you when she needed you?” Kaylie snapped, anger festering in her gut.
Dad’s eyebrows came together and he leaned forward. “What did you just say?”
“Uh, oh,” Brady whispered behind her.
Kaylie didn’t care about making him mad. He deserved it. “You heard me. She killed herself, and where were you? Did you even know anything was wrong?”
He raised a fist and aimed it at her.
“Dad!” Brady shrieked, his voice raising an octave.
He lowered his fist, but his mouth formed a straight line and turned white. “Watch it, Kaylie.”
“Or what?”
His brows furrowed and he got in her face. Their noses nearly touched. “Just watch yourself. We’re all under stress—I get that. We all want to be able to give Mom a proper funeral and say goodbye. But we can’t, and that makes things worse. We can’t turn on each other, do you understand?”
Kaylie swallowed and nodded.
“The cops have their own theories, and the last thing I want is for you kids to get involved with that. It’s the last thing you guys need to worry about. Let me deal with it, but give me space to do that. Trust that I’m doing the best I can.”
“Okay,” she whispered.
“Things weren’t always easy, but I loved your mom. I love you kids. My family means more to me than my life itself.”
Kaylie stepped back. “Sorry.”
“I hope—”
His phone rang. He swore and pulled it out. “I’ve got to take this. Can you see what we have for lunch? We can talk after this call.”
Kaylie nodded and moved out of his way.
“Hello?” he snapped into the phone. “Why are you calling me? I told you not to call on this line…” His voice trailed off as he walked farther into the house.
Brady and Kaylie exchanged curious expressions.
“What’s that all about?” Brady asked.
“No idea. Want to find out?”
“You’re supposed to make lunch.”
Kaylie flipped her hair behind her shoulder. “Have I ever told you what a baby you are?”
“Have I ever told you to shut up?”
They stared each other down for a moment before Kaylie walked past him and went inside. She followed her dad’s voice down the hall to his bedroom. He sounded upset at whoever had called.
“See?” Brady said. “Like I said, always mad. We’ll be lucky if Uncle Rusty stays while Dad’s here.”
“Shush. I want to hear what he’s saying.” She tiptoed closer to the door, but even so, could only make out some words.
“Can you hear anything?” Brady asked.
“Quiet.” Kaylie moved closer and pressed her ear to the door, careful not to step in front of it. Just in case he could see the shadow of feet underneath.
“Look, don’t threaten me,” Dad said. “You need to stop calling me. The cops are already looking into me… No, I haven’t told them anything about that. I swear, I’m going to block your number.”
“What’s he saying?” Brady whispered.
“Shut up,” Kaylie whispered.
“He’s saying ‘shut up’?”
Kaylie shoved him.
“I don’t know what to tell you,” Dad continued. “But if this blackmailing doesn’t stop, you’re the one who’s going to have to watch your back. You know what I’m capable of… That’s right.”
Kaylie’s mouth dropped. Someone was blackmailing Dad? Who? About what?
“What?” Brady cried.
Something hit the other side of the wall next to Kaylie, and Dad shouted a bunch of profanities. She jumped and stared at Brady. His eyes were as wide as dinner plates. Glass shattered inside the room.
“I think we better make lunch,” Brady whispered.
“Good idea.”
They hurried down the hall. Kaylie ran into Brady. “Hurry up.”
“I am.”
Her heart nearly pounded out of her chest by the time they reached the kitchen. She couldn’t even think straight, but she needed to find something to make for everyone.
“What about last night’s leftovers?” Brady asked.
Kaylie turned to him. “What?”
“For lunch. We can warm them up.”
“Right. Sure. Whatever.” She couldn’t even remember what they’d eaten, but at least it would be easy. And Uncle Rusty was a great cook. Kaylie went into the fridge and found the platter. She was shaking and nearly dropped it.
Brady caught it.
“Thanks.”
“See? I’m not completely useless.” He put it on the counter and removed the plastic wrap.
Guilt stung at her. “You’re not useless.”
“Not completely. Hand me the plates.”
She did and then grabbed a green and red plastic spatula with snowflakes painted on the handle. It had been Mom’s favorite.
Brady grabbed it, but Kaylie yanked it away. She picked out a black one and handed it to him. “Use this one instead.”
“Whatever.” He piled food onto the plates and shoved the first one into the microwave. “How long? Like five minutes?”
“If you want to burn it to a crisp. Try ninety seconds.”
“Okay.” He slammed the door shut and pushed the buttons.
“Wait. You have to put a paper towel over it.”
“Why?”
“Because if it splatters, Dad’s going to freak.”
Color drained from his face. “Oh, yeah.” He was obviously remembering the time Dad had screamed at Mom over something splattering onto the microwave walls. She and both kids had ended up in tears.
Kaylie ripped two paper towels from the roll and handed them to Brady. He covered the food carefully while Kaylie finished piling food onto the plates.
The microwave beeped. Brady took the plate and set it on the table. Kaylie put the next one in the microwave, careful to cover it, and started it.
Footsteps sounded down the hall. She and Brady exchanged a worried expression. He hurried over to the counter and wiped up some spilled food that had fallen while they’d scooped it onto plates.
Dad came in. His face was red.
“You can have that one.” Brady gestured to the plate on the table.
“Want something to drink?” Kaylie asked. Usually, after Dad threw a fit, it was Mom who stepped in and tried to appease him. Now it was their job. Mostly hers, as the oldest. Unfortunately.
He rubbed his temples and sat at his spot. “Yeah, sure.”
Kaylie went to the fridge and saw some beers in the back. She decided on an organic lemonade. It was good for a hot day. She poured some for each of them and handed Dad his first.
“Sorry about the mess in here,” she said. “We were just about to clean it. Right, Brady?”
“Yeah, but we thought you were probably hungry.”
Chris rubbed his eyes. “Sorry for yelling at you two about your rooms in front of Rusty. You know I’m the worst offender. I was upset at my boss and used the mess as an excuse to blow up. I shouldn’t have.”
“No problem,” Brady said.
“Yeah, we get it.” Kaylie forced a smile. “We should have kept them cleaner, anyway.”
“I know Mom usually does most of the cleaning. I guess we all have to chip in more.”
“I don’t mind,” Kaylie said.
“Me, neither,” Brady added. “Just tell us what we need to do.”
“We’ll start with the kitchen.” Kaylie got up. “In fact, I’ll just do that now.”
“Sit down and eat,” Dad ordered.
She slid into the seat and slouched.
The microwaved beeped. Brady pulled out the last plate from the microwave and they all ate in silence at their usual spots at the table. Mom’s seemed especially empty. It was hard to believe she would never sit there again—or anywhere. The finality of her death started to sink in.
The numbness of shock had worn off.
Kaylie blinked back tears and forced the food in her mouth, staring at her plate. She didn’t want to talk to anyone except Mom, and that would never again happen. If she was buried, Kaylie could pretend to talk to her at her grave, but she was old enough to know it was nothing more than make-believe.
Her tears fought to come to the surface. She didn’t want to give Dad a reason to yell at her. When he was in a bad mood, any sign of weakness was reason enough to unleash his temper.
“I miss Uncle Rusty,” Brady said.
Kaylie flinched and prepared herself. Why couldn’t her brother think before speaking? He was old enough to have learned by now. Don’t ever do anything to upset Dad when he was in a mood.
“I’m sure he’ll be back,” Dad said.
She looked up in surprise. The calm before the storm? There was no sign of the earlier anger on his face. His skin was no longer red and his features relaxed. Sad, even. Probably tired. Neither of them were likely getting any more sleep than she was.
“When?” Brady asked.
“No idea.” Dad picked up his glass and drank the entire lemonade in one gulp. “We might have to figure out dinner tonight.”
Brady’s face fell.
“Don’t worry,” Kaylie said. “There’s plenty of food in there. We’ll figure something out.”
“I wish Mom was here.” Tears streamed down his face.
That was all it took for Kaylie’s floodgates to open. “Me, too.”
She braced herself. When Mom was out and one of the kids said they wished she was home, he would often fly into a rage saying something along the lines of him not being good enough.
Instead tears shone in his eyes. Dad nodded in agreement.
Kaylie got up and hugged Brady. To her surprise, Dad rose and wrapped his arms around both of them.