22

“Where were you?”

Maddox had just let himself into his own house but froze when he heard his brother’s voice. He’d left the lights off and had been so quiet when he came through the door, and yet Tobias sounded as though he’d been wide-awake from the start. “Just went out for a bit,” he replied and dropped his keys on the counter.

“Was there a specific reason you waited until you thought I was asleep?”

“I couldn’t take you with me, if that’s what you mean.”

“Because...”

“I was meeting someone.”

“A woman.”

“It certainly wasn’t a man,” he said, but his brother didn’t laugh.

“Which woman? That’s the question.”

Maddox could smell Jada’s perfume on his shirt when he pulled it over his head. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

“You’re seeing Jada again, aren’t you.”

That had been an easy guess. Anyone else and Maddox could’ve given his brother her name, because it wouldn’t have meant anything to him. “I said I don’t want to talk about it.” He tossed his shirt in the clothes hamper as he peeled off his jeans and walked into the bathroom. He took his time, hoping Tobias would be asleep when he returned, but he wasn’t.

“Are you sure you know what you’re doing, Maddox?”

“What do you mean?”

“I know you care for her. You always have. I ruined that for you, and I feel terrible because of it. But I can’t take back what I did, and given that I can’t take it back, has anything really changed? If she won’t see you openly, what good is it going to do to meet her late in the night? What will you have in the end?”

“Let me enjoy the memory of what happened tonight before forcing me to face reality, okay?”

“I don’t want you to get hurt. I don’t want to be to blame for that again.”

“Yeah, well, this time it’ll be my fault,” he said.

Butterflies filled Maya’s stomach as Annie’s mother drove them to their new school Friday afternoon. She was looking forward to orientation and learning what to expect for the coming year, but the prospect of changing to a different junior high wasn’t the only reason she was excited today. She was hoping to have a chance to speak with Aiyana Turner. From the way Mrs. Coates talked, Mrs. Turner had lived in Silver Springs for a long time and knew almost everyone. Annie’s mother had said Aiyana was a wonderful person, that she’d helped so many troubled young boys—like their principal once was, and look how good he’d turned out—and was now going to do the same for young girls.

Maya thought that was nice and all, but Aiyana’s kindness wasn’t what got her attention. It was that Aiyana had been in town long enough that she might be able to tell her something about her father. If anyone would remember a young man dying in a motorcycle accident, it would be someone who helped young men, wouldn’t it?

Annie probably wasn’t thinking about Maya’s dad like Maya was, but she squeezed Maya’s arm in anticipation all the same. “Here we go.”

They both peered out the window as Annie’s mother slowed down and they rolled beneath a giant wrought-iron arch that said New Horizons.

“It’ll be so weird going to school without any boys,” Maya said and hoped that wouldn’t kill any of the fun. If not for Annie, she wouldn’t have begged to come here.

“My mom said there will be boys on the other side of the fence,” Annie said.

Maya frowned as they passed the outdoor basketball courts, where a few of those boys were playing. One—cute, with curly brown hair blowing across his forehead—looked up as Mrs. Coates turned at the sign that read New Horizons for Girls.

“We won’t get to see them very often, though,” she said sadly.

Mrs. Coates glanced into the rearview mirror. “There will be dances and joint assemblies now and then.”

“But will we get to go?” Annie asked. “Won’t those be for the older girls?”

“Not necessarily. This year, a section on the boys’ side has been designated a junior high, too, so there will be separate activities for the kids your age versus those in high school.”

“I hope they have a lot of assemblies,” Maya said, and she and Annie giggled as a gymnasium came into view. It was smaller than the double-size one by the outdoor courts they’d passed on the boys’ side, but it was brand-new and looked nice.

Soon they saw quite a few other buildings. One was a theater, according to the word painted vertically on the side in big orange letters.

Mrs. Coates parked in the lot labeled Administration.

“There’s still parking available?” Annie said in surprise. “We had to park all the way down the street at Topatopa Junior High when we went to orientation last year, remember?”

Maya hadn’t been there for orientation, so she knew Annie was talking to her mother.

“This school is much smaller than the one you were in,” Mrs. Coates said. “And a lot of the girls will be boarders, which means they won’t have their parents nearby.”

Maya couldn’t imagine how weird it would be to be sent away from her mother and immediately felt sorry for the girls who would be in that situation. She would’ve asked how often they got to go home, or what they did if they had to stay over for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but there wasn’t time. Mrs. Coates was speaking to other moms as they converged on the gym, where there were about fifteen rows of seats and a podium at one end with a pulpit.

The principal, Mr. Richardson, stood just inside, saying hello and telling everyone to come in and sit down, that they’d be getting started shortly.

He shook Mrs. Coates’s hand and then Annie’s. But Maya got the impression he was especially pleased to see her. “I’m so glad you’ll be joining us this year, Miss Brooks,” he said as his large hand closed around hers.

Maya told him she was glad, too, and they found a seat as he greeted the people behind them.

“Do you know Mr. Richardson?” Mrs. Coates asked.

“I met him at the cookie store once,” she replied.

After the meeting started, Maya lost a bit of the regret she’d been feeling for insisting on coming to such a small school, especially one without boys. She liked Mr. Richardson and the teachers who introduced themselves. Mrs. Turner was there, too. She spoke at the end and told them how pleased she was to have a school for girls as well as boys, which had always been her dream, and wished them all a good year.

Maya kept an eye on her as the meeting broke up, but she couldn’t find an opening to approach her. It seemed as though everyone wanted to talk to her; there was always a line.

“Are you feeling okay about coming to New Horizons?”

She turned when she heard a man’s voice and realized that Mr. Richardson had walked over to her. She was a little surprised he’d single her out when everyone wanted his attention, too—especially the mothers, as Mrs. Coates had predicted. Many of them moved a bit too close to him and smiled a bit too widely, which made it obvious they weren’t treating him like a regular old principal. But if he noticed, he didn’t act like it.

“I think so,” she said. “I’m just going to feel bad for the girls who can’t go home—you know, for holidays and stuff.”

“This will be a better home for some of them.”

“Oh. Then that’s even more sad.”

“It is. But having a good friend can make a big difference, right?”

He meant she could improve their situation; she could tell by his smile. “I hope so,” she said and clasped her hands in front of her because she suddenly didn’t know where to put them.

“How’s your mother?” he asked.

“She’s good. Working all the time.”

“At the store?”

“And on her computer. I don’t know when she sleeps. She’s always up so late.”

“How long do you think you’ll be living with your grandma?”

“I have no idea. My mom feels like she can’t leave since my grandma is sick—even though my grandma is sort of mean to her.” Maya wasn’t sure why she’d added that last part. Her mother and grandmother would call it “family business,” and yet she’d just told an outsider—her new principal, no less. But something about Mr. Richardson made her feel as though he cared about her, and that made her trust him. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that,” she told him, feeling even more awkward for having made such a stupid mistake.

He rested a comforting hand on her shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. Sometimes it can be hard to get along with family members. It doesn’t mean we don’t love them.”

“Exactly,” she said, relieved that he understood. “Don’t tell my mom what I said, okay?”

“There’s no need for me to repeat it to anyone.”

Maya exhaled. “Thanks.”

Annie came walking up with her mother. New Horizons offered something most public schools didn’t—piano lessons as well as voice lessons—so they’d been speaking to the music teacher.

“Do you have any last questions?” Mr. Richardson asked Mrs. Coates.

“No, I think we’re set. I can’t believe you’re providing such a diverse and rich curriculum. I feel lucky that Annie and Maya will be coming here.”

“I’m looking forward to getting to know both girls along with all the other students,” he said. Then someone else approached him, and they were ushered by the crowd toward the door.

As they stepped into the bright sunshine of another hot August day, Annie said, “Isn’t this going to be a cool place to go to school? Did you hear that they have horses?”

“I did.” Maya pretended to be happy. She was happy about the school, the horses and especially the fact that they had cooking classes, which were of far more interest to her than music lessons. She was just sad that she hadn’t been able to find a good opportunity to talk to Mrs. Turner.

But school would start soon. Once everything calmed down, she’d figure out how to get a few minutes of Aiyana’s time so that she could ask about her father.

Jada was sitting up in her bed, working, when that text came in from Maddox. She’d wanted to go to orientation with Maya, but Cindy had that covered, and Jada had been needed at the store, which was doing so much better with the addition of the ice cream sandwiches. Although her mother seemed relieved, Susan hadn’t said anything other than that brusque thank-you the day Jada showed her the business plan with the ice cream sandwiches. She probably didn’t want Jada to believe what she’d done to help made up for any of the trouble she’d caused in the past.

She came by the store after, she wrote back. Said she was excited.

Jada winced as she stared at those words. Maybe she’d helped her mother in various ways financially, but when it came to Maddox and Maya, she was driving them all toward a brick wall and couldn’t seem to avoid it.

Everything going okay for you? he asked. Your mother didn’t realize you were gone last night or anything, did she?

What was he referring to? You mean with my mother?

She rubbed her temples. What she wanted to do and what she should do were moving farther and farther apart. Thanks.

It wouldn’t be difficult. She’d been trying to get back to LA. She had some work she needed to do there for her social media clients, which she’d already had to reschedule twice. Maya could stay with Susan while she was gone and help in the store. Susan was paying her a little bit, and she was planning to use the money to buy a few extra school clothes. I’m pretty sure I can. You?

She hadn’t been asking about the physical changes. But she didn’t clarify. She already felt like a traitor for ignoring that he was in town and seeing Maddox, anyway. Where should we go?

Her pulse sped up as she imagined spending two whole days with him. They hadn’t been together that much since they were teenagers. The beach.

Already, Jada couldn’t wait. It’s for real.

Maya walked in. “What are you doing?”

Being careful to make sure her daughter couldn’t see the screen, Jada set her phone aside. “Just working. You?”

“I was hoping we could do some online shopping so I can start picking out what I’d like for school. Do you have a few minutes?”

Jada slid over to make room for her daughter. “Of course. Where do you want to look first?”

Because she’d spent two hours with Maya instead of working, and then she’d had to make up for it, Jada had had only three hours of sleep when her door flew open and crashed against the inside wall.

Lifting her head, she blinked to clear her vision and found her brother maneuvering his wheelchair through the opening.

“What’s going on?” she asked, confused by his authoritative entrance.

“I couldn’t wait to give you the good news.”

She pushed the hair out of her face. “What good news?”

“I got a job!” A smile stretched across his face as he came close enough to shove an official-looking letter under her nose.

Too excited to even look at it, she let it fall to the floor as she sprang out of bed to hug him. “Are you kidding me? I’m so thrilled! Where?”

He gestured at the letter. “I tried to show you.”

As soon as she picked it up and saw the New Horizons seal on the letterhead, she felt her joy dim. “At New Horizons?”

He shot her a disgruntled look as he snatched the letter away. “Don’t say it like that.”

“I’m surprised, is all.” She couldn’t believe he would even apply to New Horizons; she would’ve thought he’d avoid that at all costs.

“I’ll be a teacher’s aide on the boys’ side. It’s not like I’ll be working with Maddox.”

She stared down at the words on the page. I am pleased to inform you that you have been selected as a teacher’s aide in computer technology... Details about when he would start and what his duties would be followed, and it was signed by Aiyana Turner. “You’ll probably bump into him at staff meetings and such,” Jada said, looking up again.

“He’s not the one who shot me.”

That was what she’d been trying to tell him and their mother ever since Maddox had come back to town! But she understood it wasn’t just Maddox’s presence that upset them. They’d been afraid Tobias would come back, too, once he was released. And he had—they just didn’t know it yet. She was hoping he’d get his driver’s license and a job and move away soon, so they’d never have to know. But if things didn’t go that way, Atticus would have a much greater chance of finding out he was in town—and of bumping into him—if he was working at the same school Maddox was. “So you don’t mind?” she asked Atticus.

He shrugged. “We won’t be working together directly. It should be fine.”

She sank back onto the bed so that she’d be eye level with her brother. “Have you seen him yet?”

“Not at the school. He wasn’t around when I was there for either of my interviews. Is that what you mean?”

“There or anywhere.”

“I ran into him yesterday at the gas station. He was paying for a six-pack when I went in.”

“Did he notice you?”

“Of course.” He rolled his eyes. “People always notice me. And most of the time they stare.”

She knew how uncomfortable that had to be. “Because you’re so good-looking,” she said with a wink.

“Chicks think it’s a damn shame I’m in this chair. Otherwise, a few might be interested in going out with me.”

She believed the right woman had to be out there. “If anything has been holding you up, it’s living with your mother and not having a job,” she said, refusing to let him feel sorry for himself.

For a change, he didn’t get mad. “Now maybe I can fix that.”

“Yes, you can.” She cleared her throat. “So...did Maddox say anything to you when he saw you?”

“No. He did a double take. Then he lowered his eyes, pivoted and walked out.”

“You didn’t mention this to me when you came home last night.” Maddox hadn’t said anything about it when he was texting her, either.

“Why would I? Nothing happened. Anyway, I don’t want to talk about Maddox. I want to celebrate my new job.”

“And I don’t blame you. But—”

“Stop.” He put up a hand. “Don’t mention Maddox again. I’m just going to ignore him.”

“Okay. For what it’s worth, I bet you’re going to love your job, and that you’re going to be fabulous at it.”

“I’ll be making some money for the first time in my life. Better late than never, eh?”

“Would you ever really get your own place?”

He pursed his lips as he considered the question. “I think so.”

Jada knew their mother probably wouldn’t like that. She preferred to keep Atticus close. But Jada didn’t want what’d happened to lock him into being their mother’s security blanket for the rest of his life. “Might be a good time, since I’ll be here to take care of Mom.”

“Once I save up enough, I’ll look around. See what’s out there. Anyway, make sure you get everything done you have to do today, because we’re going to the Blue Suede Shoe tonight.”

“Time to party?”

“Damn right.”

Jada needed to work, especially if she was going to be spending next weekend with Maddox. But it wasn’t often that Atticus came to her, asking to go out and have fun, and his first job was worth celebrating. “You’re on.”

As soon as he left, she texted Maddox. Did you know that my brother is going to be working at New Horizons?

It took a few moments to get a response but, finally, she heard the ding that signaled a reply. I did.

Jada chuckled at his response. He was trying not to take any of the credit, didn’t want her to think Atticus had been given the job out of pity or reparation, which just went to show how aware he was of the needs of others.

He probably had helped, but Atticus had applied at New Horizons in spite of Maddox working there, which meant he’d been getting shut out everywhere else. He’d believed Aiyana might give him a chance, since she was known for that sort of thing, and he’d guessed right. She was giving him a chance.

Jada felt that a chance was all he needed, that he’d make good.

Again, he didn’t write back right away. But when she got his answer, she smiled again. She did talk to me, but I would never stand in Atticus’s way. You know how I feel about what happened. At least I hope you do.

She wished her mother knew how he felt. Instead of letting everything he’d been through break him down, he’d fought back and become stronger because of the adversity. He was also loyal to those he loved, even when that loyalty came at a high price. She admired him far more than some of the other men she’d known who’d always had it good, had no idea what real suffering was like and felt entitled to whatever they wanted. Her ex had had so little empathy and understanding. He’d said he cared about her and Maya, but his actions proved that only his goals and desires were important to him. As far as Jada was concerned, he was missing a sensitivity gene, and that was becoming more and more apparent as she got to know Maddox again. He hadn’t turned out anything like what her parents had expected.

But Susan had been angry and bitter against Maddox and Tobias for so long, Jada wasn’t convinced it would make any difference.