Chapter Fifteen

“You’re not taking those shoes.”

“I have to—they’re my only ones.”

“Alexandra, these are your brother’s skateboarding shoes.” Her father scooped them up off the floor. “Where are your sneakers?”

“I can’t find them.”

“Well, time to look again. These,” he said, tucking them on the top shelf of the hall closet, “are staying here.”

“But—”

“No buts. Sophie said you tripped in the blasted things and that’s why you fell. They’re too big for you!”

“But I like them…” Alex’s voice trailed off as she stared up at the backs of Adam’s skate shoes.

Her father sighed. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “I know you do. But I don’t want you hurting yourself. I’m sorry. You’ll have to stick to your own from now on, okay?”

“Sure, Dad.”

“That’s it?” Her father looked surprised. “No arguments?”

“Would you change your mind?”

“Well, no.”

Alex shrugged and went up to her room.

What she didn’t tell her father was that she hadn’t looked all that hard for her own. After a few pokes at the clothes piles in her closet, she found them. Slipping her feet into the snug sneaks, she tightened the laces. It felt good to wear shoes that fit.

Adam had always been bigger than her, even when they were born. His shoes were too big. At first, wearing them had made her feel as if he was close by—like he had just kicked them off and if she turned the corner, she’d see him eating out of the fridge, or see him sprawled across the couch watching TV.

Lately, it hadn’t been like that—just her tripping everywhere she went. But she’d felt disloyal at the thought of not wearing them. Even now, part of her wanted to sneak downstairs and get them back. But she didn’t.

Alex grabbed her pack off the bed and took one last look around her gloomy room. Walking over to the window, she pulled the curtains wide open. Sunlight beamed in, lighting up the dark space. That’s better, she thought. She strolled out, leaving the bedroom door open this time.

“I think you and I should go with Sophie. She needs the company. It’ll be fun—the girls’ car.”

“No way, Mom,” Alex cried. “The three of us have to go together—you, me, and Dad. Aunt Sophie can come in our car too, if she wants. She can leave her car here.”

Alex and her mom were standing in the kitchen by the door to the garage. Her dad was loading the luggage into the trunk.

“Your father needs his car for work, so we have to take both cars.”

“She’ll be okay. Won’t you, Aunt Sophie?”

Aunt Sophie was just coming through the doorway into the kitchen. “Okay with what?”

“Driving in your car by yourself.”

Aunt Sophie raised her eyebrows as she glanced over at Alex’s mom. “Hmm, both of you are going with Douglas?”

“Apparently.”

“That should be interesting,” Aunt Sophie said.

“Knock it off, Soph.”

“Right, sis.”

“What are you guys talking about?”

“Never mind, Alex. It’s fine. We’ll go together.” Her mother looped her purse over her shoulder. “We should get going.”

“It’s only 8:30. What’s the rush?” Aunt Sophie held up the empty carafe. “No coffee?”

“Hit the drive-through on the way,” Alex’s mom said.

“Drive-through?” Aunt Sophie shuddered. “I really miss my island. One of Eva’s warm ham and cheese rolls and a piping hot cinnamon coffee would sure hit the spot.”

“You’ll have to suffer. Alex, you can sit up front with your father. I’m going to read.”

“Really, I can have the front seat?” Alex said.

“Absolutely.” Her dad smiled at her mom. Only it was a hard smile, like he gave to Frank the Crank, the neighbour none of them liked. Then he slammed the trunk so hard, the car shook.

Her mom and Aunt Sophie exchanged glances before going outside.

Both cars were soon on the 101 highway, heading towards Windsor—and Brier Island.

“Mom, how come you didn’t go to Toronto with Dad?”

“What, dear?”

Alex turned sideways in her seat, so she could look at both her parents.

“Toronto—how come you didn’t go?”

Her mom was staring at the back of her dad’s head, as if waiting for him to say something. He didn’t. “The flights were too expensive.”

“I thought Dad had, like, a gazillion frequent-flyer miles from his last job?”

Her dad didn’t answer. With his eyes hidden behind wraparound sunglasses he looked like a statue.

“Dad?”

“Good grief, enough with the twenty questions. Your dad just wanted to visit his brother—end of story!” Her mother huffed and opened her book.

Alex looked from one silent, stone-faced parent to the other. “Well, this was a great idea,” she mumbled. “I should have gone with Aunt Sophie!” Putting on her headphones, she cranked her MP3 player.

So much for family time.