Fade to Us Page 3

  Not going to let Natalie’s bluntness darken my mood. “I think my boss prefers ugly.”

  “Doubt it. You should pick something else.”

  “Thanks for the advice. You can go now.” This shirt would have to do for tomorrow, but what about the rest of the week? I could borrow some tops from Mom. Even though she was two bra sizes smaller than me, she rarely wore fitted shirts. That might work—

  “I watched Oklahoma! this morning.”

  Looking over my shoulder, I refocused on Natalie. “How?”

  “Streamed it from PBS. The Hugh Jackman version. He’s quite talented for someone famous. Not overrated at all.”

  “Do you have a point in there somewhere?”

  “I’d like to be part of the cast.”

  Thank you, universe. Life would be easier on all of us if Natalie was busy. I gave her a smug smile, proud that I’d helped. “That’s great. You should sign up.”

  “It’s a camp—which I’m sure you know—and it costs five hundred dollars.”

  I hadn’t noticed the fee. Wow. “Have you talked to your dad?

  “I will.”

  “You need to ask him about the money.”

  “Won’t have to. Mama gave me a debit card.” Natalie leaned against the doorframe and stared at the ceiling. “What if she asks me to come home before the show’s over?”

  “You’ll be here longer than five weeks.”

  “And you know that how?”

  “Jeff said that it’ll be a month or two.”

  “Will my brother be okay?”

  “He’ll be fine.” Natalie’s separation from her baby brother had to be the worst part of this move. She adored Luke, and she’d only been near him for the first month of his life. He would’ve grown a lot by the next time she saw him—whenever that was. “Aren’t your grandparents there?”

  She snorted. “Yes. They’ve moved into the guest suite.”

  I rummaged around in my walk-in closet for shoes. Sneakers were too tacky. Sandals? “I’ll bet you’re not sorry to miss your grandmother.”

  “That’s the only benefit.”

  “There are others.”

  “Like what?”

  “You get to be around Jeff more.”

  “You’re right. I will like that.” Natalie lowered her chin until she could see me again. Her tiny version of a smile flashed. “Will you mind if I have to live at your house for the whole summer?”

  “No, I won’t mind.” Well, not much. I’d be too busy to spend a lot of time at home. And if we could keep her current attitude going, having her here could be fun.

  “If you did mind, would you lie?”

  “Probably.”

  “How can I tell the difference?”

  “I guess you can’t.” I tossed a plain pair of sandals next to the bed before heading to my dresser. “Maybe you should keep asking and see whether I stay consistent. If I’m lying, I’m bound to screw up eventually.”

  “That might work, but it’ll irritate you if I ask too often.”

  “It certainly will.”

  “You know that I prefer for you to always tell me the complete truth. Then I don’t have to wonder which one it is or bug you because I’m not sure that I believe you.”

  “Noted.” I would try, but I wouldn’t promise to always be honest. Too many things could set her off. With harmony at stake, bending the truth had to remain an option.

  I pawed through my jewelry and selected a necklace of twisted strands of copper wire with matching earrings. If my clothes had to be uninteresting, my jewelry could make a statement.

  “Brooke, that copper stuff looks like you got it from the clearance bin at the dollar store.”

  “Leave, Natalie.” I waved her off, closed the door, and fell backward on my bed. If the people at the store said anything to me tomorrow about how I was dressed, I would never admit it to Natalie.

  * * *

  Jeff grilled burgers and chicken for Sunday dinner. Since it was nice outside, we ate at the patio table on the deck.

  I tried to block out what the others were saying, so I could think about my new job. I was looking forward to it, especially the money I would earn. What about my clothes, though? Natalie had me doubting them. Not that I could do anything about it now; it was all I had. I really wished Natalie hadn’t said anything. Thankfully, Mom was talking about the ball game she’d umpired last night. I could listen to her instead of my doubts.

  “… In the top of the ninth, the away team rallied—”

  “Jill,” Natalie interrupted. “I don’t speak baseball. Explain again in my version of English.”

  “The game should’ve ended in five minutes with the home team winning, but then the visiting team did something to make it last an hour longer.”

  Natalie nodded for her to go on. As Mom continued the story, my stepsister pumped her for information relentlessly. After a dozen more questions, Mom gave a delighted laugh. “Would you like to go with me to a game sometime?”

  “I don’t know enough about baseball to enjoy the experience.”

  “You don’t have to know much. The food’s good, and there are open spaces to pace in if you get bored.”

  “I’ll think about it.”

  Jeff barged into the conversation. “Your mother called, Natalie. She wants us to find you a therapist. Your psychologist recommended someone in Lillington.”

  Natalie went into statue mode.

  “If the new therapist can fit you in this week, I’ll take the day off and drive you over.”

  “No, Dad. Not this week.” Natalie switched from a statue to animated in an instant. “I’ll be at the arts center.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m in a musical. We’re doing Oklahoma! Tomorrow is the first day, and you have to take me there and sign the release forms.”

  Everything about Jeff stilled. “Have you already signed up?”

  “Of course, Dad. I asked if I could go to a summer camp, and you said that it sounded like a great idea.”

  “I remember.” His gaze shifted to my mother. “Were you aware of this?”

  Mom shook her head.

  He looked back at his daughter. “How did you find out about this camp?”

  “Brooke. She thinks I’ll enjoy it.

  His eyes narrowed on me. “Is that so?”

  My neck blazed with heat. Why was he angry with me? Clearly, she’d mistaken his comment as permission, but that wasn’t my fault. And it was a great idea. She’d needed something to do, and I found it. Now he wouldn’t have to worry about her hating her summer. “The parks and rec department is sponsoring the camp. It lasts five weeks. Should be fun.”

  He turned to Natalie again. “What does it cost?”

  “I’ve already paid with my debit card.” Her stray-puppy trembling started up. “What’s wrong, Dad? It’ll be okay, won’t it?”

  He gave a faint nod. “Absolutely.”

  “Are you mad at me?”

  “No, we’re good.” He frowned at the table, a muscle ticking in his jaw, and then pushed to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me, I think I’m done.” He stalked down the three steps from the deck, across the lawn, and into the workshop.

  My mother grabbed his dishes and stacked them on hers as she side-eyed me.

  I sent her a What? look. She shook her head and stood.

  Natalie sprang to her feet and picked up her plate and glass. “I’m going inside.”

  Once the door banged behind her, I looked at Mom. “What just happened?”

  “You shouldn’t have gotten involved.”

  “Natalie asked me. She was worried about being bored, so I helped her. I didn’t know that she would register without Jeff.”

  “Well, she did and now we have to deal with the fallout.” Mom wrenched open the door.

  I followed her in. Should I leave this alone? Probably. But their reaction was so extreme, I wanted to know the reason. “I get that you’re surprised, but I don’t see why you and Jeff ar
e so upset.”

  “The camp will overstress her. You’ve witnessed her meltdowns.”

  Yes, I had, and they were scary. I couldn’t see how that applied here. “She’ll like being in this show.”

  “Anxiety attacks can be triggered by any kind of strong emotion, good or bad. That’s why Jeff and I have to be vigilant about keeping her world calm. There is nothing calm about the theater, which is why they call it drama.”

  “Natalie’s acted in plays before. Why wasn’t it a problem then?”

  “She was at her own school, in familiar surroundings, with Mei there to be her anchor through the tough patches.” Mom leaned against the counter and sighed. “We already have enough to worry about. We did not need this. Jeff wants so badly for everything to go well. Having her live with him has been a dream come true.”

  “Then why hasn’t she done it before?”

  “Mei wouldn’t allow it. When she filed for divorce, she asked for full custody. Jeff fought her, but the judge ruled against him because Jeff was in the Army and could’ve been deployed at any moment.” Mom’s gaze strayed out the window, toward the workshop. “He’s over the moon that she’s here, but he also feels guilty. With his new business, this summer was the worst possible time for her to move in. If he could, he’d be home with her more, not less.” She looked at me. “We created a plan, but that’s a wasted effort now.”

  I’d been so sure that the musical was the best solution. If only I’d known all of the other stuff. “I’ll talk to her, okay? I can fix this.”

  “No. Please. Leave this to us.” Mom picked up a plate and bent over the dishwasher. “We’ll manage, Brooke. We don’t have a choice.”

  * * *

  After a hard run and a shower, I lay on my bed in the dark and cycled through my thoughts again. I liked the direction that my relationship with Jeff was heading. Since I didn’t want the night to end with bad feelings between us, I’d better take care of this now. Sliding off the bed, I went downstairs and out through the side door.

  When Mom bought this house seven years ago, a big reason had been the building beyond the carport. It was too small to be an apartment and too nice to be a shed. My stepfather had claimed it as his man-cave after moving in. He’d furnished it with a ratty recliner, big TV, mini-fridge stocked with beer, and the electronics he needed for his geospatial engineering business. Even though the building served as his home office, we’d always called it the workshop.

  I knocked on the door and pushed it open. “Jeff?”

  He was sprawled in the recliner, with his laptop open and his reading glasses perched at the end of his nose. “Yes?”

  The weary expression on his face killed me. “Could Natalie have one of her attacks during the camp?”

  “The probability is high.”

  “Could you suggest that she—?” I stopped since he was already shaking his head.

  “It’s too late, not when she has her heart set on it.” He took off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. “She came out here tonight and babbled on and on about it. She’s excited. I’m not taking that away from her.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  With precise movements, he set the computer aside, stood, and crossed to me, his boots scuffing on the worn floorboards. “I know you’re sorry, but I won’t say it’s okay, because it isn’t.”

  His resigned tone was worse than anger. “I thought I was doing a good thing.”

  “I know that too, and I’m glad that you’re trying with Natalie, but you have to be careful with her. We can’t predict what she’ll fixate on. Good intentions can have bad consequences.”

  His words chilled me. Was this what I would have to face for the next five weeks—the constant fear of a meltdown from Natalie? The dread of Jeff’s disappointment?

  “We’ll find a way to make this work, Brooke.”

  “Yes, sir.” I turned to go. We reached for the doorknob at the same time, his big, scarred hand brushing mine. I jerked back, not wanting to get in his way. I’d already done that enough for one weekend.

  He shook his head, pushed the door open for me, and stepped aside.

  I had just escaped into the darkness, wrapped in the heat of the summer night, when he spoke again.

  “Focus on being her friend, and leave the rest to me.”

  With a mumbled good-bye, I ran to the hammock and dove in, wishing that I could rewind the past twenty-four hours and start over.

  5

  Ouch Times Three

  Azalea Springs had a quaint Main Street shopping district, with brick buildings, colorful awnings, and flowering trees in wrought-iron cages. The fine jewelry store had squatted in the same proud spot for over one hundred years.

  It had taken me ten minutes to walk here. I arrived by nine-thirty and peered through a window into the showroom. Even though the lights were off, I could see the outline of glass cases, antique love seats, and crystal vases full of fresh flowers. A shadowy figure moved near the back. I knocked on the door.

  The person approached, a tall woman in a dark pencil skirt and a long-sleeved, mint-green silk blouse. She unlocked the door and opened it a crack. “May I help you?”

  “I’m Brooke Byers, Kaylynn’s friend. I have a job here this summer.”

  “Hello. I’m Della, the showroom manager.” She stepped aside to let me in and locked the door behind us. Her gaze swept down my body, pausing on the skirt and sandals. “Did Mr. Wilson send you the dress code?”

  “Yes.” Really? Natalie had been right?

  “I’ll be honest. He must have left out the details. You’re dressed too casually to wait on customers, but we have plenty of things to do in the back. Follow me.”

  She went first to a small break room and gestured with one of her beautifully manicured hands. “You can leave your purse in that closet. One of your responsibilities is to be in charge of the coffee. Brew a fresh pot every hour.”

  I glanced around at the mess in here. I’d put myself in charge of cleaning up, too.

  Della crossed the hall. “Do you have any computer skills?”

  “Yes.” Score. Mr. Wilson had been vague about my duties. I’d hoped to spend time in the office, and the ugly outfit had worked in my favor.

  “Excellent. I’ll get you started on a clerical project.” She entered the office and pointed at a tiny desk covered in catalogs and glossy brochures. We spent the next twenty minutes going over the phone system, email accounts, and an upcoming sales promotion. Then she glanced at the clock. “Do you understand what to do? It’s time for me to open the store.”

  “Yes.”

  “Please keep an eye on the security monitor, and come out to the floor whenever you see a customer. Stay as unobtrusive as possible.”

  As the tap of her heels faded down the hallway, I lost myself in printing address labels and stuffing envelopes, so it startled me when a voice spoke to me about an hour later.

  “Good morning, Brooke.”

  I looked up. “Hi, Mr. Wilson.”

  “Settling in?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Good. Good. We’re glad to have you.” He put his computer case down and then perched on the desk’s edge. “Della’s got you started on the promotion campaign.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Fine. So just a few things about the business.” He crossed his arms. “Your job is to help out with whatever we need, which will mostly be clerical work or serving as backup when my other staff go on vacation. You won’t be on the sales floor much, but when you do have contact with customers, just be polite and respectful. If you go out for lunch, check in when you leave and when you return. And no personal calls while you’re working. Wait until you’re on break. Any questions?”

  “No, sir.”

  He gestured toward the stack of envelopes. “How’s the project coming?”

  “Great.” It wasn’t exactly engaging my brain, but at ten dollars an hour, it didn’t matter. “I’ll have the promotional materials ready to
take to the post office before I leave today.”

  “Excellent. Welcome aboard.” He stood, grabbed his case, and headed into his office.

  * * *

  When I got home that afternoon, I walked into a quiet house. Mom was likely at the arts center, picking up Natalie. Yay. A moment of peace. I wouldn’t be getting many of those this summer. It was strange how adding one more person to a family could make a house smaller.

  I was in my room, changing into shorts, when my phone buzzed. A text from Kaylynn.

  Are you surviving Nat?

  Fine so far

  How did you like the store?

  I laid on my bed. Everything was going to be fine, especially since I wouldn’t have much contact with customers.

  Good. How was lifeguarding?

  Boring. No rescues. Some yelling. The other guard is ripped

  And?

  Only interested in looking. So Daddy says you need help with your work clothes. Want to go shopping?

  Kaylynn was an expert at finding the right clothes, but she didn’t understand the value of money. I had to establish control.

  Sure, but Target

  Coco’s would be better

  No

  K. Pick you up at 7?

  K

  I set the phone aside and winced. I hadn’t planned to spend money for my job, but it didn’t sound like I could get out of it. Releasing a breath, I brought up the Target website to scope out prices. Time to make a budget.

  * * *

  Mom, Natalie, and I had already finished eating when Jeff trudged into the kitchen, his face creased with fatigue. He stopped by Natalie’s chair. She held herself stiffly but didn’t shrink away.

  His face lit up as he laid his arm along her shoulders for a hug. “How was camp?”

  “It was quite good.”

  He fist-bumped with me and crossed to my mom. After a whispered comment and a kiss, he pulled out a chair and groaned as he sat. His gaze rested on Natalie. “Did your camp hold auditions today?”

  “The singing auditions.”

  “How did you do?”

  “I don’t know. You’d have to ask Lisa.”

  “Lisa who?”

  “Lisa Lin Dalton, the director. She’s exceptional. Her son is the stage manager. He’s exceptional, too. The girls in the camp think he’s hot, which is annoying and not true.” Natalie’s gaze flicked to her father. “My counselor is a college student named Norah. We’ll have breaks every morning and afternoon, and that’s when I’ll go to Norah’s group. I’ve talked to her about my diagnosis, and she understands I need to be away from people sometimes. She said as long as she could see me, that was fine.”