“Maybe keep being like you,” she warns. “Just less accidents.”
“I nearly died,” I tell her, tears falling down my cheeks. “I have so much to do. So much.”
“Like what?” Madison asks.
“Go to a nudist beach for starters.”
Madison ducks her head. “Maybe make a new list.”
“Seriously though, who do we have to kill? I was speaking to Madison on the way over here and she said she doesn’t think the notes and flowers are from a man,” Hayden blurts out.
I fiddle with the edge of the blanket. “I’m not so sure after the last note. Some things just point to him.” I quickly run by everything she’s missing or missed Mum explain to the others and by the time I’m finished, her eyes are wide as saucers.
“I’ll fucking kill him.”
“These are not fucking good,” Max cries, holding up my new batch of muffins. I made them yesterday, feeling in the mood, but they don’t have the same taste, so I tried to make the cupcakes again, but again, they aren’t the same. And came out burnt.
Dad comes in cradling his stomach. “I feel a bit sick!”
“Why eat them then?” Jacob asks, arching an eyebrow at Dad.
Dad points to Uncle Max, who has collapsed by the door, breathing heavily. “Talk to that fucker who rammed a dozen in his trap.”
I sniffle. “I’m sorry,” I cry. “Would Disneyland make it better because we can go.” I turn to Mum, my eyes widening. “Or we could go and see those swans we spotted on the way home.”
“Maybe another day,” Mum whispers.
Uncle Max turns to Mum, his eyes narrowed into slits. “Why did you lie to me, woman?”
“I didn’t lie,” Mum tells him, but there’s no hiding the amusement in her tone.
I glance behind Aiden, who’s standing in the doorway, trying to find Landon. When I don’t see him, I turn back to Hayden. “I think he’s mad at me. Do you think he’s mad at me? I mean, he could be mad at me.” My shoulders shake as silent sobs rake through my body. “I think Disneyland would make it better.”
“He’s mad because he can’t control the situation, not because he’s mad at you.”
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“Stop crying. You know I don’t do crying,” she warns.
I sniffle, my vision already blurred with tears. “I can’t help it. I’m just really sorry for worrying everyone.”
“Fuck everyone else. Just do you,” she tells me. “And we know you didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
“We’re just worried about you,” Lily explains, sitting down on the pouffe beside me. Her soft touch causes another wave of tears. “You’re so kind-hearted.”
“And we want it to stay that way,” Mum explains softly. “You have a lot of people who love you, sweetie, and we want to protect you.”
“I know,” I whisper brokenly, shoving the blanket away. “I need to speak with him.”
“You need to rest. Your knee is badly bruised and I’m not going to comment on your ribs.”
I sit up, ignoring her protests. “It’s just for a minute.”
“Let her,” Dad tells Mum. “Maybe he can talk some sense into her staying with us until they find this guy.”
“Dad,” I warn, holding onto him when he helps me to my feet. I grit my teeth, breathing through the pain in my leg and chest.
He lifts me easily, carrying me out of the room. I slap his shoulder. “Giddy-up.”
We barely get a step outside when I hear Hayden asking about when they are doing a manhunt on ‘the fucker’. Her words.
Dad snorts. “Max has his hands full with that one.”
“What did he have in his hands?” I ask, my brows pulling together. When Dad ignores me, I press a kiss to his cheek. “I really am sorry.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Just don’t keep stuff from us again. You were lucky today. Next time it might be different.”
Everything he said is right. I’m just not going to hold back in life to suit other people. Why should it be the women who feel the need to be careful? Why not teach others to be kind instead?
Landon is pacing the kitchen when we enter. His eyes widen when he sees Dad carrying me. “Charlie, you need to be resting.”
“I don’t want you to be mad at me,” I tell him as Dad puts me down on the stool.
“I’ll give you a minute,” Dad announces, stepping out of the kitchen.
Landon slowly approaches. “Do you know why you’re my favourite?”
“Because I bake you treats?”
His nose scrunches up. “No.”
“Then why?”
He takes a seat next to me. “Because you see the world differently than the others. Even Lily, with all her goodness and kindness, isn’t blind to the real world. With you, everything is glitter and rainbows. Fuck, you have kitten coasters and fairy lights everywhere in your house.”
I giggle, leaning forward. “I really like colours.”
He nods. “I know. And just like the glitter and pretty colours and lights around you, you also fill your life with people who bring you the same. You made friends with strippers. And do you know how?”
I try to think back, but I can’t recall the moment. “No.”
“Because you complimented Harriet’s gold, glitter thong,” he reminds me. “Hell, you chose a psychotic cat over the cute white one because he went for your glitter globe keyring.”
“I’m not sure I understand where you are going with this,” I mutter, a little defensive over the Katnip comment.
“My point is, I hate seeing that colour in your life dim. It was worse when you were with Scott, and it was non-existent after he hurt you, but day by day, you’re becoming more like yourself. I’m worried that the next time something happens, we won’t get you back, and Charlotte, the world is a brighter place with you in it.”
I burst into tears, and drop forward, wrapping my arms around his chest. “You say the sweetest things.”
“I do fucking not,” he snaps.
I tap his nose, my smile watery. “You do. You like that I see colour. So cute.”
“That’s not why you’re my favourite. It’s only one of the reasons. The main reason is solely selfish on my part.”
“And why’s that?”
“I’ve seen how unkind the world can be, the brutality and unfairness. Seeing things through your eyes… it kept the darkness inside of me from taking over completely.”
“You never had that darkness to begin with. You’re one of the best people I know.”
He smirks. “Duh.”
I sigh, grateful I no longer have to worry about him being mad. “I really am sorry though. None of it was intentional.”
“I know. I just want to protect you. You’re too kind-hearted to tell someone to go fuck themselves.”
I giggle, shaking my head. “Unless I’m mad.”
“Yeah, but you say it so politely, it doesn’t count.”
“You have a visitor,” Dad announces, stepping into the kitchen. He doesn’t look happy, and my body tenses, preparing for the worst.