Daddy cleared his throat. “What did you tell me that day? I want to hear you say it.”
I blinked. “I told you to trust me. I said I wouldn’t drink or try drugs.”
“What else?” He didn’t forget a thing.
“You and Mom taught me responsibility.”
Momma was sipping her coffee, resting against the counter, and watching me like a hawk. “Where was your responsibility tonight?”
I swallowed hard. I’d promised both of them I would never drink or do drugs.
“We allowed you to have this party because we trusted you, Quinn,” Momma said. “We also told you to limit the party to fifty. There were close to a hundred kids in that barn.”
Again, I couldn’t give her an excuse or tell her truthfully how the party had gotten so out of hand. I also shouldn’t have been surprised. By inviting one person, I might as well have invited the whole damn school. The news of a party always spread like wildfire.
But in all fairness to me, it was summer, which meant families left town on vacations.
“You broke our trust, Quinn.” The disappointment in Daddy’s tone made my stomach clench far worse than his anger.
“I’m sorry.” It was all I could say. “It will never happen again.”
Daddy rose and pushed his fingers through his short brown hair. “Darn right it won’t. You’re grounded for the summer. No parties. No friends. And that means Maiken too. You’ll pull extra shifts on the farm and in the store.”
“But Daddy,” I cried. “I want to see Celia.”
Daddy regarded Momma.
“We’ll wait to hear from Liam,” Momma said. “Until then, go up to your room.”
I hesitated, but Momma gave me one of those “I dare you to beg” looks, so I ran out.
I started to climb the stairs then stopped when I heard Daddy’s voice.
“I pray no one left this party drunk and decided to drive.”
“Jeff, honey, take a breath,” Momma said. “Your blood pressure is high enough as it is.”
“I expected something like this from the boys, but not Quinn,” he said in defeat.
Heavy footfalls made me flinch, and I turned my attention to the top of the stairs as Carter came down.
“Eavesdropping, Quinn?”
I threw him the finger, ready to lock myself in my room until next summer.
“Come with me,” he said.
“I can’t. I’m supposed to be in my room.”
Carter peered around the bannister. “They won’t know.”
I arched a brow and shook my head. “Yes, they will.”
“I’ll take the blame,” he said.
I didn’t want to be alone, and I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I knew Celia was going to be okay.
I huffed. “Fine. If Daddy doubles my punishment, I’ll make sure Brianna knows the real you.”
He chuckled as he flicked his head to the front door. “Let’s go.”
I debated for a second before I followed Carter out the door and onto the porch. “Where are we going?”
“Do you want to see Celia or not?”
I glanced at my jersey-fabric shorts and T-shirt.
Carter angled his head. “You look fine.”
If I went back inside, I wouldn’t get a chance to see Celia. At least I was wearing a bra, and I did have on flip-flops.
Carter’s gaze drifted past me. “Your window is closing, sis.”
I didn’t know why he was doing this for me. Daddy would lay into him as hard as he had me.
I sighed heavily. I might be banging another nail into my coffin, but I had to be there for Celia. If the tables were turned, she would jump through hell to be there for me.
I ran down the porch steps and climbed into his truck. I would take whatever additional punishment Daddy handed down.
Mom had her laptop on her legs, glasses perched on her nose, and a cup of coffee in her hands as she read something on her computer screen.
I stepped down off the last step and onto our worn wooden floor. “You’re up early for a Sunday.”
The only room Mom had not renovated in our new farmhouse was the family room. It was the one area where we spent the most time, and she didn’t see any reason to put money into new floors or furniture, since we were kids who had accidents and played rough.
“Too hot to sleep,” she said, not glancing up from her screen. “I should be saying the same to you. You kids never get up before nine, and it’s only seven thirty.”
I wound my way around one of two couches and a chair then dropped down next to her. “I thought the summers in North Carolina and Texas were brutal.” I yawned.
She tapped a key on her computer. “We had air-conditioned homes when we lived there. It’s too expensive to have the house outfitted for it here. Besides, I want to put my money into a new heating system before winter sets in. The fireplace in this room only heats up this area.”
I eyed the stone fireplace, which was tall enough for my younger sisters and brothers to walk into. Mom had used it quite a bit last winter right after we’d moved in.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes, squinting at the rays of sun spilling in through one of three windows facing the front yard.
My mind drifted to the night before as I listened to Mom’s fingers fly over her keyboard.
What a mess the party had been. Quinn had kept texting me and calling me, but I’d wanted her to sleep it off before we talked. Nothing good would’ve come from our conversation while she was under the influence.
“Mom, when you were a teenager, did you ever get drunk?”
Her fingers froze over the keyboard. “Was Marcus drinking last night?”
“No.” Although he might have been after he left the party, but I didn’t want to plant any seeds for her to get freaked out over. Besides, Marcus was asleep in his room. I’d checked when I passed his room earlier. “Quinn was tipsy. Well, more than tipsy.” I blew out a heavy breath as our quiet interlude flashed before me.
Stop thinking about that. You’re sitting next to your mom.
“Is that why you kids came home early? I asked Emma, but she didn’t elaborate. She just said a fight broke out, and Marcus wasn’t part of it. Then she got a phone call, as I was putting Harlan to bed.”
I popped my head back against the couch. “Quinn started the fight.”
She wiped her brow with her fingers, moving wisps of her dirty-blond hair from her forehead. “Is that so? Jeff and Hazel must be beside themselves.”
“Oh yeah. Mr. Thompson was furious. I’m not allowed to see Quinn until further notice.” Knowing her dad, Quinn was probably grounded for the rest of her high school days.
“So, Emma didn’t mention that Celia was rushed to the hospital?”
My mom gasped. “Oh God, no! Is Celia okay?”
I shrugged. “I think so.” I hadn’t heard from Liam, but no news was good news… usually. “I need to call Liam.”
“Was Celia drinking too?” Mom asked.
I bobbed my head.
Her tone dropped. “And you and Ethan?”
“No, ma’am.”
She sighed before taking a swig of coffee as though caffeine was her alcohol. “Look, son. It doesn’t matter if I drank in high school. What matters is knowing the effects of what alcohol and drugs can do to a person. It’s important to never get behind the wheel impaired and use alcohol or drugs as a crutch to drown your problems.”