“Wow,” I said.
“I can’t tell you how the thing between my mother and Forest started. I was a baby. My mother never told me the truth either. I can only assume it was something quick… or maybe not… because Deb is a crazy bitch too.”
“So you and Xavier are really close in age,” I said. “I mean, duh.”
“I’m a year older than everyone,” Gia said. “I had a lot of problems when I was really young. I didn’t advance like normal. That didn’t help much because soon after, everyone started calling me stupid.”
I lowered my head.
I knew that about Gia.
I knew she had a rough time in grade school. I didn’t know her personally but it was something that everyone grabbed at when they wanted to get to her. Calling her stupid. Making fun of her.
My heart ached.
“You’re going to think I’m crazy but I think I have memories of it,” Gia said.
“Memories of what?” I asked.
“My mother. Pregnant. Having a baby. I know, it’s… it’s probably not possible. But there were pictures.”
“You found those pictures?” I asked.
Gia nodded. “And I found a letter from Deb to my mother. She was a broken and depressed housewife who wanted a baby. Forest wanted a baby too. He wanted a son. Deb couldn’t have kids. There was some medical condition she had that prevented her from getting pregnant. That’s where it gets fucked up. Forest tried to buy Deb out of their marriage. He had found someone… fertile.”
“Well, he’s just an asshole then,” I said.
“My mother was fertile,” Gia said. She shook her head and her eyes welled up with tears. “My mother was completely devastated by my father leaving the way he did. She didn’t have time to get over it when Forest swooped in on her. I don’t have proof of anything, but from the pictures and the letter… this was all set up on purpose. I think Forest went after my mother, knowing she was heartbroken. He probably made her feel good or something and then… bam… she’s pregnant again. And it came with a paycheck.”
“They paid her to give up her son,” I whispered.
“That’s right. She had to sign documents or whatever. Nobody is ever allowed to talk about it. I think there were things signed for that too. Meaning if she ever says anything, she can get in trouble. I don’t know how it works, but it’s dirty. And they did it. And my mother went along with it.”
“Gia, I’m so sorry,” I said. “I can’t believe you had to live through that.”
“I was a baby,” she said. “What did I know? That’s what I said… I swear I can remember it all but probably can’t. I found the pictures when I was a kid. And my mother got so mad at me for it. But I refused to let it go. I was a little bit older… maybe twelve… I think… that’s when she told me what was going on. And that was only because I came home from school sick one day to find Forest in our house.”
“Were they… still…?”
“I don’t know,” Gia said. “I just remember seeing him and I remember him from the pictures. So I brought it up again. My mother was drunk that day. So whatever was going on between her and Forest, she drank and then she started talking. Telling me this crazy story about Xavier. I was never popular and never fit in with anyone, so it wasn’t like I had to deal with Xavier. But he was… he is… he’s my brother.”
“And your mother just doesn’t talk about it?” I asked.
“No.”
I rubbed my forehead. “And here I was so selfish, I thought you were going to tell Xavier.”
Gia laughed. “Thanks for trusting me.”
“Gia, come on,” I said. “Look at my life too. Maybe this is why we’re drawn to each other as best friends.”
“That’s warming,” she said. “Two fucked up people becoming friends.”
“At least it’s real,” I said.
Gia drank some more and then filled up the glass herself and took it outside.
I took a sip from the bottle left it on the counter and followed Gia out to the deck.
She was swaying left to right.
Almost like she was dancing.
“So what now?” I asked.
“What do you mean?” Gia asked.
“We know each other’s secrets,” I said.
“Let me ask you something, Winter,” Gia said. “When it’s all done… what’s going to happen then?”
“With what?”
“Everything. You. Noah. Easton. Xavier. Talon. Me…”
“Gia, I really do consider you my best friend,” I said. “Okay? When I was near Evie and Darcy I was just as bad. I was a bad person. I didn’t lose that memory of myself. I know that’s who I was. And just hearing them talk in the hospital… they wanted to treat me like I was… I don’t know… broken… and to think that’s who I was. I almost died, Gia. I should have died. It was set up for me to die. Somehow I didn’t die though. Here I am. I’m sorry I sounded greedy about Xavier. What would you do?”
“The same,” Gia said. “I’m sorry I slipped away. I left you with the wrong impression. Just hearing you talk about him. What he and the others did. I started to wonder if maybe his father did the same to my mother. You know? What if Forest… or Deb… probably Deb. She’s the meanest. But I just wondered if they threatened my mother. Or if my mother was just that kind of person. Take the baby, give me the money, and it all goes away.”
There was nothing I would put past anyone in and around BFH.
Even what Gia was saying.
As shocking as it sounded.
She took a step and missed it, falling to her ass.
I jumped after her but she rolled down the deck steps to the sand.
“Gia!” I cried out as I hurried after her.
She rolled to her back and looked at me.
She started to laugh.
Then she started to cry.
I put my head to the sand.
“This is fine,” I said.
“You’re a good friend,” Gia said. “I’m a messed up girl.”
“No you’re not. You’re just honest with yourself. You’re not afraid to feel. I respect that.”
We looked at each other.
“You sure you’re not fucking Talon?” Gia asked.
“Positive,” I said. “No Trocs.”
“No Trocs,” Gia said and smiled.
“I don’t even want any Bumps either. This is bad.”
“I know the feeling,” Gia said.
“To answer your question from before, I don’t know what happens at the end of this. I have this vision of me getting them so scared or whatever and then confessing I know the truth. And then telling all three that I’m not going to say a word to anyone else. Then they know I own their asses. That they do whatever I say to do. Like I have the fucking power for once in my life.”
“Hell yeah,” Gia said. She sat up. “Winter… hell yeah…”
I slowly sat up. “I don’t know what will happen,” I said. “Sometimes I think about talking to the police. Just to see what they say. I haven’t heard anything about the accident yet. I’m surprised nobody found something wrong with the SUV. It just feels…”