That whole night left me utterly exhausted. I went home and up to my room, like Mom told me to do, curling up beneath my blankets.
I don’t know what came over me, but I had to do something. All I could do to reach out was send Cane a text. I knew he wouldn’t respond, but I wanted him to know I was at least thinking about him while he was hurt.
Ten minutes after my text was sent, my phone vibrated.
A text.
Cane: I told you to leave him alone. Don’t make this any worse than it already is.
My throat had never felt dryer. My mind had never been so boggled.
I wanted to destroy Kelly, but how? How could I destroy a woman the world assumed was his girlfriend, without giving myself away? I wasn’t the kind of girl to rush into a hospital just to pick a fight. It just wasn’t me.
The realization of what had happened that night slapped me right in the face, punched me hard in the gut.
I was going to be over a hundred miles away in less than twenty-four hours. I would be in school, and probably wouldn’t come back home for months.
Things would change. The atmosphere would be heavy.
Kelly had won. Everything she’d said would happen, happened. My perfect life with the perfect family, was no more. She’d destroyed us, just like she said she would.
There was no going forward with Cane.
Not anymore.
Chapter Five
KANDY
Dad had finally been released from jail, but couldn’t leave the city due to pending charges. I couldn’t believe Cane was thinking about suing him. When Mom told me over the phone, I was almost tempted to drive to the hospital and demand him to drop the charge, but I couldn’t. I needed to be home for Dad.
When my parents arrived, I rushed to hug Dad before he could even get through the threshold. He hugged me back, but it wasn’t tight or strong like his usual hugs. His arms were slack around me, like he was afraid to touch me—afraid of who I was—but I ignored that thought and looked up at him.
“Are you okay?” I asked as Mom trailed in behind him, giving him a sideways glance. It was a dumb question. Dad looked rough. Rougher than I’d ever seen him before, honestly.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled, then looked at Mom, who gave him a stern look. Had they talked about this moment? Did she tell him not to make things weird? “Just need a shower.” That was all he said before walking past me, shoulders hunched as he went upstairs. My gaze fell to the floor, the rims of my eyes raw and hot. He couldn’t even look at me.
“Give him time,” Mom murmured, rubbing my shoulder, making her way upstairs too.
I had all my things packed and in the car by the time my parents came back downstairs. With Dad not being able to drive, we could fit everything in the trunk and backseats of the rental car. Mom had decided she would take a flight back to Georgia from Indiana since Dad was no longer going. I was sitting on the trunk of the car when they came outside.
“We really need to get on the road,” Mom announced. “Before it gets dark.”
“You’re still stopping at a hotel tonight, right?” Dad asked. “I don’t want you driving for long without much rest.”
“Yeah. I will. If I get too tired, I’ll have Kandy drive. Don’t worry, honey.”
“Good.” Dad sniffed, still avoiding my eyes. He had no idea how much he was breaking my heart by doing it. What hurt most was that I couldn’t even blame him. What do you say to your daughter after finding out those things? After seeing her in such a vulnerable position—witnessing her in the act? The fact that Mom was acting like things were okay and that nothing had happened wasn’t making the situation any better. I could tell she was forcing a happy moment, but it was impossible. There was tension between all of us—a tension so thick I felt suffocated.
“Well, I guess you guys should get going.” Dad took a step back.
I hopped off the trunk. “Are you going to be okay here alone?”
“I’ll be fine,” he answered, and he finally looked at me. And his eyes. God, his eyes. I will never forget how they looked. They were so sad. I’d never seen him like this before. Ever. I couldn’t believe I’d hurt him so much. Me. His daughter.
“Dad, I’m—“
He held up a hand, shaking his head. “Don’t, Kandy. Just get in the car and leave all of that behind. You hear me?”
I swallowed hard, immediately blinded by tears. In that moment, I didn’t care that the lines had been blurred or that he saw me in a new light. I still needed him, much more than he thought I did, so I rushed into his arms, slamming my face into his chest. I held him tight, and relief struck me when he eventually folded his arms around me and held me tighter than ever before. He kissed the top of my head several times.