I met her gaze dead-on. “Then why didn’t you say anything two weeks ago when Hayes missed? Or the week before when Shiloh was gone?”
My mom stiffened, setting the stack of plates down with a clatter. “Hayes had a callout—”
“So his job is more important than mine?” I was done with her crap. She treated each of my siblings differently than she treated me, and I could never figure out why.
“Hayes doesn’t have someone who can cover for him.”
“Bullshit.”
“Hadley! You will not use that language. Especially in front of Birdie and Sage.”
The twins glanced at each other, their eyes wide, and Addie ushered them out of the main living area towards the family room at the other end of the house.
“I’m done with this, Mom.”
“Done with what? Your family?”
“Your double standard when it comes to me.”
Dad stepped between us. “Okay, I think that’s enough. Let’s everyone take a breath.”
I looked him in the eyes. “You see it. You have to.”
“He does not,” Mom cut in. “Because it doesn’t exist. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to ask you to show upon timefor one thing a week.”
It didn’t matter that she didn’t care if Shiloh would take off for a week at a time, escaping into the mountains to silence her demons. Or that Hayes would get calls in the middle of family dinners. That Beckett rarely came home between his medical missions all over the world. All of those were acceptable to her.
I never would be.
I waited to see if Dad would say anything, but he was silent. That was the final straw. I didn’t bother saying another word. No one would hear it anyway. I grabbed my purse and started towards the door.
“Hadley,” my brother called.
I ignored him and went right outside, hurrying down the steps. I was a dozen feet from my SUV when an arm grabbed my elbow. I whirled, ripping my arm from my assailant’s grip. “What?!”
Calder held up both hands. “Whoa there, slugger.”
“I’m not going back in there.”
“Neither would I.”
I rocked back on my heels. Usually, he pled my mother’s case. Tonight, he moved forward and wrapped me in a hug.
I was stunned motionless for a moment, but then I relaxed into Calder’s chest, my fingers fisting in his flannel shirt. Tears stung the backs of my eyes, but I refused to let them fall.
“I’m sorry, Hads,” he whispered into my hair.
“Why does she hate me so much?”
“She doesn’t. But she struggles with how strong you are. How well you know your own mind and won’t bend to anyone.”
“I can’t keep doing this.”
His lips ghosted across my temple. “I know. Maybe you both need a little bit of a break.”
We were silent for a bit, simply standing there in the moonlight. Calder didn’t let me go, and I held firmly to his shirt. I was scared to even breathe too deeply, that it might ruin this moment. But I was scared to lean into it, too. Terrified to trust he would be there for me when I needed him.
That thought had me unclenching my hold on his flannel and stepping back. I couldn’t meet his gaze. “Thank you.”