“What?” She questions.
“Nothing,” I backtrack. “Nevermind.”
“No,” She huffs, “Just go ahead and say it.”
I think about how happy I’ve been since Karly, and I have been hanging out, “I’m just saying you’ve never even thought about the possibility of more?”
“Sure.” She admits, “I’ve thought about everything with Madden. I don’t think there is anyone that can make me happier. I just don’t want to ruin our friendship if things don’t work out romantically.”
She’s not wrong. Now that everything has happened with Karly, I can’t see us going back to just friends. Which is why things have to work out. Somehow.
“I understand that.”
“Yeah, and I do really like Drayton.”
“Have you talked to Madden about any of this?” I ask.
She sighs, “Yes and no.”
I admire Lainey’s heart. It’s so kind even after all of the things that has happened to her family and to her personally. Honestly, most Legacy kids seem entitled and bratty, but Lainey makes me want kids of my own.
“I think you need to start there. Talk to Madden. Get that conversation out of the way.”
“Okay, but what about my parents, any idea how I can get them off my back? You’d think they’d leave me alone now that I’m emancipated?”
A question I’ve never really had the answer to. Truly, it tears me up inside that she has to deal with everything that her parents have caused. She’s never deserved it, and if I could, I’d take her out of that situation altogether. They argue and take it out on Lainey. And none of their problems is her fault. Even if she has created some problems for herself, she’s been mature about them and handled them like an adult.
“We’ve talked about this so many times. You know, if you want to move out of Drayton’s house, you can always stay here in the guest room.”
She tosses her head back dramatically against the back of the couch, grabbing a throw pillow to squeeze, “Mom should’ve left dad when he cheated. None of us would be in this mess.”
She’s right. Ethan’s my brother, but that probably would’ve been for the best. The affair that Ethan had was with a woman that he was seeing for counseling, who insisted that both sides of the marriage needed private sessions. Private enough to bend this woman over his desk for months on end.
“I think I’m going to stay at Madden’s for a while.”
I sigh, “You think that’s a good idea?”
She rolls her eyes, “Drayton will be pissed, his mom will be pissed, but they’ll get over it.”
She ends the conversation with that, finishing the evening with a shower. While she’s occupied, I decided to text Karly.
Me: Small fire.
Dirty little secret: Any casualties?
Me: Just my heart. I hate that she has to deal with all these things at seventeen.
Dirty little secret: Spend some time with her. I’ll have dad drive me back tomorrow.
Lainey walks back into the living room, smiling at the phone in her hand.
“What’s so funny?”
She grins, “Drayton.”
I give her a judgemental glare, “Weren’t you two just fighting thirty seconds ago?”
She groans, “God, you sound like Madden.”