PMU Boxset 2

by MacMillan, Jerica

  Chris stepped in front of her. “Abby. Yes. I don’t feel good about letting you go alone. Not with some random dude in your mom’s house. I don’t trust him.”

  She sighed, torn between irritation and gratitude. “He’s my brother, Chris.”

  “Maybe technically. I don’t care. He gives me a bad feeling, and there’s no way I’m going to let you go by yourself. Megan was going to insist on coming with you, but I don’t want her around that asshole either.” Chris’s chest had puffed up as he talked, making him more intimidating than normal. Broad shoulders topped his expansive chest, covered in hard muscles honed from hours spent on the football field and in the gym.

  “But, Megan—”

  Chris cut Abby off with a shake of his head, crossing his arms. “I’m not changing my mind. Either we go with you, or you’re not going.”

  “But my mom—”

  He nodded. “I agree. We need to check on your mom. I don’t like that he wouldn’t let us see her, not even Megan. And Megan told me that he wouldn’t let you talk to her on the phone last night?” Abby nodded. “Yeah. I don’t trust that guy. So I’m going with you. I’ll stay outside if you want, but you have to leave the door open so I can hear what’s going on. Those are my terms.” He raised an eyebrow and angled his body toward the door. “Shall we?”

  Abby sighed, defeated. What was it with these stubborn guys and their overbearing need to be involved with everything? In some ways, Chris was worse than Lance.

  But deep down where she’d barely admit it to herself, she was grateful they were here. That Chris insisted on coming. She was more worried than she let on about the whole situation. While she had no way of knowing how her brother would react to having two more people around, she felt stronger, safer, more reassured with them than she would’ve on her own.

  She should’ve let Lance come home with her. And she knew he’d be glad Chris insisted on coming along but also sad that he didn’t get to be the one to be there for her.

  The ride to her mom’s house seemed to take forever, passing in tense silence. She knew Chris had been here before, but she still felt a pang of embarrassment at the overgrown dead weeds poking through the thin crust of snow around the edges of the property, the rutted track that passed for a driveway, and the crumbling edges of the siding on her mom’s double-wide. She’d grown up here, but she barely ever had friends over. When she was little, it was because her mom didn’t like having people over, but as she got older, Abby didn’t want anyone seeing where she lived either.

  Megan had been there off and on over the years, but other than her, Lance was the only person Abby had brought here. After he’d met her mom over the summer, he’d insisted on helping with the mowing, which was why the dead knapweed stayed on the edges of the yard, instead of taking over like it used to. He’d offered to paint, but her mom had declined, and no amount of reasoning would make her change her mind. Lance had suggested just buying paint and doing it anyway, but Abby had convinced him that would alienate her mom, and she couldn’t do that.

  And now Chris was here. Knowing he’d been here days before didn’t make bringing him here any easier to swallow. But he didn’t comment about the state of the yard or the outside of the house, parking behind a beat-up old Honda that she assumed was her brother’s car, rust patches showing through the dark green paint, with an Arizona license plate. Is that where he’d been? For how long?

  She unbuckled, getting out of the car along with Megan and Chris. She glanced at both of them and started for the worn concrete steps to the front door. They followed. Both of them. Didn’t Chris say he’d stay in the car? She turned to them before putting her key in the door. “Um, so, I think it’s best if I go in by myself.”

  Megan shook her head, and Chris crossed his arms.

  Before they could say anything, Abby cut in. “This is my family. You guys are outsiders to them. If you come barging in, it’ll only make things worse. Just stay here.”

  Chris’s jaw firmed, but he gave a short nod. “Leave the door cracked.”

  A twisted smile came to Abby’s mouth. Even if it were closed all the way, they’d be able to hear anything above normal conversation. This house was not soundproof. At all. But arguing seemed stupid, so she agreed. “Sure.”

  The light from the open door lanced through the dim living room when she stepped inside, narrowing to a sliver when she pushed the door mostly closed. The familiar stale smell of a place that had been shut up for too long hit her nostrils. She blinked a few times, letting her eyes adjust and stepping into the room. “Mom?”

  A door opened in the hallway, and her mom’s thin form came into the room, her face lighting up at the sight of Abby. “Hey, baby girl. You came home for Christmas.” Confusion marred her angular features. “Wait, I thought you were in Texas all week with that boyfriend of yours.”

  Abby swallowed and nodded. “I was. But I heard that Aaron came back. He wouldn’t let me talk to you when I called the other night. I got worried, so I came home early.”

  Her mom stepped closer, and Abby noticed her dingy white T-shirt looked like it hung off her frame more than normal, her strawberry blonde hair fell in greasy hanks around her face. Abby reached out a hand, but let it drop when her mom flinched back. “How are you feeling, Mom?”

  Wrinkling her nose, her mom crossed her arms, hugging herself. “Not great. But it’s nice to have both my kids home for Christmas.”

  Abby looked around the room. “Where’s Aaron?”

  “He’s taking a nap. Do you want something to eat? I still have a lot of groceries from when you stocked me up before you left. Aaron’s been eating some, but we still have plenty.” She moved toward the kitchen, ready to open the fridge and get something out.

  Abby shook her head. “No, I’m good. I can’t stay long. My friends are waiting outside.”

  Disappointment crossed her mom’s face. “Oh. Okay.”

  “I’m sorry, Mom. I really came by to check on you. Chris and Megan were worried too, especially since Aaron wouldn’t let anyone see you. You’re really okay?”

  “I’m fine, Abby. Why wouldn’t I be fine with Aaron? He’s my son.”

  Abby stared at her mom. “Well, he’s been gone for years without a word to anyone most of that time. Then he suddenly shows up and won’t let anyone see or talk to you.” She paused, pulling at her lower lip. “Why is he here? Did he say? And how long is he planning on staying?”

  “That’s a nice welcome home for your big brother.”

  Aaron’s deep voice made Abby jump and spin around to face the hallway. She hadn’t heard him come out. He stood in the opening to the hallway with his arms crossed, dressed in a pair of lounge pants and no shirt, more muscular than she remembered him, his blond hair buzzed close to his head, but a full beard on his face.

  Abby stepped closer to him, but stayed on the other side of the living room. “Hey, Aaron.”

  “Abby.”

  “What are you doing here?”

  He raised his eyebrows. “A guy can’t visit his mom without having ulterior motives?”

  “Given how long you’ve been gone? No. You can’t.” Abby wasn’t in the mood to coddle her older brother or pull her punches. She was pissed at him. For everything. “You left. You told me that Mom was my responsibility now, and you were done. You haven’t even called in over a year. Why are you here now, Aaron? Do you need money? You should know that Mom doesn’t have any more than she ever did. It’s not like she can work.”

  He laughed, a warm, booming sound that contrasted sharply with the tension and worry cranking Abby’s muscles tighter and tighter. “Oh, Abby. Just because we haven’t talked doesn’t mean I haven’t talked to Mom. Right, Mom?”

  Abby spun to look at her mom. “What? Did you know he was coming? Why didn’t you say something?”

  Her mom shook her head. “No, I didn’t know he was coming. But yes, he’d call me every once in a while. He came home for Christmas. Why do you think?”

&nbs
p; “I don’t know. It just seems strange.” He hadn’t been interested in coming home before, even when she’d asked him to that first year he was gone. Back when he still called occasionally. She turned back to her brother again. “Where have you been all this time? Arizona?”

  One corner of his mouth turned up in a mocking smirk that made Abby want to smack him. He’d been this way before he left, too, making fun of her for being so serious, one corner of his mouth turned up in a perpetual smirk, like everything was a big joke. But his jokes were always the nasty, sarcastic variety. And once again, that was directed at her. She hadn’t missed that about him. At all.

  He hadn’t always been that way. When they were kids, he’d taken care of her, made her lunches, helped her with her homework. But he’d gotten angrier as he’d gotten older, resentful of being responsible for her and their mom.

  When he didn’t answer, she huffed out a breath, crossing her arms. “Fine. Don’t answer.” Turning back to her mom, she looked her over again. “Do you really have enough food? I can go get you something if you need. You look skinnier than normal.”

  Her mom shook her head. “I’m fine, Abby. I just haven’t been that hungry lately.”

  “Aaron, you need to make sure she eats something.”

  “Abby,” her mom’s voice was sharp, “I’m not a child. I can feed myself. Aaron doesn’t need to spoon-feed me like a baby.”

  Defeated, Abby shook her head. “Fine. Okay. Since I’m clearly not needed, I’ll go. I’ll come check on you again in a few days.” She went to her mom and gave her a gentle hug, which her mom returned, her stick-thin arms barely pressing into Abby’s shoulders.

  With a dark look at her brother, who still stood smirking in the hallway, one shoulder leaning against the wall, Abby left, locking the door behind her. Megan and Chris stood in the yard, the mix of grass and weeds covered in frost and crunching under their feet.

  It was Megan who spoke first. “Is your mom okay? Did you find out why Aaron’s here?”

  “Yeah, Mom’s fine. Skinny, but that’s not unusual. She says she’s okay, though. I’m worried she’s not eating enough, but there’s nothing I can do about it.” Abby shook her head, her eyebrows wrinkling in distress, and she took the two steps down to the grass, her arms crossed over herself. “I don’t know what the deal is with Aaron. He still won’t tell me why he’s here.” She glanced back toward the house. “C’mon. Let’s go. We can talk more in the car.”

  Megan nodded, and hooked her arm with Abby’s to walk to the car. Chris stared at the house a moment longer before coming up behind them. Once they were back on the main roads, Abby told them about her conversation with Aaron and her mom.

  She wished Lance were here. Even if he couldn’t actually help with anything, he’d at least make her feel better about it. And help her work out what to do about her brother and his sudden reappearance in everyone’s life.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  Lance decided that this was the worst Christmas on record. Not because his family was horrible or he got coal in his stocking. No, his parents were awesome, even his dad after their chat at the shop. He’d told his mom the night before that he’d be leaving after they exchanged gifts in the morning. She’d hugged him and said, “Oh good! Of course you should go. I’m surprised you didn’t go with her today. I figured they must not’ve had room for you on the flight.” He’d also let her know he planned to propose, which had made her hug him again and say, “I’m so happy for you!”

  Marissa gave him a hard time, but in the teasing way they had where they always gave each other shit. She had pulled him aside at one point and told him how much she liked Abby. Gabby was just sad that they were both leaving early.

  No, what made it the worst Christmas was that two thousand miles separated him from Abby, and he couldn’t do anything to help her. He felt her absence like the phantom ache of a missing limb. She’d texted that Chris and Megan were going with her to her mom’s house this morning, but he hadn’t heard back from her yet. And his plane boarded in a few minutes, so he wouldn’t be able to communicate with her for a while.

  Shit. He still hadn’t told her he was coming back today, wanting it to be a surprise. But would she be upset if he didn’t answer her for a few hours? Hopefully she’d text him or call him before he had to turn off his phone.

  He texted Chris for an update. Abby’s still inside. Megan and I are waiting in the yard. They’re talking, not yelling. Don’t worry, I’ll intervene if it sounds like things go bad.

  While Lance was relieved that Chris had gone, he hated that he couldn’t be there. He should’ve insisted on going home with her yesterday. This was so stupid.

  He took a deep breath, trying to quell his frustration before it morphed into anger. He’d be home tonight, and the next time Abby went to visit her mom he’d be there too. There was no way in hell he’d let her go by herself, no matter what she said. Not after this. Not with the way he felt right now. He couldn’t take it.

  Finally, just before the gate agent called the final group to board, his phone rang in his hand. “Sweetheart? Hey. How’s it going?”

  She blew out a breath over the phone. “Meh. Not great. I still don’t know what’s going on with my brother, but Mom seems to be okay.”

  “That’s good.”

  “Yeah. I miss you, though. I wish you were here.”

  “Me too.”

  “Could you—” She hesitated. He waited, and was rewarded for his patience. “Could you come home early, do you think?” Her next words came out in a rush. “I know you wanted to spend time with your family, and I’m still afraid they’ll hate me for leaving early and making you cut your trip short, but I’m worried, and I hate this, and I really want you here.”

  Lance smiled, almost telling her not to worry, that he’d be home tonight. He still wanted to surprise her. But then her words from when he’d surprised her by just showing up in August came back to him. “I would’ve liked it better if you’d told me.” So he took a deep breath and cleared his throat. “Um, well, I already changed my ticket. I’m about to get on a plane in Dallas. I’ll be back tonight.”

  The gate agent came over the loudspeaker with the final call for boarding. He slung his backpack over his shoulder and made his way to the gate while Abby processed his words in stunned silence.

  “What? Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

  He mouthed a thank you to the gate agent while she scanned his boarding pass, and he started down the jetway. “I didn’t want to fight about it. I know you wanted to deal with your family on your own, but worrying about you up there alone, with god knows what going on, is torture. I can’t handle it. So I changed my flight and figured I’d surprise you.”

  “I hate surprises.”

  He smiled. “I know. That’s why I’m telling you. You sound stressed, and as much as I love surprising you, I figured you’d rather know I’ll be there tonight.”

  “I’m so glad you’re coming home.” Relief filled her voice.

  “Me too, sweetheart. Me too.”

  He found his seat, the middle one, and since he’d waited so long to get on, the overhead bin had no room for his backpack. Resigning himself to an uncomfortable flight, he settled into his seat. “Listen, I’m on the plane now, so I’ve got to go. I’ll let you know once I’m in Seattle, and I’ll see you tonight.”

  “Text me your flight information when you get to Seattle. I want to meet you at the airport.”

  “You don’t have to do that. My car’s there, right? I can just drive home.”

  “Yeah, it is. I know. I don’t care. I don’t want to wait any longer to see you than I have to. Megan’ll give me a ride to the airport. I’ll see you when you get here.”

  His relief at her positive reaction made it so he couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. “Okay. I can’t wait to see you either. I’ll text you my flight info, and I’ll see you in a few hours.”

  “Good. Okay.” She sniffled.

  “Hey.
Are you okay?”

  Another sniff. “Yeah. I’m fine.” Her voice sounded wavery, and that dimmed his happiness.

  “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. I’m just relieved you’re going to be here tonight. Today sucked.” Now she sounded like she was actually crying, not even fighting it back.

  “For me too. I’ll see you soon.” He wished he could just snap his fingers and be there now, hold her and soothe her and tell her everything would be okay.

  “Okay. Love you.”

  “Love you, too.”

  When he hung up, he turned off his phone, stashed it in the front pocket of his backpack, and pulled out his iPad to stick in the seat back pocket in front of him. Sitting up, he caught the eye of the older woman sitting next to him. “Going home, I take it?”

  He smiled back politely. “Yes.”

  “It’s nice you have someone waiting for you there.”

  “Yes, it is.”

  She went back to her knitting, and Lance buckled himself in, waiting for the flight attendants to get through their safety spiel so he could start reading in an attempt to keep himself occupied. He’d been antsy about getting home before, but now that he’d told Abby and would see her at the airport, it put him even more on edge. The only other times they’d been apart since their relationship got serious, he’d been a grumpy asshole. He was trying to rein that in. And the fact that Abby wanted him to come home early helped. He viewed it as reassurance that they were both committed to their relationship. And maybe this meant she was done pushing him away when her personal stuff came up.

  He hoped so.

  Abby sat on the vinyl seats across from the security exit waiting for Lance. His flight had been delayed by a half hour, so she’d been here for a while, trying to distract herself with games on her phone or reading, but nothing could hold her attention. Every time people came down the ramp, she looked up, hopeful that maybe the monitor was wrong, maybe they’d landed already and Lance would appear. Each time she was disappointed.